Many give up hope and assume that sleep apnea is something that simply must be lived with. The truth is closer than you think. Sleep apnea is more common than you think and it can be a dangerous condition.
Do you drink and smoke? If you suffer from sleep apnea, quit smoking and cut down on your alcohol consumption. These items can harm your airways. Alcohol relaxes your airways, making them more prone to collapse, and smoking can cause them to swell, restricting airflow. If you do not want to quit, just do not do it before laying down to sleep.
In order to assist you with sleep apnea, you must talk to your doctor about what CPAP machines to use. The noise level of a CPAP machine and its overall size are both points to take into consideration. A machine to get you through the night is better than feeling fatigued every day. Your doctor should be able to point you in the right direction of a capable machine.
If you have sleep apnea and you’re overweight, try shedding those pounds. Research has shown a clear link between sleep apnea and obesity. You may cure sleep apnea by just shedding twenty pounds.
Talk to your doctor to find out if a sleep mouth guard will work for your apnea. You might possess an airway that is naturally narrow, or you might have a recessed chin or small jaw. All of these can make the symptoms of sleep apnea seem more pronounced. Specialty devices can rectify the minor deviations during sleep so that your jaw aligns and your breathing passage remains unobstructed, giving you a better night of uninterrupted rest.
Avoid drinking much alcohol. Alcohol causes all the muscles in your body to lose their tension. Although many people desire this side-effect of alcohol, it is not beneficial to people with sleep apnea. Like the rest of your muscles, those around your throat and airway relax under the influence of alcohol, making it harder for you to maintain a proper air passage. If you absolutely must drink, then do it in moderation and certainly not right when you’re about to go to sleep.
Make yourself wear your CPAP for four hours while you sleep, at the least. Some find that it can be uncomfortable to use at first, but the point is to use it and ward off trouble. If you want your treatment to work, it is essential to use your CPAP for at least 4 hours every night. Keep trying to use your machine, and work up to a full night slowly if you need to.
Many children suffer with sleep apnea. If he or she is cranky, active, inattentive and tends to breathe through their nose, they may have sleep apnea. Oftentimes these symptoms cab be associated with ADHD, but first you should consult with your doctor to see if the problem is sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
If you aren’t sleeping with a partner each night who can let you know of any irregularities in your sleeping patterns, it can be hard to know if you have this condition. Therefore, record yourself sleeping at night by putting a video camcorder in your room. The video should be equipped with sound so that doctors can also hear any noises that occur during your sleep.
Your kids may have sleep apnea. If you child seems to be distracted in class, cannot focus, and is breathing through his mouth, then he may have sleep apnea. Such symptoms may mimic ADHD, so discuss the matter with your family physician and consider the possibility that your child has sleep apnea.
Never travel without your CPAP machine. You never should go a single night without your CPAP. Your machine should include a padded travel bag. The bag should be used to secure your CPAP during all of your travels.
Sleep apnea is a significant disorder. If you think you may have it, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss it. In the process of fully diagnosing your condition, you may be able to consult with a sleep specialist. Home sleep tests with portable monitors are also often used to pinpoint sleep apnea.
People with sleep apnea often get good results by losing weight. Those who are overweight usually suffer from sleep apnea due to the circumference of their neck. When you lose weight it takes a lot of the pressure off of your airways and allows you to breathe more easily when you sleep.
Now that you know about sleep apnea and possible treatments for it, your nights should be easier to get through. You have a right to a good night’s sleep every night and to get diagnosed and treated for sleep apnea; no one should try to discourage you from doing that.
If you have sleep apnea, do not drink a lot of alcohol. Drinking alcohol can cause your throat to relax which can make sleep apnea worse. Limit drink consumption to no more than two or quit drinking completely prior to bed. Doing this will prevent alcohol from disturbing your sleeping hours.