Struggling With Sleep Apnea? Follow These Tips

Struggling With Sleep Apnea? Follow These Tips

You may be searching for treatment options for sleep apnea if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with this condition. Are you aware of the right options for that specific situation? Reading this article is going to help you learn more about sleep apnea. One thing that affects sleep apena is obesity. If this applies, it is is important to shed some excess weight. Make sure that you stick with a plan that makes sense and combine a low calorie diet with an exercise regimen. It may be worth it to look into diet plans that reduce the amount of carbohydrates that you eat. Avoid unhealthy activities to control your sleep apnea. Drinking and smoking are a couple of the biggest concerns. Drinking affects the respiratory system. Inflammation and narrowing of the air passages is extremely dangerous for those who suffer from sleep apnea. Getting rid of these bad habits can help to lessen the frustration that sleep apnea brings. Giving up smoking and drinking can help to improve your sleep apnea. Both of these bad habits can cause the airway muscles to relax, which makes you snore and adds to the symptoms of sleep apnea. Unlike those medical interventions or pricey surgeries, eliminating these habits can save you money. If you have inherently narrow airway that are causing sleep apnea, a mouth guard can help. Through the use of a mouth guard, airways will be kept open. Talk to your doctor about whether or not a mouth guard can solve your sleep apnea problem. Children can suffer from sleep apnea, also. If a child in your home shows symptoms like low grades in school, hostility, irritability, hyperactivity, inattention or mouth breathing, you should consider sleep apnea as a possibility to investigate. Sometimes parents mistakenly think these symptoms have to do with something like ADHD, and it is best that you talk to your child's doctor to find the true culprit.

Mouth Guard

The most common way for a physician to diagnose you with sleep apnea is to conduct a physical examination and investigate the medical histories of you and your relatives. You might also undergo a sleep study. Dependent upon what your personal physician discovers, they might give you a referral to see a sleep specialist. Have a mouth guard made for you. These oral devices are specially made for sleep apnea sufferers. Many people find they can adjust to wearing a mouth guard every night while they sleep much more easily than they can get used to wearing a CPAP mask. 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. If you have no one with you while you sleep, it would be hard to tell if sleep apnea is your problem. Setting up a camera to record your sleeping habits might be the answer. Make sure you have audio on your video so you and your doctor can hear the noises you make in your sleep. Don't drink a lot of alcohol. Your muscles will over-relax when you use alcohol, especially before bed. 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. Your throat muscles relax too much from alcohol, which means trouble of your body to manage breathing. If you must drink alcohol, consume it sparingly and at least a few hours before heading to bed. If you are using a CPAP machine but having trouble keeping your mouth closed, you should consider using a chin strap. It is a simple cloth strap that can easily hold up your chin as you sleep. Your CPAP machine cannot function properly if your mouth hangs open. Using a chin strap may help. Sleep with your body perpendicular to the bed. Many people with sleep apnea are used to sleeping on their backs. If you sleep flat on your back you are only exasperating your breathing problem by allowing your throat muscles to relax and move down. Instead, you should sleep on your side and that can help your breathe much better. If you have a hard time sleeping on your back all night, you can try to prop pillows around yourself to prevent you from sleeping on your back. If you are going to be hospitalized for any reason, bring your CPAP with you to ensure you get restful sleep. It is critical to have your CPAP available to you, along with your mask at all times. This is preset to your breathing pressure. In addition, you'll be using the same mask you've been accustomed to using each night. It will be much simpler to continue using a CPAP machine in the hospital if you don't have to deal with unfamiliar equipment.

Chin Strap

If you have sinus problems or allergies, find yourself some treatment options. You already are having difficulty breathing at night due to your sleep condition. You don't need anything else adding to that. Eliminating your nasal problems maintains a clear airway, which will increase the chances that you will sleep better. Get a chin strap to keep your mouth closed when you are sleeping with a CPAP or BIPAP machine. This little piece of fabric holds your chin upright when sleeping so that your mouth remains closed. CPAP machines do not function with open mouths, so a chin strap can really save you. Consult with your doctor about surgery if you find that none of the less invasive options are helping with your symptoms of sleep apnea. If you do not have success with standard treatments, you may have to consider surgery, such as a tonsillectomy or airway enlargement. Take your CPAP device with you when you are going to the hospital. It doesn't matter whether your hospital visit is planned or an emergency, your CPAP should be there with you, along with your mask. It will be a lot easier and more comfortable if you bring yours instead of using one at the hospital. Even if you are hospitalized, you can seamlessly continue using your CPAP in this manner. An excellent method of reducing your sleep apnea symptoms is simply losing some weight. Symptoms of sleep apnea are completely resolved by many once they drop a few pounds. Loosing even a little weight can allow you to breathe more freely and get a good night's sleep. Power is gained through information. Understanding the options that you have available to you will help you figure out what to do when you are trying to get rid of sleep apnea. These ideas will help you make the best choices for you. You should ask your doctor what you can do about sleep apnea; however, there are areas that you can investigate for yourself. 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.