Although all sleep disturbances are bad, sleep apnea is the worst. What’s good for you is that if you do have sleep apnea, then you are in luck because of this article. Take a look at the information presented below that offers some helpful tips to give you a good night’s sleep.
Do you light up or knock some back every day? Address your bad habits if you have sleep apnea problems. They can do bad things to your airways. Inflammation is caused by smoking and alcohol use causes your airways to collapse, both of which can produce sleep apnea symptoms. Avoid second-hand smoke and do not drink immediately before going to bed.
If you want to ease your sleep apnea, it’s crucial that you speak with your physician regarding CPAP machines and which is best for you. The loudness and size of any machine should be considered. Some are as small as a loaf of bread and quiet as a whisper. Your doctor can help you pick a manufacturer for a good quality machine.
Sleep apnea can be a serious disorder. If you see any signs, go get yourself an opinion right away. If he says you have sleep apnea you should go to a sleep specialist so that you can get tested further.
Sleep Apnea
In order to make a proper diagnosis, your doctor may have you maintain a sleep journal. All hours slept or spent awake should be recorded. The person you sleep next to can alert you to your snoring, if you stop breathing or you move your limbs suddenly. With this information, your doctors can make a final determination on whether or not you suffer from sleep apnea.
Your phsyician can help you get a mouth piece to help with your sleep apnea. There may be genetic reasons you suffer from sleep apnea. Your airway may be naturally thin or your jaw may interfere with breathing during sleep. A device made to assist you during sleep can provide you with enough air to flow through your body.
If you have apnea, make an attempt to have a schedule for sleep. Remember, your sleep is already being disrupted by your condition. Any steps you take to improve your overall sleep habits will help deal with the symptoms of your condition and minimize the impact it has. The best thing you can do is to be sure you’re going to sleep and getting up every day during the same time.
Try getting fitted for a custom-made mouth guard. Fitted mouth guards help people sleep through the night. The mouth guard is more comfortable to use than a CPAP machine that works by applying constant positive airway pressure. The device assists you by keeping your airways open while offering stability for soft tissue.
If you’re a sleep apnea sufferer and your mouth always opens as you sleep because of your CPAP, you may want to wear a chin strap. It is a simple cloth strap that can easily hold up your chin as you sleep. CPAP therapy is not successful with an open mouth, so use the chin strap to help alleviate the problem.
Alcohol Relaxes
Do you travel? If so, then your CPAP should be carried along with you. A diagnosis of sleep apnea is serious and means that you cannot forgo the use of your CPAP for even a single night. Most CPAP machines come with a travel bag designed for just this purpose. This will help ease transporting your CPAP machine if you must be away.
Cut back on your alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol relaxes the muscles of your throat and airway. 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 relaxes throat muscles and can make it difficult to keep the air passage open. If you’re not going to give up alcohol, then just don’t do it right before bedtime.
Take your CPAP device with you when you are going to the hospital. If your stay is planned or an emergency, you will need your CPAP device either way. The machine that you bring will help you find comfort at the hospital because it is the one you always use. Your whole hospitalization process will go much smoother because of this.
Avoid relying on sleeping pills. The muscles in your throat relax too much when you use a sedative like sleeping pills, (or alcohol) and your airway is much more likely to collapse during sleep. They can also make other problems associated with sleep apnea worse. Stress relief through meditation or exercise can also help you fall asleep safely.
Consider trying devices that reduce snoring. When the airway is closed but still allows a little air through, that’s when snoring is most probable; in sleep apnea, the airways are almost fully closed. It actually makes sense that your device can assist with the latter if it can help you with the former. Your sleep apnea can be curtailed some with the use of an anti-snoring aid.
Your physician might ask you to start and maintain a sleep log to get a better grasp on your diagnosis. You simply log the amount of hours you’re sleeping each night, and mentioning other symptoms too. If you sleep with another person, they’ll be able to help you keep track of snoring, interruptions in breathing, or jerking of your limbs. Your doctor can use this information to determine if you actually suffer from sleep apnea.
Your physician is the only one who can really diagnose sleep apnea in you for sure, but there are things you can do on your own to manage and combat the condition once you know. Everyone can benefit from getting thinner or quitting smoking, but this goes double for those suffering from sleep apnea. Additionally, it’s important to refrain from consuming alcohol, large meals, or caffeine right before bedtime.
If you have sleep apnea and your mouth keeps falling open while you sleep with your CPAP every night, try wearing a chin strap. Invest a little money into a CPAP machine to assist you during sleep. If you keep your mouth open your CPAP will not work.
A great method of reducing your sleep apnea symptoms is strengthening your throat muscles. The reduced airflow characteristic of sleep apnea is due to soft tissue in the throat relaxing. As your strengthen your muscles, you will have more control over them.
Try to prevent snoring with an over-the-counter device. Snoring is when you have your airways come to a partial close while air is coming through, while apnea is actually when your airways are closed all the way. It is understandable that something can help this. An anti-snoring device can reduce your apnea while you sleep.
How you sleep each night can determine the quality of sleep you get and how bad your sleep apnea really is. Sleeping on one’s side or stomach will go a long way toward making for easier breathing with sleep apnea. Use a foam wedge or body pillow to lift your upper body. Another option is raising your bed’s top a minimum of four inches.
Weight loss can be a big help for those that suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is more common in patients who are overweight and have a large neck circumference. If you lose weight, it will improve air flow by reducing pressure on your airways.
If you are prone to sleep apnea, you should try not to sleep on your back. Falling asleep on your back can create airway restrictions that prevent sound sleep. Try side-sleeping, but if you can’t do it naturally, try propping a pillow to force your body onto a side every night.
Life is hard enough to deal with without the added stress of feeling tired and having no energy throughout the day. Do not allow sleep apnea to interfere with your day any longer, but use the ideas in this article tonight.
Exercising the smooth muscles of your throat may reduce sleep apnea symptoms. You will have stronger muscles in your air passages that can help sleep apnea. One of the many examples is to press the whole tongue to the roof of your mouth, hold it for three minutes and then release. Doing this at least one time every day can help you.