Sleep apnea may be the cause of your difficulties during sleep. Lots of people have this unpleasant condition. Thankfully, there are treatments available that can remedy this situation. Read this article to learn some basic information about recognizing and treating sleep apnea.
Some people’s sleep apnea can be traced to morbid obesity. Losing weight may help to greatly reduce sleep apnea symptoms in many patients. The simplest way to take off the weight is to eat fewer calories and engage in daily exercise. Restricting carbohydrates has shown to be a big help in losing weight.
Mouth Guard
Learning how to play a wind instrument is something which can help ease the symptoms of your sleep apnea. Instruments like the didgeridoo can help you relieve yourself from sleep apnea conditions. These muscles are responsible for the strength of your airway passage and its ability to dilate. Because of this, playing it regularly can help you breathe better when you sleep.
If you have inherently narrow airway that are causing sleep apnea, a mouth guard can help. A sleep mouth guard will correct the airway and let you breathe correctly all night. Speak with your doctor concerning mouth guards, and have yourself fitted for one, provided your doctor agrees.
If you’ve got a prescription for a CPAP for your sleep apnea, try using it for around four hours each night. Some people find the machine difficult to get accustomed to. However, it needs to be used for four hours each night for it to be effective. If you still have trouble adjusting, get at least four hours and try to add more time each night.
Do you smoke or drink? Take steps to eliminate these unhealthy habits. These substances influence your airways. Alcohol relaxes your airways, making them more prone to collapse, and smoking can cause them to swell, restricting airflow. If you are unable to walk away from these habits forever, at least avoid them prior to sleeping.
Eating healthier foods can help you deal with sleep apnea. A lot of people are amazed at how a poor diet negatively affects sleep apnea. Studies have shown that people that eat poor quality food have worse apnea than those who are overweight but eat healthier.
Talk to your physician about the possibility of a mouth piece to correct your sleep. It may just be that your breathing passage is naturally narrow or your jaw is small. With a specialty device, you can change your sleeping position and align your jaw so that you are able to sleep.
Reduce your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol causes all the muscles in your body to lose their tension. While this may be something you desire, it tends to create the problem of sleep apnea. Your throat muscles become relaxed, making it harder for your airway to stay open. If you must drink alcohol, consume it sparingly and at least a few hours before heading to bed.
Learning how to play a wind instrument is something which can help ease the symptoms of your sleep apnea. In Germany, research has been done that suggests playing the didgeridoo will train 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.
Avoid using sleeping pills if you have sleep apnea. In the same way that alcohol does, sleeping pills over-relax throat muscles. They’re also known for causing other problems in those that have to deal with sleep apnea. Consult with your physician on sleep remedies that won’t hinder your breathing.
If you have been prescribed a CPAP for sleep apnea, make an honest effort to use it at least four hours a night. Sleeping while using a CPAP can be difficult to adjust to at first, but it is not impossible. For the CPAP therapy to work, it must be used a minimum of four hours per day. If it is hard and become difficult to adjust to in the beginning, then ensure you are using it at least four hours a night.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, avoid sleeping pills. They can relax your throat muscles, making it hard to get enough air when you sleep. This can be deadly when combined with sleep apnea. Sleeping pills are a bad idea.
Sleep Apnea
Use a chin strap with your CPAP each night to prevent your mouth from opening as you sleep. This minor fabric piece and make sure that your chin stays up and your mouth closed. CPAP devices don’t work well when your mouth is wide open, so this device can help.
It can be a very serious issue when you have sleep apnea. If you think you may have it, talk to a doctor immediately. A doctor can refer you to a sleep lab if the doctor believes you have sleep apnea, and you can then get on the road to recovery if you have it.
If your current treatment options are not cutting it, speak to a doctor about additional techniques that may be suitable. 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.
Try something else besides sleeping pills. Sleeping pills cause your throat muscles to relax, just like alcohol. They can also contribute to a large variety of things that are problematic to those who suffer from sleep apnea. Ask your physician about sleep aids that won’t also affect your breathing.
Consider purchasing a device that assists in reducing your snoring. Both snoring and sleep apnea are caused by narrowed airways. For less severe forms of sleep apnea, consider finding some simple anti-snoring devices. Use an anti-snoring device when you sleep.
Attempt side sleeping. If you sleep on your back, this can make your sleep apnea worse. Sleeping flat on your back may cause your throat and mouth tissues to obstruct your airways. Sleeping on your side makes breathing significantly easier. If you move around at night and tend to always wind up on your back, try propping yourself up with pillows.
Try not to sleep on your back if you are prone to sleep apnea. Sleeping on your back with sleep apnea can make it hard for you to sleep. If you are the type of person who rolls over while sleeping, use pillows in order to maintain a side sleeping position.
Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed after a thorough medical examination. Also, your doctor may want to try a sleep study on you. Depending on the results, you may be referred to a specialist.
Sleep apnea should not be ignored; it needs to be treated. Depending on what causes your sleep apnea, you may respond to different treatments. If you lose weight you will help your sleep apnea, but this is not always the cause. CPAP machines and other non-invasive therapies have worked for millions of apnea sufferers. For others, surgical techniques to remove airway obstructions may provide the most effective relief. Whichever route you choose, getting proper treatment can improve your sleep and your life.
Chin Strap
You can reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea by making the muscles in your throat stronger. Sleep apnea is often caused by the tissues in the throat, which can relax and collapse while you sleep. The muscles will slowly become stronger, which means that they won’t collapse as often when you sleep, which in turn improves airflow.
Adding a chin strap to your CPAP routine can help to keep your mouth closed as you sleep. This is a small piece of fabric that holds your chin up while you sleep and keeps you mouth closed. CPAP therapy is not successful with an open mouth, so use the chin strap to help alleviate the problem.
Start playing a woodwind instrument. It is a great hobby, and it will help you exercise weak muscles to help you breathe at night. Toning the throat and neck muscles will give you more control over your sleep apnea.
As this article went over, there are lots of ways you can deal with sleep apnea. Try a variety of them to discover what works for you. Keep the information shared here with you in mind in order to become more rested and gain the ability to feel better again. You do not need to be a victim of sleep apnea any longer.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and require a CPAP machine, talk to your physician about heated humidification with it. The humid, warm air enables CPAP users to have a much easier time getting restful sleep. Many CPAP machines come with built-in humidifiers now, so see if your doctor can prescribe one of those for you.