Sleep apnea may well be your problem if you’re finding it difficult to get a good night’s rest. There are millions who suffer from sleep apnea, and face difficulties because of it. What’s great is that there are a lot of things you can do to deal with sleep apnea. The information below offers many helpful tips that will help you learn how to manage this problem.
Do you smoke or sometimes drink? Stop these bad habits. Smoking and drinking have negative effects on your airways. When you smoke you can harm your lungs, and it can be hard for you to breathe at night. Alcohol has a similarly negative effect. If losing these habits is not possible, then at least limit yourself before going to bed.
If you have sleep apnea and drink or smoke, try quitting to improve your symptoms. Both of these bad habits make the airways relax too much, making sleep apnea worse. As an added benefit, keep in mind that ditching these bad habits will put extra money back into your pocket, whereas extensive medical treatments will cost you a great deal.
Using a wind instrument can be a huge help in treating your sleep apnea. German researchers suggest playing the didgeridoo regularly trains your upper airway muscles. You’ll have better control over your airway’s dilation and the stiffness of the surrounding tissues if you exercise these muscles. This means that if you practice regularly, you will notice a reduction in sleep apnea symptoms and snoring.
Shed a bit of weight if you can. Sleep apnea is directly associated with excess weight. A loss of 10 or more pounds can significantly reduce our sleep apnea symptoms.
Sleep apnea can benefit from a good diet that results in your losing weight. Not everyone equates bad and good food with sleep apnea, but many people have found out that it does play a role. Studies show that people who eat low quality foods suffer from apnea worse than overweight people that eat healthy foods.
Mouth Guard
Sleep apnea sufferers often benefit from laying on their side during sleep. By sleeping on your back, you’ll notice that your throat and nasal passages may become obstructed. See if sleeping on your side doesn’t help your sleep apnea condition.
Have a mouth guard fitted for your needs. Fitted mouth guards help people sleep through the night. While they won’t work for everyone, they do work for many people who find them to be easy to use and successful in treating their sleep apnea. The mouth guard helps by keeping the airway open and providing stability for the soft tissues.
Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed by a doctor after he looks at your family history, medical history, and you have a comprehensive physical exam. Sleep studies may be suggested and your doctor might refer you over to a type of sleep specialist that can diagnose and treat your symptoms.
Do not consume as much alcohol as you used to. Your muscles are relaxed by drinking alcohol. Although many people desire this side-effect of alcohol, it is not beneficial to people with sleep apnea. Alcohol has an effect on throat muscles and it can hurt your body. If you have to have a drink, do it well before bedtime.
If you sleep alone, you might have a hard time determining if you suffer from sleep apnea. To gather evidence a physician can evaluate, record yourself sleeping through the night. The video should also have audio to listen for any noises.
You may be able to address your sleep apnea by simply changing from back sleeping to side sleeping. The airway obstructions that cause sleep apnea are far more likely to occur if you sleep on your back than in any other position. Be sure you try sleeping on your side to get rid of a few of your problems caused by sleep apnea at night.
To help you figure out if you suffer from sleep apnea, you may be asked by your doctor to keep a log of your sleeping. All hours slept or spent awake should be recorded. Your partner can help with that, as they know whether you are a loud snorer or jerk about. Your doctor can use this information to determine if you actually suffer from sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
If you are taking a vacation and suffer from sleep apnea, don’t forget to bring your CPAP machine along. You should never sleep without using your CPAP machine. A travel bag with good padding probably came with your machine. Use this bag to carry your CPAP whenever you travel.
It’s best to lay on your side to sleep when you have sleep apnea. Most people who have sleep apnea realize that they have been sleeping on their back too much. When you sleep on your back, you are warping the shape of your airways. It is best to sleep on one of your sides or your stomach. If you think you might roll over anyway, try a wedge pillow.
If you have sinus or allergy issues, this may be causing your sleep apnea. Having sleep apnea means you already struggle to breathe during the night. You have to avoid anything else that is going to affect your ability to breathe while you are asleep. Maintaining free nasal passages will ensure greater odds of sleeping getting a great night’s sleep.
Sleep apnea is generally determined by looking at your family and medical history, along with a physical exam. Your doctor may recommend a sleep study as well. When your doctor has this information, he passes it on to a specialist who can help you even more.
Reduce sleep apnea by shedding excess weight. It’s possible to get rid of this condition just by losing weight. Just losing a little bit of weight can go a long way in improving the symptoms of sleep apnea and opening up breathing passage ways.
Without a partner in your bed to tell you how you sleep, you may not know that you experience sleep apnea. To gather evidence a physician can evaluate, record yourself sleeping through the night. Make sure the video has sound as well, so that your doctor can hear your breathing.
If you are suffering from sleep apnea and have a cold or allergies, try using a nasal spray. Using nasal spray a couple of nights in a row should help you sleep. Avoid using nasal sprays over a long period of time; your mucus membranes could become damaged and irritated. A quick trip to the pharmacy can turn you onto a host of different treatments that can help reduce nasal congestion.
If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP, be sure to carry a medical ID with you. If you are in need of medical attention, it is important that the people helping you realize you have sleep apnea and use CPAP therapy. This ID should say that you have apnea, that you use CPAP, and that your machine has to be set at a certain pressure level.
Try using a device made to eliminate snoring. Both snoring and sleep apnea are caused by narrowed airways. One device can help with both. Using a device that reduces your snoring will help you sleep better.
Bring your CPAP along with you if you’re going to the hospital. Whether the stay is for a planned surgery or sudden emergency, make sure you have access to your CPAP for the duration of your stay. You will your mask you’re used to, and the pressure will be set right. This will simplify your CPAP therapy during your stay at the hospital.
Minimize your risk from the conditions causing sleep apnea. Be aware that certain risk factors, like gender and genes, cannot be changed. But, there are other things you can do to cut out risks such as not smoking or drinking heavily, and also managing your weight.
Now, after reading the above article, you are aware of many treatment methods to help with sleep apnea. First, try the treatment that best addresses the underlying causes of your apnea. If you use these tips, you will get better sleep at night. You do not have to allow sleep apnea to ruin your life.
It is better to sleep on your side if you have sleep apnea. Sleeping on one’s back makes the airways extra vulnerable to blockage; this is why most sleep apnea sufferers are also habitual back-sleepers. Prop yourself up on your side with a pillow or cushions.