Regardless of age, you can be affected by sleep apnea. The problem is that so many people aren’t aware of how to remedy the problem of sleep apnea and needlessly continue to suffer with it. This article will help you get a handle once and for all on controlling your sleep apnea.
You can fight sleep apnea by giving up certain vices. Alcohol and cigarettes are two of the primary culprits. When you drink, your respiratory system is depressed and breathing becomes difficult. And when you smoke you inhale a bunch of carcinogens that can seriously damage your lungs. If you can give up these bad habits, you’ll see a significant reduction in your sleep apnea symptoms.
Cpap Machines
If you do not have a partner to let you know how you sleep at night, it can be difficult to assess if you have sleep apnea. Try taping yourself at night to see if you do. Ensure that you record audio also, which will allow the doctors to evaluate noises you are making during 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. There are some machines that are quiet and small. A medical professional will be the most knowledgeable guide to the different CPAP machines available.
In order to make a proper diagnosis, your doctor may have you maintain a sleep journal. Sleep logs are records where patients write down the length and quality of their sleep. Ask your partner for more specific information on how loud your snoring is, the quality of your breathing and even how restful you were. This diary will help a medical professional see patterns in your sleep habits.
Quit smoking and drinking. Both habits impact your respiratory system, complicating sleep apnea and snoring. Unlike costly surgeries or other medical interventions, dropping these habits will actually save you money.
Don’t forget to bring your CPAP along when you need to stay in the hospital. You need to take your CPAP machine with you whenever you go to the ER or any routine hospitalization, such as for surgery. Your mask has been fitted to you or maybe you have a special humidifier attached to your mask that a hospital won’t have. You’ll be able to resume your CPAP therapy much easier by having these things in the hospital with you.
If your weight is higher than it should be, reverse that. Studies have shown sleep apnea and obesity can be related. A loss of 10 or more pounds can significantly reduce our sleep apnea symptoms.
To decrease your risk of sleep apnea symptoms, lose some weight. There are a number of people who only need to lose a few pounds to entirely stop their sleep apnea episodes. Even a loss of a few pounds has been beneficial in opening the airway.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep with just one pillow at night. If you use very thick pillows or many pillows, you may end up sleeping at an odd angle that hurts the free flow of air through your airways. This may put you in a position that can adversely affect your breathing. Try out different pillows until you find just one pillow that allows you to lay your head flatter against the bed each night so you can breathe more freely.
You can both shed unwanted pounds and reduce the effects of sleep apnea with a nutritious and healthy diet. Most people would find it surprising to know that your diet can be a factor in managing sleep apnea. Research shows that people who eat an unhealthy diet have more severe apnea than some overweight people who eat healthier.
Try a device marketed to help with snoring. Excessive snoring occurs whenever your airways are only partially opened where a minimum amount of air can pass through. On the other hand, sleep apnea occurs whenever your airways are closed up completely with no passing through. For less severe forms of sleep apnea, consider finding some simple anti-snoring devices. An anti-snoring device can reduce your apnea while you sleep.
Avoid alcohol before bed as much as possible. Alcohol causes your muscles to relax. If the throat muscles are too relaxed, they can collapse and block your airway. Alcohol causes the throat and tongue muscles to relax, which can make it easier for them to block your airway. If you have to have a drink, do it well before bedtime.
Avoid heavy drinking when sleep apnea is a problem. Drinking exacerbates the airway constriction of sleep apnea by causing the muscles in your throat to relax. If you can, avoid all alcohol or make sure not to drink at all at least 4 hours before bedtime. This will lessen the chances of alcohol interrupting your sleep.
Try out other options besides sleeping pills. Relaxed throat muscles (caused by alcohol consumption as well as sleep medication) can contribute to an increase in sleep apnea. They also can cause other harmful issues to make your sleep apnea worse. See if your doctor knows of any sleeping medication that doesn’t cause respiratory depression.
If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine when you sleep, ask your doctor to also prescribe a heated humidifier. When your sleeping in conditions of warm and moist air, you will most likely adhere to the CPAP therapy. A lot of CPAP machines have humidification standard now, so ask your doctor for a model like that.
Cpap Machine
If you suffer from sleep apnea, some studies show that doing throat exercises may reduce the severity of it. These exercises strengthen the muscles surrounding the airway, which makes them less prone to collapsing. Hold your tongue to the top of your mouth, and keep it there for three minutes before releasing. You should practice this exercise once daily.
If you will be away from home and you’re suffering with sleep apnea, always remember to bring along the CPAP machine with you. You should never sleep without using your CPAP machine. You should have a travel bag for your machine. Try this if you want to easily move your CPAP machine with you with ease.
Sometimes it is possible to treat sleep apnea using devices that attach to the mouth. Some people have an overbite or narrow jaws that are set in such a way that cause the apnea. A sleep mouth guard can change the position of these things while you sleep to help lessen sleep apnea symptoms.
If you are suffering from sleep apnea and have a cold or allergies, try using a nasal spray. Using nasal spray a couple of nights in a row should help you sleep. Avoid using nasal sprays over a long period of time; your mucus membranes could become damaged and irritated. Try other ways of opening this passage.
Avoid back sleeping if you suffer from sleep apnea. When you are a back sleeper, you will block your airways and your sleep apnea will flair up. The best thing you can do is sleep on the side.
Stop snoring devices are often helpful in treating sleep apnea. Snoring is caused by mostly-closed airways, and apnea is fully-closed airways. For less severe forms of sleep apnea, consider finding some simple anti-snoring devices. Devices such as mouth guards can reduce snoring as well as sleep apnea episodes.
A good many who suffer with sleep apnea are people who usually sleep on their backs. You may wish to consider a different sleeping position. You can significantly reduce your sleep apnea symptoms by not sleeping on your back and falling asleep on your side.
It bears stating once again that sleep apnea is an extremely common condition with millions of sufferers. You must educate yourself if you think you have sleep apnea. Useful tips and information can be a vital part of treating sleep apnea.
You might need to get your own custom-fitted mouth guard. These have been shown to relieve snoring by clearing the airways at night, thereby reducing the effects of sleep apnea. The set of your jaw may contribute to your problems with sleep apnea.