Is your snoring waking you up throughout the night? It’s possible that you may have sleep apnea, a condition far more dangerous than snoring. You do not need to be overly anxious if this is the case. You are going to be helped by this article.
Speak with your physician about getting a mouth piece that can help you breathe better. It may be that your airways are narrower than average, and this is fine. There are a number of different devices to correct for these issues. Simply aligning your jaw may be all that is necessary.
Stopping bad habits may help with your sleep apnea. Drinking and smoking are the biggest offenders. Drinking potentially causes extreme breathing issues because it reduces the ability of your respiratory system to function. Smoking can cause swelling in the throat, which also restricts the airway during sleep. Drop as many bad habits as you can as early as possible.
Moderate your alcohol intake. Alcohol causes all the muscles in your body to lose their tension. You may want to feel more relaxed, but it can exacerbate your apnea. Like the rest of your muscles, those around your throat and airway relax under the influence of alcohol, making it harder for you to maintain a proper air passage. If you can’t give up drinking completely, at least make an effort to moderate your intake and avoid having alcohol in the hours leading up to your bedtime.
Mouth Guard
Sleep on your side, as it can help lessen your sleep apnea symptoms. Your air passages are more likely to suffer obstruction when you sleep on your back. Make a conscious effort to fall asleep on your side, and that will probably reduce some of the symptoms caused by your sleep apnea.
Get a personally made mouth guard just for you. These are a great aid to sufferers of sleep apnea. They make a good substitute for CPAP machine use, and provide better nighttime comfort. A mouth guard will work by positioning the jaw and tongue in a helpful way that will allow for easier breathing while asleep.
If you can, sleep on one of your sides. Many people with sleep apnea sleep while on their backs. When you sleep on your back it can cause your throat and mouth tissues to impede your airways. Sleep on your side to keep your airways straight. To prevent rolling over onto your back while you sleep, build a wall of pillows behind yourself.
Do your best to sleep off your back and on your side. A lot of people who suffer from sleep apnea are back sleepers. Your airway can become obstructed if you sleep on your back. Sleep on your side to keep your airways straight. If you tend to lay on your back while sleeping, prop yourself on your side using pillows.
Try to avoid sleeping pills when you’re suffering from sleep apnea. These will make your throat muscles too soft, and your air passages will not work right. For those with severe cases of sleep apnea, using these pills can be quite dangerous. Avoid using them even if you are having trouble sleeping.
To actually diagnose your disorder, a doctor may require you to take notes in a sleep log. You simply log the amount of hours you’re sleeping each night, and mentioning other symptoms too. Your partner can best inform you if your sleep involves jerking limbs, stops in breathing and loud snoring. Your doctor can use this information to determine if you actually suffer from sleep apnea.
To help you figure out if you suffer from sleep apnea, you may be asked by your doctor to keep a log of your sleeping. Keep track of how long you are able to sleep at night, as well as anything else related to your sleeping process. If you have a partner, they may be able to help document your snoring, jerky body movements and stoppage of breathing. That helps the physician determine whether your symptoms are, in fact, sleep apnea.
You can wear a chin strap with your CPAP if you have problems with your mouth falling open as you sleep. The chin strap will help hold you chin up during the time you are sleep which keeps your mouth closed. CPAP machines do not function with open mouths, so a chin strap can really save you.
Adding a chin strap to your CPAP routine can help to keep your mouth closed as you sleep. This strap is a small strip of material that holds up your chin while you sleep, thus keeping your mouth closed. It is worth trying this simple fix, because CPAP therapy is ineffective if your mouth falls open while wearing the mask.
If you are afflicted with sleep apnea, then you need to give up smoking. Smoking aggravates air passages. Try to find a program to help you quit smoking. Usually the first 30 or so days is the hardest part. Following that time, the nicotine will start leaving your body, and you’ll have decreased cravings.
Exercises done with the tongue reduce sleep apnea symptoms. Place your tongue on your mouth’s roof and keep it there for at least three minutes. This strengthens the muscles throughout the airway passage and minimizes the likelihood of them interfering with breathing and sleep.
If you have to use a CPAP machine, you should not have to hide it from others because you are embarrassed. Let people know that you need it, and do not feel self-conscious about using it in front of your friends or partner. Undergoing CPAP therapy is an important step in preserving your overall health; don’t let inappropriate social pressure prevent you from getting the treatment you need.
How you sleep can determine the number of episodes you’ll have with your sleep apnea. Having a proper sleep position is necessary. Try using foam wedges to prop up your body. Try to also prevent yourself from falling off the bed in the middle of the night.
Sleep Apnea
Anyone afflicted with sleep apnea might need solutions to get good rest. Give yourself a regular bedtime, and sleep about the same time every night. Be certain you create an environment in your bedroom that is conducive to sleep. If you’re not comfortable, you may experience insomnia.
Anyone who has sleep apnea, or even just snores, might want to think about picking up an instrument. Not only is this habit soothing, but a European research project showed that learning wind instruments like the Didgeridoo significantly cuts back on the problems of sleep apnea. Just as working out helps to make other muscles in the body stronger, playing an instrument will help make the muscles in your mouth and throat stronger.
Remember that you aren’t always going to notice your apnea at night. If you feel exhausted or extremely sleepy during the day or find yourself falling asleep behind the wheel, talk to a doctor immediately. It may be the daytime symptoms that you notice that lead you to find out that it is apnea that is causing them.
Corrective oral devices help some sleep apnea cases. Oral devices can help when sleep apnea is caused by narrow airways. Using corrective devices to ensure the jaw is properly aligned while sleeping can help increase air intake.
Be proactive in finding the right sleep apnea treatment. Avoiding a visit to the doctor will only prolong finding treatment, and your symptoms can get worse over time. Speak with your doctor sooner rather than later if you suspect you’ve got a sleep apnea problem; don’t wait for the disruptions in your sleep patterns to become intolerable.
Don’t drink alcoholic drinks if you suffer from sleep apnea. When you drink alcohol, your throat muscles become very relaxed. This can cause airway blockage. This does not mean you have to quit drinking altogether; just try not to have any before bed.
There are throat exercises for sleep apnea sufferers that have been found quite effective. These exercises help to strengthen the muscles that surround the airway, making them less likely to collapse. An easy exercise is to firmly press your full tongue against the top of your mouth, then hold for approximately three minutes before releasing. Do this at least once a day.
If you suspect sleep apnea afflicts you, make sure to have a formal diagnosis made by a doctor. Sleep apnea is an extremely complicated condition. You shouldn’t compromise your sleep by just guessing whether or not you have it. Speak to your doctor about your symptoms, and he will be able to determine the cause of your problems and develop a treatment plan that is right for you.
Sleep apnea can be made worse if you haven’t had enough sleep. Try to keep your sleep on a certain schedule to reduce this. Try to stick to the same bedtime and wake time every day of the week. Taking control of your apnea immediately will keep it from becoming uncontrollable.
A technical description for sleep apnea is insufficient oxygen intake while sleeping. 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.
Learn how to play a wind instrument. It doesn’t matter which instrument that you choose, any of them will make a positive change in your muscles. By practicing the breath control necessary to play a wind instrument, you tone and strengthen your throat muscles and thus improve your sleep apnea symptoms. After some time, your muscles will start to improve and your condition will start to get better.
Give your throat and jaw muscles a workout. Weaknesses in these particular muscle groups can make your sleep apnea much worse, so it’s a good idea to learn some targeted exercises to treat them. Take a look online to learn the many easy and quick exercises that can be done in just a few minutes each day to treat the condition.
Surgery may be recommended if the symptoms of sleep apnea is the result of excessive amounts of tissue in airways or throat. A surgeon then goes in and removes some of the tissue, which helps clear the airway, making breathing easier at night. More than likely, the tonsils will be removed as well.
You should learn to play a wind instrument. You can help your apnea by learning something like the clarinet or flute. This can help you improve the muscles that are in your airway. Once you have played these instruments, you will find that your muscles are better trained and strengthened which can bring relief from apnea.
If you tend to regularly suffer from sleep apnea, consider taking naps during the day to help make up for lost sleep. Besides making you feel drowsy and fatigued, sleep deprivation can also lead to more serious health problems. If at all possible, grab a nap in the afternoon to increase the total hours of quality rest you get in a day.
Do not drink before bed! Alcohol can make a lot of disorders regarding sleep much worse, including sleep apnea. Not only does alcohol relax the muscles of the airway to a dangerous extent, it also depresses your nervous system, making it less likely for you to wake up in the event of serious breathing difficulties. This can be a fatal combination.
If you suspect that you have a problem with sleep apnea, discussing it with your physician is the first step to take. You do not want to overlook this condition, and you want to make sure you do everything in your power to live a healthy life. If your significant other has informed you that they suspect you have sleep apnea, you should definitely seek out professional help immediately.
Sleep apnea is caused by many factors, but thankfully there are many solutions to this problem. Ahead you will learn how you can cope with sleep apnea. Now, you know good times are ahead, because you are going to be helped a great deal.
If you have a dry mouth because of a CPAP device, you can help this a few different ways. The first option is increasing the machine’s humidity setting, so that your air passages stay more moist. Try chin strap masks; they can prevent air from leaking.