Do You Think You Might Have Sleep Apnea?

After you got up today, were you exhausted, even though you slept for many hours? Does your sleeping partner constantly complain about your loud snoring? Has your own snoring ever woken you up? Your troubles could be due to sleep apnea, but don’t worry. Here, in this article, you can learn about sleep apnea.

If you are overweight, lose some weight. It is widely known that being overweight is the cause of sleep apnea for some people. If you slim down, you may see a marked difference in how your sleep apnea affects you.

A common reason that people have sleep apnea is due to the extra pounds on their bodies. Anyone who is overweight and suffers from sleep apnea needs to lose weight for the sake of their health. These people should set themselves up with a weight-loss plan that involves exercise and calorie reduction. Carbohydrate restriction has been shown to help people lose weight in recent studies as well.

Some people give up using the CPAP machine they have been prescribed and this is not a good move. Use it for at least four hours each night, until you become used to it in full. It can be extremely difficult for some patients to get used to sleeping with a CPAP. In order for your CPAP therapy to be effective, you need to use it at least four hours a day. Keep trying to use your machine, and work up to a full night slowly if you need to.

Do you occasionally drink or smoke? Eliminate bad habits. These substances influence your airways. Smoking swells up your airways while alcohol relaxes them. Both of these things can result in sleep apnea. If you can’t completely eliminate these habits, try avoiding them prior to bed.

Sleep Apnea also affects children. There are a multitude of symptoms that can determine whether your child has sleep apnea. A lot of times these symptoms look like the symptoms of someone suffering with ADHD, but you should consult with your doctor who can evaluate all the symptoms.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is not to be taken lightly. If you feel some of the symptoms, then you need to consult a physician as quickly as you can. An official diagnosis might mean consultation with a sleep specialist, a sleep test and monitoring to get a whole grasp on your situation.

Playing wind instruments can actually help you control sleep apnea. Researchers from Germany found that practicing with the didgeridoo on a regular basis strengthens throat muscles. These muscles are responsible for the strength of your airway passage and its ability to dilate. This is why playing this instrument regularly will help strengthen these muscles, and reduce snoring and sleep apnea symptoms.

Try to sleep on your side at night. Sleeping on your back makes your airway more prone to collapse. Try sleeping on your side at night and determine if that helps you breathe a bit easier.

Get a mouth guard made specifically for you. These special guards are designed to help people who suffer with sleep apnea. This can be an alternative to a CPAP machine, and can be more comfortable, to boot. The soft tissues in your throat can collapse when you sleep at night, and wearing a mouth guard can help to keep your airway unobstructed.

Avoid medications that are designed to help you sleep. These will make your throat muscles too soft, and your air passages will not work right. For those with severe cases of sleep apnea, using these pills can be quite dangerous. Avoid using them even if you are having trouble sleeping.

Researching sleep apnea can give you many good ideas if you are suffering from the disorder. Consider this an accomplishment, since many do not bother to get to this point. Now, you should feel empowered to start getting sound sleep at night.

Don’t use multiple or oversize pillows. If you use very thick pillows or many pillows, you may end up sleeping at an odd angle that hurts the free flow of air through your airways. Pillows that lift your head can cramp the airways that you need to be open to be able to breathe properly as you sleep. With this in mind, use only a single pillow to minimize sleep apnea symptoms.