Advice On Dealing With Your Sleep Apnea

Advice On Dealing With Your Sleep Apnea

Being chronically deprived of proper sleep can have very serious health consequences. Luckily, there are treatments that work for controlling sleep apnea and enjoying a good night's sleep. You can start this process by finishing this article and reading its helpful advice and ideas. Talk to your doctor to find out if a sleep mouth guard will work for your apnea. You might have a narrow breathing passage, recessed chin, or small jaw naturally that can worsen sleep apnea. You can get a mouthpiece to help you when you are sleeping to get better night's sleep.

Sleep Apnea

If you are overweight, lose some weight. Obesity has clearly been linked with sleep apnea in multiple studies. It also stands to reason that losing just a little weight can dramatically improve your condition and your health. Do you sometimes drink or smoke? If the answer is yes and you have sleep apnea, you need to stop both habits. Smoking and drinking have negative effects on your airways. Alcohol relaxes some throat muscles to the point that sleep apnea becomes worse. Cigarettes also cause you to have difficulty breathing. Avoid second-hand smoke and do not drink immediately before going to bed. If you have sleep apnea, consider learning how to play a wind instrument. Researchers in Germany found that playing a didgeridoo can train and strengthen the muscles of the upper airway. It helps to strengthen the muscles in the throat, which collapse during sleep apnea episodes. Therefore, getting involved with an instrument like this can help you sleep better. You may be able to improve or eliminate your symptoms by quitting smoking and/or drinking. These habits can cause airways to relax too much, which can worsen sleep apnea and snoring. Unlike having expensive surgery or other medical procedures, eliminating these harmful habits actually saves money for you. Sleep Apnea also affects children. Children who are frequently tired or who have a poor attention span may have sleep issues. Often these symptoms are similar to ADHD, but you need to talk to a physician and consider sleep apnea as a cause as well. Purchase yourself a mouth guard that is made specifically for your mouth. Mouth guards help keep your jaw in a proper position. This is a good alternative to using the CPAP machine. It will provide stability and help your airway to remain open. Try out other options besides sleeping pills. Sleeping pills will just make you snore more by relaxing the muscles in the throat. Pills also can affect sleep apnea sufferers in several different ways. Consult your doctor to find a sleep aid that won't impact your breathing.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep with your body perpendicular to the bed. Many people with sleep apnea are used to sleeping on their backs. The tissue in your throat and mouth can wind up obstructing your air passage when you sleep on your back. It is best to sleep on your side when you can. Use pillows to force yourself to sleep sideways if you have a problem with rolling over once you are asleep. Eating right can keep you healthy and well rested. 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. A diagnosis of sleep apnea usually involves your personal and family medical histories, as well as a comprehensive physical examination. In addition, sleep studies could be performed. Afterwards, depending on the results, your doctor could refer a sleep specialist to you. A sleep specialist is a doctor who treats those with sleep problems. Reduce your consumption of alcohol. Your muscles will over-relax when you use alcohol, especially before bed. You might like the feeling, but it can contribute to or cause sleep apnea. Alcohol has an effect on throat muscles and it can hurt your body. While you might still drink, limit yourself and avoid it at bedtime. If you sleep alone, figuring out if you suffer from sleep apnea may be difficult. You can always set up a camcorder to make a video of a typical night's sleep. The video needs audio too so that the doctors can hear the noises you make. Sleep apnea is a significant disorder. If you see any signs, go get yourself an opinion right away. A doctor can refer you to a sleep lab if the doctor believes you have sleep apnea, and you can then get on the road to recovery if you have it. You may have to maintain a sleep log for your doctor to diagnose your condition. You will need to make note of how many hours of sleep you get each night, and anything else notable. 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.

Sleeping Pills

If the solutions you have tried are not improving your ability to sleep soundly, then see your doctor to discuss more aggressive options. A small percentage of patients don't react to the common treatments, and as a result, surgery may be their only option, which includes enlarging the airway or removing the tonsils. Seek out something else rather than taking sleeping pills. Sleeping pills will just make you snore more by relaxing the muscles in the throat. Pills also can affect sleep apnea sufferers in several different ways. Consult your doctor to find a sleep aid that won't impact your breathing. Try using devices that help with snoring. Snoring occurs if breathing passages become partially closed, and sleep apnea when they are closed entirely. So, it makes sense that a device that helps with the former can help with the latter. This device can reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea during the times you are in bed. You need to have a complete physical exam and give a thorough medical history in order to get a sleep apnea diagnosis. Also, your doctor may want to try a sleep study on you. Depending on the results, you may be referred to a specialist. Lessen your chances of getting sleep apnea. Certain risk factors are ones you can do nothing about it, like inheriting genetic traits or having been born a man. However, things like quitting smoking and drinking are within your control, and there's no excuse for continuing these detrimental behaviors. Try to keep a sleep schedule if sleep apnea is an issue in your life. Your sleep apnea is already affecting your sleep. Getting treatment from a doctor is just one part of the solution. Making sure that you don't disrupt your sleep on your own with a lax sleeping schedule is another part of the solution. Go to sleep and wake up each day on a regular schedule and this schedule should be used on the weekends, too. Of course, for a solid diagnosis of sleep apnea, you must see a doctor. Nonetheless, healthy, self-help techniques may help and won't hurt. A couple of good examples are controlling your weight and quitting smoking. If it is within a few hours of bedtime, stay away from caffeine, alcohol or a heavy meal. Life can be full of challenges, and we don't need any more that interfere with our sleep! You will get a great night's sleep right away by using this helpful advice from this article. Avoid excessive drinking if you are a sleep apnea sufferer. When you drink you relax your throat muscles which actually provokes them to collapse. Therefore, consider quitting your drinking habit, or only drink around 1-2 drinks each day hours before going to bed. You'll be less likely to suffer from alcohol-related sleep disturbances this way.