Just talking about your sleep apnea isn’t going to help you get more rest. If you have sleep apnea, you need to do something about it. Having knowledge on effective treatments is a solid way to start. Read the article below for some great tips that can help you with your condition.
Try quitting smoking and drinking alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Both habits cause the muscles of the airway to relax, which increases both snoring and sleep apnea. Quitting these addictions may be the easiest way to address your sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
You should know that aside from helping you to lose weight, healthy food can also help to lessen sleep apnea symptoms, too. You’d be surprised at how much a healthy diet can help you with sleep apnea. People who eat unhealthily tend to have sleep apnea more often than those who eat healthier.
Give up some of your vices to combat the symptoms of sleep apnea. Two of the most common offenders are drinking and smoking. Your respiratory system will not be happy with you if you drink all the time. Smoking damages your lungs over time. These are both habits which can make sleep apnea worse.
Avoid alcohol before bed as much as possible. Alcohol causes all the muscles in your body to lose their tension. Although you may think this improves your sleep, it actually just worsens it. Alcohol relaxes throat muscles and can make it difficult to keep the air passage open. If you absolutely must drink, then do it in moderation and certainly not right when you’re about to go to sleep.
A major reason why a lot of people deal with the sleep apnea condition is because of the excess weight they’re carrying. Anyone who is overweight and suffers from sleep apnea needs to lose weight for the sake of their health. Try changing your diet and ramp up your activity level. Restriction of carbohydrates is shown to help those wanting to shed pounds.
It is not uncommon for children to be sleep apnea sufferers. There are a multitude of symptoms that can determine whether your child has sleep apnea. Often these symptoms are similar to ADHD, but you need to talk to a physician and consider sleep apnea as a cause as well.
Cpap Machine
Sleep apnea is no joke. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, see your doctor right away. If you are diagnosed with the condition, your doctor may send you to a sleep specialist, as well as recommend a sleep test to monitor your condition.
To help with your sleep apnea, you need to consult with your doctor about the best CPAP machine to use. The noise level of a CPAP machine and its overall size are both points to take into consideration. Certain CPAPs are tinier than bread boxes and are barely heard. Your doctor will help you find one that is well made.
Take back a good night of rest by side sleeping. When we sleep on our backs, the nasal and throat passages are more prone to obstructing the air-ways. Make it a habit of falling asleep on your side, which hopefully does alleviate some of these sleep apnea symptoms.
Sleep apnea is no joke. If you have symptoms of sleep apnea, make an appointment with your doctor. Once you have been diagnosed, your next step will be a sleep specialist, who may administer a sleeping test using a small monitor to determine the extent of your condition.
If you sleep alone, you might have a hard time determining if you suffer from sleep apnea. One way to see is to set up a video camera to record yourself as you sleep. Make sure that the microphone on your recording device picks up any snoring or other noises you make while sleeping, because your physician needs to hear them.
To help alleviate this condition, you should sleep on your side. Many people with sleep apnea are used to sleeping on their backs. If you sleep on your back, you can cause your throat and mouth tissues to block the airways. It is best to sleep on your side when you can. If you tend to roll onto your back in your sleep, try propping yourself on one side with pillows.
Losing weight is an excellent way to alleviate the symptoms of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea symptoms can be reduced or eliminated by taking off those extra pounds. Just losing a little bit of weight can go a long way in improving the symptoms of sleep apnea and opening up breathing passage ways.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, do not take pills. Sleep medicines often contain relaxants which only make your airway more likely to collapse. This can be deadly when combined with sleep apnea. Sleeping pills are a bad idea.
Try a good nasal spray to take care of nighttime nasal congestion. It helps to clear the nasal passages and airways to let you sleep more soundly. Remember that nasal sprays should only be used on a temporary basis to avoid nasal damage and irritation. Talk to your pharmacist about your options.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and you use a CPAP, carry your medical ID. Upon need for help and medical attention, your condition must be known. Your ID should tell people about your sleep apnea, your use of a CPAP, and the proper pressure level for it.
You can lessen the sleep apnea symptoms you are experiencing. Genetic and congenital risks cannot be altered, but lifestyle changes can be made. Being overweight, drinking, smoking and weak throat muscles can all bring on sleep apnea.
Don’t leave your CPAP machine behind if you’re a sleep apnea sufferer headed out on a trip. A diagnosis of sleep apnea is serious and means that you cannot forgo the use of your CPAP for even a single night. Your machine should include a padded travel bag. This can be used for transporting your CPAP so that you always have it, even when you’re not at home.
One way to prevent yourself from getting sleep apnea is to exercise your throat muscles and make them stronger. When the soft tissue of the throat collapses, the airway becomes blocked and sleep apnea occurs. Stronger muscles are not as likely to collapse.
Be sure to treat allergies and sinus issues right away if you suffer from sleep apnea. It will help you breath better in general, especially during your sleep. You don’t need to deal with anything that will affect your breathing when you sleep. Keep your airway clear by clearing your nostrils before you go to sleep.
If you find that your CPAP machine is too drying, your physician can prescribe a humidifier for your mask. Moist, warm air can be an effective way to make sure that you use your CPAP machine by making it more comfortable. Many CPAP machines come with built-in humidifiers now, so see if your doctor can prescribe one of those for you.
Consulting your GP is a necessary step in getting a diagnosis of sleep apnea, but self-help options are available. Dropping weight or dropping cigarettes are good ideas; more so for victims of sleep apnea. Also, stay away from large meals, caffeine and alcohol a few hours before going to sleep.
How you physically sleep each night can really affect your sleep apnea. This is why it’s essential to sleep in a good position. Sew a tennis ball into the back of your sleeping attire so that it will remind you during your sleep to stay on your side or stomach. You can also lift up your bed by several inches at the head end.
Start utilizing the different ways to rid yourself of sleep apnea. Figure out what works well for yourself, and you’ll have a better quality of sleep. With peaceful sleep, you will see better control over your life.
Anxiety is a common result of sleep apnea, so think about relaxing baths prior to bed. Taking a hot bath can relieve the tension in your muscles. This makes it easier to get to sleep and stay asleep. It also reduces the number of sleep apnea episodes that occur.