Sleep apnea can be a very harmful medical problem that affects people of any age. Most people don’t know how to go about treating the condition. The information contained in this article will finally help you break through the mist and get the sleep you deserve.
Do you light up or knock some back every day? Get rid of behaviors that are not good for you. Alcohol and tobacco both cause airway problems. 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 you’re not able to stop smoking and drinking, at least don’t do them before you fall asleep.
Overweight people are more prone to suffering from sleep apnea. The obvious solution is to lose the excess weight. Increasing exercise and reducing your total calorie intake can help to accomplish this. Reducing carbohydrate intake can be an effective way to take off the pounds, according to some recent studies.
Start playing a wind instrument to alleviate your sleep apnea symptoms. Researchers in Germany found that playing a didgeridoo can train and strengthen the muscles of the upper airway. These muscles control your airway. So try and play the didgeridoo regularly to help you get through the night with sleep apnea.
Get through sleep apnea by consulting with your practitioner about getting a CPAP machine. You need to be aware of the machine’s size, as well as how loud it is. There are some very small and quiet machines available. Your doctor should be able to point you in the right direction of a capable machine.
Avoid alcohol before bed as much as possible. Drinking alcohol relaxes the muscles of your throat and airway. People who are addicted to alcohol may learn that this is the cause of their apnea, and others who drink sporadically should know it affects them, too. Your throat muscles become relaxed and cause your airways to become blocked. If you absolutely have to have a drink, don’t do as much as you used to. And avoid having one close to bedtime.
If your physician has prescribed a CPAP machine, do try to sleep a minimum of four hours with it nightly. Many people find it very difficult to feel comfortable using a CPAP to go to sleep. However, it won’t be effective if you don’t use it every day. If you’re struggling to adjust, ensure you’re using the CPAP for four hours every single time you go to sleep.
When you suffer from sleep apnea, you should do your best to stick to the same sleep schedule each day. Sleep apnea causes regular interruptions in your ordinary nightly sleep cycle. You can retain your health and daytime energy and focus by keeping a regular sleep schedule. The best thing you can do is fall asleep around the same time each night and wake up around the same time each day.
If you sleep alone, you might have a hard time determining if you suffer from sleep apnea. 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.
Take your CPAP along whenever you are embarking on an overnight trip. Once you have a CPAP machine, neglecting to use it for even one night can cause problems. You should have a travel bag to bring your CPAP with you. Use this for easy travel with your CPAP device.
Remember to bring the CPAP machine with you if you should happen to require a stay at the hospital. Your CPAP is set to your specifications so it will be easier for medical staff to help you out because you already have your own device. You will your mask you’re used to, and the pressure will be set right. This will facilitate your CPAP therapy during your hospital stay.
Treat any sinus or allergy problems you might have if you do have sleep apnea. It’s already hard for you to breathe when you sleep due to your condition. Additional swelling in the airways and extra mucus will make sleep apnea worse. It is important to keep your airways open and free from mucous and debris.
Sleep Apnea
Are you not having any success at improving your symptoms of sleep apnea? If so, then visit your doctor and ask him or her about other options you can utilize. Standard treatment vectors of sleep apnea do not work for certain individuals, and they wind up going in for surgical options. These can include tonsil removal and airway enlargements.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and have issues with your sinuses or allergies, have them treated as soon as possible. You might have trouble breathing during the night because of sleep apnea. The last thing you need is something else interfering with your airways while sleeping. It is important to keep your airways open and free from mucous and debris.
Sleeping face-up is something to avoid if you’re having sleep apnea issues. If you sleep on your back, your air passages may become blocked. Use a wedge pillow to stay propped up on your side.
Are you not having any success at improving your symptoms of sleep apnea? If so, then visit your doctor and ask him or her about other options you can utilize. If less invasive treatments do not work, it is sometimes necessary to perform surgical procedures such as adenoid and tonsil removal and/or airway enlargement.
Stop smoking as soon as you find out you have sleep apnea. Smoking causes your throat to swell and that will make your condition even more difficult to deal with. In order to stop smoking you should think about a cessation program or one of those nicotine replacement therapies. The majority of smokers say that the first month is the hardest. Once you are past the first few weeks, the nicotine craving begin to lessen significantly.
Sleep with just one pillow at night. The use of multiple cushions, or very large pillows, can throw off your sleeping posture and inhibit your breathing. This may put you in a position that can adversely affect your breathing. This means that one pillow is most appropriate to help alleviate your sleeping concerns.
Learn to play one of the wind instruments. You will get several benefits: learning how to exercise the muscles used in breathing, broadening your intellect, and playing music that you enjoy. Training your breathing muscles regularly will make them stronger and they will help you control your symptoms of sleep apnea while you sleep.
Nasal Spray
Talk to your doctor before using a humidifier, mouth guard or nasal strips in conjunction with your CPAP sleep mask. This will make sleeping with CPAP much more comfortable and less frustrating. Many CPAP manufacturers are providing machines with integrated humidifiers, so check with your doctor to see if that is a good option for you.
Try nasal spray if you notice your nose is irritating you. Nasal spray can help clear out your airways. If you use nasal spray alot you may damage it. Ask your pharmacist what other options you can try to keep your nasal passages clear.
If you sleep on your back you will worsen your sleep apnea. One trick to prevent yourself from accidentally rolling onto your back in the night is to attach a lumpy object to the back of your pajamas. Then, when they try to roll on their back while sleeping, the uncomfortable ball stops them.
You might want to look into anti-snoring devices. When the airway is mostly closed, snoring occurs. Apnea on the other hand, occurs when the airway is completely closed. A device that can help with snoring may also work to help with apnea. If you have a machine to help with snoring it can help with apnea.
Let the airline company know far in advance when you plan on traveling and you have to take your CPAP machine with you. As long as you let them know ahead of time, many airlines will make an effort to seat you in an area where you can use your machine. If you are using a foreign airline, pack a power adapter that will fit their outlets.
Losing weight will often make a big difference for patients suffering from sleep apnea. Being overweight and large around the neck are often indications of sleep apnea. Your breathing will be improved once you lose weight because the pressure will be reduced on the airway and your airflow will be increased.
Anyone who has sleep apnea, or even just snores, might want to think about picking up an instrument. Not only is this habit soothing, but a European research project showed that learning wind instruments like the Didgeridoo significantly cuts back on the problems of sleep apnea. Any instrument that strengthens your airway muscles can improve your breathing at night.
Try not to sleep on your back if you are prone to sleep apnea. Most sleep apnea patients spend the night on their backs and that can interfere with the airways. Use cushions or pillows to keep yourself lying on your side at night.
Making the throat muscles strong can help to reduce sleep apnea. There are many quick exercises that you can do to increase the strength of your throat.
Sleep apnea will not magically disappear; you need to treat it. Cases differ from patient to patient, and the same treatment will not be effective in every case. 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. Still others prefer the surgical route where modifications can be made to overcome airway restrictions. The key is to find the treatment that fits your individual solution and then sticking with it so that you can gain control of your life again.
If you are concerned that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, talk with your doctor immediately. This condition is far too complicated, and good sleep far too important, to just make guesses about it. Speak with your doctor about everything you’re dealing with to figure out what is causing your symptoms and what you can do about it.
As previously noted, sleep apnea can be a common problem. Dealing with sleep apnea is hard enough by itself; doing so without being properly informed on the subject is especially difficult. You’ll have much better results dealing with the condition if you make use of some wise advice, such as that you’ve just reviewed.
Be compliant and go through with your treatments. Do not make the mistake of assuming that getting away without using treatment for a couple of days will be okay. You will be able to function more effectively in your daily routine if you follow the treatment plan suggested by your doctor.