Sleep apnea may be the cause of not getting good sleep throughout the night. This is a rather common disorder and can be difficult to deal with. The good news is that many ways of managing it are available. Here in this article you’ll find some excellent tips to help you out.
If you have a prescription for sleep apnea and you are prescribed a CPAP, you should at least use it four hours every night. Some people find the machine difficult to get accustomed to. In order for your CPAP therapy to be effective, you need to use it at least four hours a day. Using it for the minimum of four hours a day will allow yourself to slowly transition to full time use.
You have to get rid of a few vices to get through sleep apnea. The worst thing you can do to contribute to sleep apnea by drinking and smoking. When you drink, your respiratory system is depressed and breathing becomes difficult. Smoking adds harmful chemicals which damage your lungs over time. Losing these terrible habits will help a great deal when it comes to alleviating your sleep apnea symptoms.
Sleep apnea has the potential for being a very serious disorder. If you have symptoms of sleep apnea, be sure to speak with your doctor immediately. An official diagnosis will help you figure out if you really do have sleep apnea or not.
Talk to your doctor about fitting you with a mouth piece you can wear at night. The natural configuration of your jaw and airway passages may be conducive to the conditions associated with sleep apnea. You will get better rest if you use specialty devices to position yourself and align your jaw properly while sleeping.
Try out different things besides pills to help you sleep. Similar to alcohol, a sleeping pill will relax the muscles in your throat. They may also have other negative effects as well. Think about asking your physician about ways you can get to sleep that will not affect your apnea.
Even kids can suffer from sleep apnea. If you find your child is innatentive, always tired or uses their mouth to breath and not their nose, they may suffer from this condition. These symptoms are much like ADHD so you should make sure you get the right diagnosis.
Sleep in a prone position. Many people with sleep apnea sleep while on their backs. Sleeping on your back can cause the tissues in your mouth and throat to block your airway. Side-sleeping can improve your breathing. Put a pillow on your side if you always find yourself moving around during sleep.
Dealing with sleep apnea is normally something that is very serious. If you suspect you may have it, it is important to see your doctor right away. After the diagnosis, you may be asked to take a sleep test, either at home or at a facility that specializes in sleep disorder testing.
Assessing your sleep apnea potential might be hard if you there is not a partner in bed at night to give you feedback. You can remedy this problem by setting up a recorder that can film you while you’re sleeping at night. Make sure the video has sound as well, so that your doctor can hear your breathing.
If you’re a sleep apnea sufferer and your mouth always opens as you sleep because of your CPAP, you may want to wear a chin strap. This device keeps your jaw up as you sleep. Try this out to keep your mouth closed.
You may benefit from wearing a medical bracelet that explains your sleep apnea, the treatment your are undergoing for the condition and the proper pressure level for your CPAP. If you need medical attention, it’s vital that the people treating you know about your condition and that you use a CPAP machine. The ID needs to include all of the medical information pertaining to your CPAP use.
Sleep Apnea
If nothing you are trying is improving your sleep apnea symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about some of the more drastic treatment options that are available. A small percentage of patients don’t react to the common treatments, and as a result, surgery may be their only option, which includes enlarging the airway or removing the tonsils.
Losing weight is an excellent way to alleviate the symptoms of sleep apnea. Weight loss alone can be an effective treatment for those with mild sleep apnea. You can have relief from sleep apnea symptoms by losing as little as 10 pounds.
You should ask your doctor what you can do about sleep apnea; however, there are areas that you can investigate for yourself. If you lose weight and stop smoking, these are good decisions, especially if sleep apnea is a problem for you. Also, don’t drink alcohol or consume caffeine too close to bedtime.
Although you should visit your doctor to become diagnosed, you can still figure out if you have sleep apnea on your own. Avoiding smoking and losing weight are good for anyone, but especially those with sleep apnea. You should stay away from alcohol, anything caffeinated and even heavier meals within the hours leading up to bed time.
Sleep apnea will not disappear all by itself, you must have it treated. Each patient is different and what works for one person may not work for another. Shedding pounds can help people who are overweight, but not all sufferers have pounds to lose. Many patients get great results with non-surgical treatments like CPAP therapy. However, other people prefer having surgery where they can make changes in overcoming restrictions in the airway passages. Choose the route which best meets your needs since getting treatment can lead to a happier and most restful life.
Tongue exercising may help resolve certain sleep apnea symptoms. Try pressing your tongue to the top of your mouth and holding it there for a minimum of three minutes. This should strengthen both your tongue and throat muscles, which helps them to not relax while you’re asleep.
Learn to play a woodwind instrument. This will be not only fun, but it will also help strengthen your throat muscles. Exercising these muscles will make them stronger, thus, making them less likely to collapse while you sleep, which will improve airflow to your lungs.
The manner in which you sleep can have a hand in your sleep apnea. This is why proper positioning is so critical. Lift your body up by using a foam wedge at the top of the bed. If you have an adjustable bed, raise the head by several inches for the best position.
How you position yourself when you lay down for bed can contribute to your issues with sleep apnea. Thus, it is critical to sleep with your body in the proper position. Try taking a foam wedge and using it to raise the top half of your body. Or, if your bed is adjustable, raise it about four inches at one end.
Sleeping flat on your back may worsen sleep apnea, so try to sleep on your side. One method to prevent yourself from changing positions during sleep is to sew a spherical object like a tennis ball into your nightclothes. This forces you to lay on your side since it makes it tough to lay on your back.
Use meditation, warm baths and massages to help you relieve stress and reduce anxiety-induced sleep apnea. The warm water will relax and soothe your muscles. This should provide you with an easier and faster way to sleep, reducing the chances of sleep apnea interfering and causing misery.
Your sleep apnea might be easily solved with a simple solution. Sleep at a regular time every night. Also see to it that your bedroom is ideal for good sleep. Insomnia is a real danger if your sleeping arrangements are sub-par.
Do not ignore your sleep apnea symptoms. Seek treatment. If you don’t get help for this condition, the symptoms most likely will end up getting much worse over time. Do not allow snoring and restless sleep to negatively impact your life. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, seek a physician’s help immediately.
You may not even notice that you have apnea. If you have experienced symptoms like exhaustion, sleepiness, or falling asleep when you drive, talk to your doctor. Your symptoms may mean sleep apnea even if you don’t know you gasp for air every night.
Because sleep apnea is caused by weak throat muscles, strengthening these muscles makes good sense. Many exercises exist just for this purpose.
Do not sleep on your back if sleep apnea afflicts you. If you sleep on your back, you are sleeping in a position that can block your airways. Try sleeping on your side. You may need some pillow to keep you in this position.
Sleep apnea sufferers should not drink alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat and may put you into a very deep sleep. You don’t need to abstain from alcohol entirely. You only need to refrain from drinking during the few hours before bedtime.
Because sleep apnea is caused by weak throat muscles, strengthening these muscles makes good sense. Many exercises exist just for this purpose.
The true meaning of sleep apnea is not having enough oxygen as one sleeps. As such, higher elevations can be a disaster for a sleep apnea sufferer. The reduced oxygen levels present at high altitude can significantly exacerbate the problems caused by sleep apnea. If you are able to avoid sleeping in the mountains or on an airplane, you should.
The lack of oxygen during sleep is known as sleep apnea. Since this is the case, it’s wise for someone suffering from sleep apnea to not sleep at higher elevations. The reduced oxygen levels present at high altitude can significantly exacerbate the problems caused by sleep apnea. Avoid sleeping in higher elevations.
There is a surgery that can help to alleviate the snoring associated with sleep apnea. Through a procedure known as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP, the excess tissue can be removed to make the airway bigger and eliminate sleep apnea. It is often necessary to take out the tonsils as well.
Get fitted with a custom mouth guard that’s right for you! Plastic oral appliances have been proven to clear the airways and relieve snoring, which in some cases are the underlying causes of sleep apnea. The position of your jaw may have negative effects on your sleep apnea.
Consider joining a group if you have sleep apnea. You might not know anyone else with sleep apnea personally. Although you might get plenty of support from relatives and friends, it can be tough for them to really identify with your experience. Find people that also have sleep apnea. If you also suffer from shyness, find an online forum to get useful information and share experiences with fellow patients.
As you can see, there are various methods of dealing with sleep apnea. Try them one at a time until you find one that works best for you. This is the first step towards a more restful night’s sleep. You don’t have to let your sleep apnea ruin your nights and spoil your days.
Exercise your throat muscles to improve your sleep apnea symptoms. Your airway will be more likely to stay open the stronger your throat muscles are. Hum, make faces or learn to play a wind instrument to tone those muscles. These types of activities can exercise and strengthen your throat muscles.