Living without proper sleep is debilitating for anyone, but when you have sleep apnea, it makes it almost impossible to get a good night’s sleep. Read the following article for some great tips on living with sleep apnea yet sleeping better and feeling better.
Sleep apnea can be extremely tricky to diagnose yourself, especially if you sleep alone without a loved one to tell you about minor sleep problems you experience. You can remedy this problem by setting up a recorder that can film you while you’re sleeping at night. Remember that recording audio is equally important; medical professionals can tell a great deal from the sounds you make while you sleep.
Some people’s sleep apnea can be traced to morbid obesity. If this happens to be the problem then anyone dealing with sleep apnea should immediately shed this weight. Following a reasonable weight loss plan and exercising is essential. It may be worth it to look into diet plans that reduce the amount of carbohydrates that you eat.
To help diagnose your sleep apnea, your doctor may ask you to keep a sleep log. You will record when you sleep and when you awaken and anything else that happens during your sleeping hours. Your spouse can inform you of any excessive snoring, jerking, or momentary lapses in your breathing. That helps the physician determine whether your symptoms are, in fact, sleep apnea.
Mouth Guards
If you are going to be hospitalized for any reason, bring your CPAP with you to ensure you get restful sleep. If the hospitalization was planned or for an emergency, you should still be sure that your CPAP and your mask are brought with you to be used while you’re there. You have already set the pressure to the appropriate level, and you are accustomed to the mask that you have been using nightly. Having your own machine will make using a CPAP while in the hospital much easier.
Mouth guards can be custom fit. These oral devices are specially made for sleep apnea sufferers. It is a great alternative to CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) and is much more comfortable to wear at night. These mouth guards help you by making sure your airways remain open by giving your soft tissues a stabilizing hand.
Lose a bit of weight to get rid of your sleep apnea. Sometimes, losing weight is all it takes to get rid of sleep apnea. Even small amounts of weight loss have been shown to improve sleep apnea symptoms and open up the throat and airways.
If your doctor has prescribed a CPAP machine, try to wear it for about 4 hours every night. Unfortunately, adjusting to this device while sleeping can be hard for some people. Good health over the long term is what is important, and you need to build up the amount of time you use it until you can use it throughout the night. If you find it hard to get used to your CPAP, use it for only 4 hours at a go.
Don’t go to sleep on your back if you have sleep apnea. Most people with sleep apnea habitually sleep through the night on their backs. This causes the throat muscles to collapse, blocking the airway. Lie on your side and support yourself with pillows to avoid rolling onto your back.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea should not be ignored; it needs to be treated. Different treatment options work well for some people, but not others. Very often, losing weight has a profound effect on sleep apnea symptoms; however, some very thin people have sleep apnea. The CPAP machine and other non-invasive procedures have been helpful for millions. Some decide to go under the knife to get the airway relief they require. Whatever route is best for you, getting treatment is key to living a happy, restful life.
Going to bed on your side can be something you can do to help you get better rest if you have sleep apnea. When sleeping on the back, throat and tongue muscles are more likely to block your airway. See if sleeping on your side doesn’t help your sleep apnea condition.
If you have sleep apnea, stop smoking. It can cause your upper airways to start swelling, which can make your sleep apnea worse. You can use nicotine patches or replacement therapy to quit. The hardest period for the majority of smokers is the initial 30 days upon quitting. Once you are past the first few weeks, the nicotine craving begin to lessen significantly.
Try something else besides sleeping pills. Sleeping pills are similar to alcohol in that they cause the muscles in your throat to be less tense. They may also have other negative effects as well. Consult your doctor to find a sleep aid that won’t impact your breathing.
Start playing a woodwind instrument. You can pick up a new skill, but more than that you are able to exercise and learn to control the very muscles that have to do with breathing. Toning the throat and neck muscles will give you more control over your sleep apnea.
Attempt sleeping on the side. Many people with sleep apnea sleep while on their backs. When you sleep on your back it can cause your throat and mouth tissues to impede your airways. Breathing is a lot easier for your body to do when you are on your side. Support yourself with pillows so that you won’t end up on your back at night.
Speak with your doctor about writing you a prescription for a heated humidifier if you have a CPAP machine to sleep. The humid, warm air enables CPAP users to have a much easier time getting restful sleep. A lot of modern CPAP machines have a humidifier on them; ask your doctor about it.
Normally sleep apnea is diagnosed after getting a physical exam, but it also helps to study your family’s medical history to see if it’s prevalent among your relatives. Sleep studies may also be done, and depending on what your primary doctor finds after all these measures, he may refer you to a sleep specialist, which is a type of doctor that diagnoses and treats people exhibiting sleep problems.
Remember that you need not feel embarrassed by your CPAP machine and your treatments. Let people know that you need it, and do not feel self-conscious about using it in front of your friends or partner. Remember that a CPAP machine is helping you, and if others make fun of you, they aren’t your friends.
Of course, for a solid diagnosis of sleep apnea, you must see a doctor. Nonetheless, healthy, self-help techniques may help and won’t hurt. Quitting smoking and losing weight are great for anyone, but are even better for sleep apnea patients. You will definitely want to stay away from alcohol and caffeine, along with late night heavy meals before going to bed.
Sleeping on your back can make your sleep apnea worse, so try to fall asleep on your side. Simply sew a pocket onto the back of your sleep clothing and put a tennis ball inside the pocket. This will help you to keep from laying on your back while you are asleep. The discomfort of the ball will keep you from staying on your back as you sleep.
Sleep apnea is not something that should be ignored, because it will not go away without treatment. Different people find relief through different forms of treatment. Getting to a lower weight can cut back on symptoms in a lot of sufferers, but even slender folks can be afflicted. CPAP machines are considered non-invasive, and many people use them successfully. Some prefer surgery to avoid daily contraptions. However you go about it, get help and your quality of life will improve.
Some people find that learning to play the wind instrument they’ve always been interested in is an effective treatment for their sleep apnea. Playing a Didgeridoo or other wind instrument was shown to reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea in a German study. This will help clear your airways.
Strengthening your throat muscles can be very effective in reducing sleep apnea symptoms as well. When your breathing is obstructed by soft tissues collapsing in the anterior of your throat while you sleep, the result is sleep apnea. When your muscles get stronger, chances becomes less that they will collapse and cause a blockage in the airways.
Those who suffer from sleep apnea may need to consider a simpler solution for their problem. Set up a regular bedtime for yourself and go to sleep each night at around the same time. Make sure that your bedroom conditions are also suited for a good night’s rest. If your room is not comfortable, you will have a hard time resting.
Cpap Machine
Oral appliances designed to encourage proper jaw position can help treat many sleep apnea cases. It is not uncommon for people to have jaw shapes that create a narrow airway. Your jaw’s alignment is improved with corrective devices, allowing more air to flow.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and require a CPAP machine, talk to your physician about heated humidification with it. Moist, warm air can be an effective way to make sure that you use your CPAP machine by making it more comfortable. Many of these machines now include humidifiers, and your doctor can probably prescribe one for you.
Do not drink any type of alcohol before you sleep. Alcohol can worsen sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. It slows down the central nervous system, and that can make apnea worse, and it makes it harder for someone to rouse you if you do in fact stop breathing. Therefore, combining sleep apnea and alcohol can be deadly.
Many people who have sleep apnea make the mistake of sleeping on their backs. You would be better served by laying on your side during sleep. You can use something like pillows or blankets so that you will not want to sleep on your back. This will keep you from rolling onto your back.
Stay away from opioid and narcotic medicines. If your respiratory system is suppressed by these drugs, your oxygen level can drop through the night as you sleep. For a person with sleep apnea, this effect can lead to a potentially life-threatening situation.
If you are taking a flight and bringing your CPAP machine, contact the airlines ahead of time. You will be able to make an arrangement with the airline to use your CPAP. Don’t forget your power adapter!
Don’t allow any of your other breathing issues to spiral out of control. You should treat all breathing conditions if you learn you have sleep apnea. If you are having allergy issues, you should correct that right away as well by staying inside as much as possible. If you have a cold, deal with it right away.
If you are prone to sleep apnea, you should try not to sleep on your back. Being on your back can compress your airways, leading to breathing problems that wake you up. Pillows may assist you in side sleeping.
If you are waking up with cotton mouth because of your CPAP device, there are some things you can do. The first thing you can do is increase the humidity level on the machine. This should help keep your nasal and mouth passages more moist. A mask with a chin strap can also be used to keep the mouth closed so it doesn’t dry out.
IF you have sleep apnea you can do exercises with your throat that may help. This is because when you exercise your throat it become stronger, allowing them to let air through them easier. A great example is to press your tongue against the top of your mouth, holding it there for three minutes, and releasing it. This exercise can be done 1-2 times per day, every day.
You can increase the chances of sleeping well by wearing a special sleep apnea mouth guard. Wearing a specially fitted sleep mouth guard can help to properly align an individual’s jaw and, as a result, make breathing during sleep much easier. The airways can be significantly restricted by jaw misalignment or simple jaw issues such as an overbite; correcting these problems will make breathing much easier.
If you are losing rest from sleep apnea, you could be jeopardizing your long-term health. Start taking steps to conquer sleep apnea so you can finally get the sleep you deserve. It’s tough enough to get through life when you’re well rested; don’t let sleep apnea put you at a further disadvantage!
Even though you’re likely suffering from a surfeit of energy due to your sleep apnea, you have to do everything you can to improve your sleep situation and deal with your condition. Enlist the aid of friends and family. They might be able to take you to your doctor’s appointments or print out information from CPAP machine manufacturers.