Sleep Apnea Symptoms Can Be Controlled With These Steps

Sleep Apnea Symptoms Can Be Controlled With These Steps

Is your snoring keeping you from getting the rest that you need? If you have not looked hard at it, then the possibility exists that you are afflicted with sleep apnea. Don't worry if this sounds like you. The following information is a great learning tool! Do you smoke or sometimes drink? Get rid of behaviors that are not good for you. They can do bad things to your airways. Alcohol use will lead to over-relaxation of your airways, making sleep apnea symptoms worse, while smoking can have a similar effect by constricting them. If you are having trouble quitting either of these habits, at least try to abstain in the few hours before bedtime.

Sleep Apnea

Try your best to use your CPAP machine as much as possible if you get one. Using a CPAP while sleeping is a tough adjustment for many patients to make. If this is the case with you, try a different mask. That is often the source of the discomfort. Starting at just four hours per session can help you ease into adjusting to your CPAP. You have to get rid of a few vices to get through sleep apnea. As with many other health problems, alcohol and tobacco will worsen sleep apnea. When you drink, your respiratory system is depressed and breathing becomes difficult. When you smoke, you fill your lungs with carcinogens and cause severe damage. Losing these terrible habits will help a great deal when it comes to alleviating your sleep apnea symptoms. It can be a very serious issue when you have sleep apnea. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, see your doctor right away. A specialist in sleep disorders can order the tests necessary to diagnose the condition. Speak with your doctor about treating your sleep apnea with a dental mouth piece. You might have a narrow breathing passage, recessed chin, or small jaw naturally that can worsen sleep apnea. Special mouthpieces can help to maintain proper alignment while you sleep, allowing you to rest much better. To help alleviate this condition, you should sleep on your side. Many sufferers of sleep apnea sleep 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. Sleep on your side to keep your airways straight. Put a pillow on your side if you always find yourself moving around during sleep. Sleep apnea is not to be taken lightly. If you feel some of the symptoms, then you need to consult a physician as quickly as you can. Once you know whether or not you have it for sure, you can figure out how to deal with it. Do not take sleeping pills if you have sleep apnea. These will make your throat muscles too soft, and your air passages will not work right. Sleep medicines can cause more problems and can even be dangerous for people with apnea. Going to sleep on your side may be beneficial. Most people who have sleep apnea realize that they have been sleeping on their back too much. If you sleep flat on your back you are only exasperating your breathing problem by allowing your throat muscles to relax and move down. Try to sleep on your side to avoid that. You may want to prop yourself up with pillows so you stay on your side. Losing weight is an excellent way to alleviate the symptoms of sleep apnea. A lot of people find that if they shed weight they will help the apnea. Even losing a little weight can improve sleep apnea by opening the throat and airway, because there is less pressure on the neck. If you sleep alone, figuring out if you suffer from sleep apnea may be difficult. Therefore, record yourself sleeping at night by putting a video camcorder in your room. Your video needs to have audio as well because the doctors will want to hear any noises you make. Many people can reduce the severity of their sleep apnea symptoms by losing excess weight. People who are overweight or have a larger than normal neck circumference may be prone to sleep apnea. Losing weight can reduce pressure on the airways and cause better airflow when breathing at night.

Sleeping Pills

Sleep apnea patients should not sleep on their backs. Most apnea sufferers are chronic back sleepers and this position leads to a collapse of the soft tissue in the throat and blocks the air passage. Use cushions or pillows to prop yourself up on your side while you sleep. Make sure you don't take any sleeping pills after you find out you suffer from sleep apnea. Pills such as these may cause a relaxation of your throat muscles which causes your airways to not function properly. This can be deadly when combined with sleep apnea. Sleeping pills are a bad idea. You should never smoke if you are dealing with sleep apnea. Swelling of the airways occurs when one smokes; this makes sleep apnea worse. Common ways to quit smoking include smoking cessation programs and nicotine replacement products, such as gums. Many people find the first month to be the hardest. Once you get through this, nicotine begins to exit out of your body, which decreases your cravings. Many doctors ask patients to keep sleep logs to help diagnose sleep apnea. You would record your total hours of sleep each night, as well as symptoms that occur. Ask others in your home to let you know if you snored, woke up without realizing it due to your snoring or if you moved a lot in your sleep. That helps the physician determine whether your symptoms are, in fact, sleep apnea. Some great tongue exercises can reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea. Try holding your tongue up toward the roof of your mouth for at least three minutes. This should strengthen both your tongue and throat muscles, which helps them to not relax while you're asleep. If your nose seems stuffy, apply a nasal spray. This might open up your airways so you can sleep. Don't use it over a long duration because it can cause problems. Visit your local pharmacist to learn which nasal sprays you can pick from. Learning a wind instrument is recommended as a treatment for sleep apnea. You will get several benefits: learning how to exercise the muscles used in breathing, broadening your intellect, and playing music that you enjoy. Exercising these muscles will make them stronger, thus, making them less likely to collapse while you sleep, which will improve airflow to your lungs. Don't go to sleep on your back if you have sleep apnea. Most apnea sufferers are chronic back sleepers and this position leads to a collapse of the soft tissue in the throat and blocks the air passage. Use whatever means you can to keep from rolling on your back. Pillows can help and some people even sew a tennis ball into the back of their night clothes. Your sleeping position can actually be important when dealing with sleep apnea. Because of this, your sleeping position should be the best possible one. Attempt to use pillows or foam wedges to help you stay in a good position to sleep in. An alternative method is to angle your bed so that the head is approximately four inches above the foot.

Sleep Apnea

It's a good idea to try to sleep on your side rather than your back if you're struggling with sleep apnea. Simply sew a pocket onto the back of your sleep clothing and put a tennis ball inside the pocket. This will help you to keep from laying on your back while you are asleep. This forces you to lay on your side since it makes it tough to lay on your back. Sleep apnea will not go away by itself; you need to treat it. Different treatment options work well for some people, but not others. Although losing weight is known to reduce sleep apnea symptoms, people who are thin suffer also. There are many options available to help treat this condition, one of which is a CPAP machine. Others prefer surgery to relieve their sleep apnea. Whatever you and your doctor thinks is the best for you, treatment is important in improving your sleep quality. People who have sleep apnea tend to sleep on their backs. You may wish to consider a different sleeping position. There have been studies and reports that show how side sleeping will alleviate many symptoms of sleep apnea and improve the quality of sleep. Getting your throat muscles stronger is a great way to have less of a problem with sleep apnea. When your breathing is obstructed by soft tissues collapsing in the anterior of your throat while you sleep, the result is sleep apnea. As your muscles strengthen, their possibility of collapsing and blocking your airways is lowered. Once you've received a sleep apnea diagnosis, it's important to maintain contact with your physician. Your physician can keep you up to speed with great information and advice. If you plan on attempting a new treatment, meet with your doctor a month after trying it to discuss its effectiveness. People get sleep apnea for many reasons, but thankfully there are almost as many solutions for it. This article provided you with the information you need. Now, you have the keys to a better night's sleep. If you believe you might have sleep apnea, consult your doctor. Sleep apnea is a very serious condition that is very hard to deal with, and it's important that you handle it with care. Communicate all your medical issues to your doctor to make sure you get the most appropriate treatment.