Sleep apnea can be effectively treated but being diagnosed properly and educating yourself are the first steps. Understanding the full range of treatment options is key to finding an effective solution that will work for your own situation. When you learn the contents of the following paragraphs, you are going to have a greater opportunity of discovering the treatment regimen best suited for you.
Some people’s sleep apnea can be traced to morbid obesity. If this happens to be the problem then anyone dealing with sleep apnea should immediately shed this weight. A logical weight loss program that includes a restrictive, yet healthy diet together with a sensible exercise routine is necessary. After a couple of weeks you should see a difference with how much sleep apnea effects you.
Do you have a smoking or drinking habit? If you suffer from sleep apnea, quit smoking and cut down on your alcohol consumption. Using these vices can harm your airways. Your throat can swell thanks to smoking, and alcohol relaxes your palate and allows it to drop to the back of your throat, which restricts your airway while you sleep. Try to at least smoke less, because it will help you deal with sleep apnea.
Try getting fitted for a custom-made mouth guard. These are made especially for those suffering from sleep apnea. A mouth guard will help keep your airway open and may eliminate the need for a CPAP machine. The soft tissues in your throat can collapse when you sleep at night, and wearing a mouth guard can help to keep your airway unobstructed.
You need to lose some weight if you find that you are too heavy for your frame. Several studies have shown that there is a link between obesity and sleep apnea. So, you can actually find substantial relief from your symptoms just from shedding even twenty or thirty pounds.
Try something other than sleeping pills. In the same way that alcohol does, sleeping pills over-relax throat muscles. They can also cause a significant number of additional complications for sleep apnea patients. Ask your physician about sleep aids that won’t also affect your breathing.
If you have a prescription for sleep apnea and you are prescribed a CPAP, you should at least use it four hours every night. Some people find the machine difficult to get accustomed to. Good health over the long term is what is important, and you need to build up the amount of time you use it until you can use it throughout the night. Starting at just four hours per session can help you ease into adjusting to your CPAP.
Lie on your side when you sleep. Sleeping on your back is attributed to a lot of people who suffer with sleep apnea. The tissue in your throat and mouth can wind up obstructing your air passage when you sleep on your back. However, breathing is much easier if you sleep on your side instead. If you tend to lay on your back while sleeping, prop yourself on your side using pillows.
Sleeping Pills
A diagnosis of sleep apnea usually involves your personal and family medical histories, as well as a comprehensive physical examination. You can do sleep studies and the things the doctor finds will guide him on making a decision on what can be done.
Avoid relying on sleeping pills. Similar to alcohol, a sleeping pill will relax the muscles in your throat. Taking sleeping pills can have a negative impact on other health conditions that those with sleep apnea may experience. Ask your physician about sleeping aids that are free of harmful effects or risks to your night-time breathing.
Keep a regular sleeping schedule to lessen the symptoms of sleep apnea. Random sleep times affects your sleep as it is and this is compounded when you have sleep apnea. A routine sleep pattern will discourage the condition from getting worse. Go to sleep and wake up at set times each day, even the weekends, for the best results.
If you can, sleep on one of your sides. A lot of people that suffer from sleep apnea lay down in bed at night on their backs. Sleeping one one’s back can cause constriction of the throat muscles. Breathing is a lot easier for your body to do when you are on your side. You may want to prop yourself up with pillows so you stay on your side.
If you have a CPAP machine, carry your medical ID. It may be a vital piece of information if you need emergency medical care and unable to give that information. The ID needs to include all of the medical information pertaining to your CPAP use.
Assessing your sleep apnea potential might be hard if you there is not a partner in bed at night to give you feedback. One way to check out your sleeping habits is to train a video camera on yourself. Your video needs to have audio as well because the doctors will want to hear any noises you make.
You should take your CPAP machine everywhere you will be spending the night. Do not leave it at home. You never should go a single night without your CPAP. You should have a travel bag for your machine. You can use it to carry your CPAP easily and safely anytime you leave home.
Avoid sleeping pills if you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea. You may find these pills are causing your muscles in your throat to relax and this obstructs your airways. These can cause more harm than good, even if you just want to get to bed sooner.
Sleep apnea does not go away on its own; patients need treatment. Various treatment regimens and choices are effective for certain individuals, but not necessarily all. Losing weight will help minimize symptoms in many patients, but sleep apnea can occur in very thin individuals as well as those who are overweight. The CPAP machine and other non-invasive procedures have been helpful for millions. Some prefer surgery when dealing with sleep apnea. The key is to find the treatment that fits your individual solution and then sticking with it so that you can gain control of your life again.
The search for a good method of sleep apnea treatment is something that many sufferers know all too well. To successfully defeat this condition, knowledge is your sword. By following the advice presented here, you can find just the right method of treatment for your sleep apnea.
Stop smoking as soon as you find out you have sleep apnea. Smoking can cause swelling in the airways, exacerbating sleep apnea. You could use various methods of nicotine replacement, electronic cigarettes or a stop smoking program to quit smoking.` For most people, the toughest part is the first 30 days or so. The strength of the cravings will then decrease as the nicotine begins to leave your system.