Many people incorrectly assume that waking up tired each day is something they have to deal with without help. Facts are that this is a disorder which affects many people who do not realize they are even going though it. The below article will provide you with some advice on dealing with sleep apnea.
A mouth guard for use while you sleep can help you deal with sleep apnea, even if your airways are naturally narrow. Narrow airways can be opened, jaws can be properly aligned and nasal passages can be opened up to allow more air into the lungs. If you think this will help, you should ask your physician to fit you with a mouth guard.
In order to assist you with sleep apnea, you must talk to your doctor about what CPAP machines to use. The machine size and how loud it is are things you should think about. Don’t worry too much about the sound as there are many types of very quiet machines that will not disrupt sleep. Your doctor will likely have a preferred brand or type of CPAP to recommend to you.
If you have sleep apnea and drink or smoke, try quitting to improve your symptoms. Sleep apnea and chronic snoring are each caused by over-relaxation of the airway muscles, and both smoking and drinking can cause this. Quitting these addictions may be the easiest way to address your sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
Lose weight if you need to. Although it might not be the main cause, being overweight makes sleep apnea worse. For this reason, losing as little as 25 pounds could resolve your sleep apnea problems even if you would actually need to lose quite a bit more to attain your ideal weight.
If you have sleep apnea and you’re overweight, try shedding those pounds. Multiple research projects demonstrate the connection between sleep apnea and being overweight. You may cure sleep apnea by just shedding twenty pounds.
Believe it or not, wind instruments can help you deal with your sleep apnea. 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 muscles are responsible for the strength of your airway passage and its ability to dilate. This is why if you play often you will have less sleep apnea issues.
Taking up a wind instrument can help to alleviate your sleep apnea symptoms. Researchers from Germany found that practicing with the didgeridoo on a regular basis strengthens throat muscles. These muscles are the key to dilation of the air passage and proper breathing as we sleep. Therefore, getting involved with an instrument like this can help you sleep better.
If you have a prescription for sleep apnea and you are prescribed a CPAP, you should at least use it four hours every night. Using a CPAP while sleeping is a tough adjustment for many patients to make. 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.
Reduce your consumption of alcohol. Your muscles get relaxed too much. 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. Alcohol will relax the throat muscles, which ends up making it harder for the body to control the airways. If you must drink alcohol, consume it sparingly and at least a few hours before heading to bed.
Eating well can help you become thinner, which can often reduce sleep apnea symptoms. Normally people are quite surprised to learn that unhealthy eating is a major source of their sleep apnea. It has been shown through many studies that people who eat a poor diet usually suffer with worse sleep apnea than someone who is just overweight but manages to still eat somewhat healthier.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and have a problem with your mouth opening while sleeping with your CPAP, a chin strap may be able to help. This little piece of fabric holds your chin upright when sleeping so that your mouth remains closed. CPAP therapy is not successful with an open mouth, so use the chin strap to help alleviate the problem.
Sleep apnea can occur in adults or children; there is no age limit. If you child seems to be distracted in class, cannot focus, and is breathing through his mouth, then he may have sleep apnea. These symptoms are quite similar to ADHD, so it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis because treatments for these two disorders are quite different.
If your sleep apnea doesn’t improve after anything you’ve tried, you may need to discuss more drastic options with your doctor. There are people that don’t respond well to traditional sleep apnea treatments, and sometimes they have to have surgery. This surgery may involve removing the adenoids, enlarging the airway or removing the tonsils.
Sleeping by yourself can keep you from knowing if you have the symptoms of sleep apnea. Therefore, record yourself sleeping at night by putting a video camcorder in your room. Remember that recording audio is equally important; medical professionals can tell a great deal from the sounds you make while you sleep.
Cut down on your chances of developing sleep apnea. However, there are risk factors which aren’t changeable, such as being a male or that the condition is prevalent in your family. If you lose weight or quit smoking it may help you deal with sleep apnea.
Take your CPAP along whenever you are embarking on an overnight trip. It is important that you always have the machine, even if you feel it is an inconvenience. This machine should have a travel bag with it. Use this bag to carry your CPAP whenever you travel.
Although you should visit your doctor to become diagnosed, you can still figure out if you have sleep apnea on your own. Losing weight and stopping smoking are always good, but are especially so for those who suffer from sleep apnea. Stay away from large meals, caffeine, and alcohol if you have sleep apnea.
If you are using a CPAP to treat sleep apnea, be sure to take it when you’re going to the hospital. If the hospitalization was planned or for an emergency, you should still be sure that your CPAP and your mask are brought with you to be used while you’re there. This is preset to your breathing pressure. In addition, you’ll be using the same mask you’ve been accustomed to using each night. Having your own familiar equipment eases the strangeness of being in the hospital, and helps you sleep more restfully.
If you or a loved one has had trouble getting sufficient sleep, it might be time to mention your symptoms to a doctor. It may be time to receive a diagnosis, and attempt to remedy it. Knowledge should be openly shared, and if you don’t trust this information, confirm it with a physician.
Weight loss can have a major impact on those with sleep apnea. For people who are overweight, sleep apnea is much more prevalent especially people with a larger neck circumference. When you lose weight it takes a lot of the pressure off of your airways and allows you to breathe more easily when you sleep.