If you suffer from sleep apnea, you know that it is a robber of rest and a destroyer of health. To have a healthy and joyful life, you need to get enough sleep. Luckily, there are a few options you have to treat it. Read on for advice on treating your sleep apnea.
Do you light up or knock some back every day? Break these unhealthy habits right away. Your airways are affected by using both of these substances. Alcohol relaxes some throat muscles to the point that sleep apnea becomes worse. Cigarettes also cause you to have difficulty breathing. If you can’t quit, at least don’t drink or smoke right before going to bed.
Excessive weight can be a major contributor to sleep apnea. If this is true for you, try getting a little thinner. Follow a strict diet and exercise regimen for awhile to see if this makes a difference. Reducing carbohydrate intake can be an effective way to take off the pounds, according to some recent studies.
Some people believe that you can strengthen you upper airway muscles by playing a musical instrument belonging to the woodwind family. Research conducted in Germany has shown that you can greatly strengthen the muscles of your upper airway by taking up an instrument like the didgeridoo. These particular muscles impact your airway dilation and control how stiff your airway walls get. This means that practicing regularly with a wind instrument will reduce the severity of sleep apnea symptoms that you experience.
To help deal with sleep apnea effectively, you should speak with your doctor to help him show you what CPAP machine works best. The size of the machine and the loudness are both things that need to be considered. Some are as small as a loaf of bread and quiet as a whisper. Your doctor should be able to point you in the right direction of a capable machine.
Don’t take sleeping pills if you can avoid it. Sleeping pills are similar to alcohol in that they cause the muscles in your throat to be less tense. They also can cause other harmful issues to make your sleep apnea worse. Consult with your doctor about what you should take besides sleeping pills.
Sleep Apnea
A doctor looks at both your medical history and family history when diagnosing sleep apnea. Your doctor might also choose to study you while you sleep. After studying this information, your doctor may send you to a specialist if necessary.
If you have sleep apnea and drink or smoke, try quitting to improve your symptoms. These habits can affect your airway, which makes sleep apnea and snoring more likely. Unlike those medical interventions or pricey surgeries, eliminating these habits can save you money.
Without a partner in your bed to tell you how you sleep, you may not know that you experience sleep apnea. One way to check out your sleeping habits is to train a video camera on yourself. Make sure you include the audio, so your doctor can hear what sounds you make.
Make yourself wear your CPAP for four hours while you sleep, at the least. It can be extremely difficult for some patients to get used to sleeping with a CPAP. For the CPAP therapy to work, it must be used a minimum of four hours per day. As you become more accustomed to the sleep mask, you should be able to wear it longer.
Use a chin strap if your mouth falls open as you sleep. Invest a little money into a CPAP machine to assist you during sleep. CPAP therapy is not successful with an open mouth, so use the chin strap to help alleviate the problem.
If you are taking a vacation and suffer from sleep apnea, don’t forget to bring your CPAP machine along. Using a CPAP is essential every night for those of you living with sleep apnea. This CPAP should have a travel bag that came with it. Use this to easily transport your CPAP with you whenever you are away from home.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and are traveling, remember to bring the CPAP machine along. CPAP therapy can have an extremely positive effect on your sleep apnea, but it relies on constant, continual use to be effective. Most CPAP machines come with a travel bag designed for just this purpose. Any time that you need to sleep overnight while traveling, you should keep your CPAP machine in your sleeping quarters.
Remember to bring the CPAP machine with you if you should happen to require a stay at the hospital. Whether you have a planned hospitalization or you need to go to the emergency room, you should have your CPAP and mask available for use while you are there. Your mask has been fitted to you or maybe you have a special humidifier attached to your mask that a hospital won’t have. Having your own familiar equipment eases the strangeness of being in the hospital, and helps you sleep more restfully.
If nothing is working to better your sleep apnea, try talking to a doctor about more aggressive treatments. Some people do not respond to conventional sleep apnea treatment options and consequently, as a last resort, they have to undergo a surgical treatment option, such as removing of the tonsils or adenoids, or enlarging of the airway.
It is better to sleep on your side if you have sleep apnea. Most people who have sleep apnea are back sleepers, which means that their airways constrict easier. Prop yourself up on your side with a pillow or cushions.
Exercises done with the tongue reduce sleep apnea symptoms. If you press your tongue up and hold it there for a short period of time, it will help. This should strengthen both your tongue and throat muscles, which helps them to not relax while you’re asleep.
Quit smoking if you suffer from sleep apnea. Swelling of the airways occurs when one smokes; this makes sleep apnea worse. Try going cold turkey. For most individuals, the first month is the worst. After that, the nicotine starts to leave your body and the cravings lessen.
Playing a wind instrument can help. You are going to have a good time with the music, and you get to give your mind a workout. However, you are also working out your throat muscles that regulate breathing. Toning the throat and neck muscles will give you more control over your sleep apnea.
Playing a wind instrument can be helpful for sleep apnea. It is a great hobby, and it will help you exercise weak muscles to help you breathe at night. Strengthening these muscles can help you better control them when sleeping, which can lessen apnea symptoms.
Try taking a soothing bath before you go to bed to reduce anxiety. Soaking in a hot tub will alleviate tension and relax your muscles. Therefore, you can sleep better without waking up because of apnea symptoms.
Cpap Machine
You may be unaware of your snoring or breathing problems that could be sleep apnea. If you happen to feel sleepy, tired and exhausted all the time, then it’s best that you consult with a doctor. Even if you don’t find yourself bolting breathlessly awake at night, you may have sleep apnea.
Getting a CPAP machine is no cause for concern or embarrassment. Tell people that this is a necessity, and don’t be self-conscious about having to use it in the presence of others. Always know that the CPAP machine is something that you need which can help you, and if someone looks down upon you for using it, then they weren’t your friends anyway.
Do not let your sleep apnea go untreated. Sleep apnea is one condition that tends to steadily worsen the longer it’s left untreated. You shouldn’t allow your snoring and sleep quality to worsen. If you believe you may suffer from sleep apnea, immediately visit your doctor.
If you are going to be on a plane a long time, then get in touch with the airline company to inform them that you need your CPAP machine for sleeping. You will be able to make an arrangement with the airline to use your CPAP. You should always tote a power adapter when you are visiting a foreign country.
Continue to talk to your doctor, even after your initial diagnosis. The doctor can help you by providing plenty of information on how to treat your condition. If you plan on attempting a new treatment, meet with your doctor a month after trying it to discuss its effectiveness.
Remember that you might not always catch yourself with sleep apnea every night. If you are having problems with excessive tiredness or falling asleep during the day with no known cause, talk to your doctor right away. Your unexplained sleepiness may be due to sleep apnea.
Don’t drink too close to bedtime if you are a sleep apnea sufferer. Alcohol causes the throat muscles to relax too much, making it hard for enough air to get in and flaring up sleep apnea. You don’t need to quit drinking completely, just avoid drinks before bed.
This article should give you ways you can deal with sleep apnea. Use the suggestions and information from the above article, and you can get the sleep that you have been deprived of. You may be surprised by how dramatic a difference it makes in your life to be well-rested and energized at the start of the day.
Sleep apnea happens when you do not get enough oxygen when you are sleeping. As such, it benefits those suffering from sleep apnea to shun sleeping at elevations. Since the levels of oxygen decrease the higher the elevation, this can aggravate the condition of someone suffering with sleep apnea. Therefore, aim to sleep at a lower elevation if possible.