Tips For Successfully Dealing With Sleep Apnea

Tips For Successfully Dealing With Sleep Apnea

After you got up today, were you exhausted, even though you slept for many hours? Does your sleeping partner constantly complain about your loud snoring? That is because he or she is more likely to be awakened by your middle-of-the-night gasps for breath. If so, you may have sleep apnea. If that is the case, there is no need to worry. This information can certainly help you out. A common reason that people have sleep apnea is due to the extra pounds on their bodies. In this case, a person suffering from sleep apnea needs to lose this excess weight. There should be a weight loss plan in place that restricts calories. Exercising should be a part of this plan as well. Restricting carbohydrates has shown to be a big help in losing weight. In order to improve sleep apnea, eliminate some bad habits from your life. Smoking and drinking are some of the biggest offenders. Alcohol depresses your nervous system and makes it harder to breathe, particularly when you are asleep. Smoking introduces known carcinogens into your lungs and damages them over time. Your sleep apnea symptoms will improve if you give up both of these unhealthy habits completely. Do you smoke or drink? Break these unhealthy habits right away. Alcohol and tobacco both cause airway problems. Smoking can cause your airways to swell up while alcohol will make your airway more relaxed, which can cause sleep apnea. Try to at least smoke less, because it will help you deal with sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea

It is important to stay away from alcohol if you have sleep apnea because it can help you see some improvement with the condition. Both of these bad habits can cause the airway muscles to relax, which makes you snore and adds to the symptoms of sleep apnea. Remember that surgery and medications are expensive. Correcting bad habits is free. A common reason for sleep apnea to occur is increased weight. If this is the case, a sleep apnea sufferer should try to lose weight. They should follow a sensible weight loss plan, usually involving a restricted calorie diet combined with exercise. Reducing carbohydrate intake can be an effective way to take off the pounds, according to some recent studies. You may have success in treating your sleep apnea with a doctor-prescribed fitted mouth guard. You may have a naturally narrow breathing passage, small jaw or recessed chin that can amplify the effects of sleep apnea. You can get a mouthpiece to help you when you are sleeping to get better night's sleep. Get a mouth guard if your airways are the cause of your sleep apnea. Devices like these can align your airways properly to allow you better sleep. Speak with your doctor to see if you should get a specially fitted mouth guard. Slim down if you're heavy. Studies show that sleep apnea symptoms are more common in people who are overweight. A loss of 10 or more pounds can significantly reduce our sleep apnea symptoms. Have a mouth guard fitted for your needs. Guards like these are specifically made for assisting sleep apnea patients. The mouth guard is more comfortable to use than a CPAP machine that works by applying constant positive airway pressure. It keeps your air passageways wide open and clear by stabilizing your throat and holding it in the proper position. Sleep on your side in order to get some better sleep. When sleeping on the back, throat and tongue muscles are more likely to block your airway. If you have trouble staying off your back, sew a tennis ball into the back of your pajamas to help you stay on your side. You may see a big difference in the quality of your sleep. Try and get someone you know to tell you how you sleep through the night. One way to check out your sleeping habits is to train a video camera on yourself. The video should also contain audio in order to hear the noises that occur while you're sleeping. Look for alternatives to sleeping pills. Just like alcohol, these medications relax your throat when you sleep. They may also have other negative effects as well. Consult with your doctor about what you should take besides sleeping pills.

Nasal Spray

Lie on your side when you sleep. A lot of people who have sleep apnea are back sleepers. If you sleep on your back, you are more likely to have your mouth open and block your airways. You will breathe easier if you sleep on your side. To prevent rolling over onto your back while you sleep, build a wall of pillows behind yourself. Use nasal spray if you have a nose issue. Using nasal spray a couple of nights in a row should help you sleep. Avoid using nasal sprays over a long period of time; your mucus membranes could become damaged and irritated. Always speak with your pharmacist to make sure you choose the product that is right for you. Lose a bit of weight to get rid of your sleep apnea. It's possible to get rid of this condition just by losing weight. Even losing a little weight can improve sleep apnea by opening the throat and airway, because there is less pressure on the neck. Don's sleep on your back if you are suffering from sleep apnea. Sleeping on your back raises the risk of a blocked airway, experienced by many sufferers. You can prop yourself up on one side with cushions or pillows to discourage face-up sleeping. Use only one, regular-sized pillow to sleep at night. Puffy pillows, or using too many pillows, can put you in a position that interferes with your breathing. It will make breathing harder than it needs to be. Because of this you should only use one pillow for easier sleeping.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can be a serious problem and it needs to be treated. Some treatments may work for certain people, but not all of them. Some sleep apnea sufferers can deal with their symptoms by getting rid of excess weight, but there are also people with the condition who aren't overweight. One of the most common treatments for sleep apnea are CPAP machines, which force air into the lungs while you sleep. Some people do prefer surgery over any other types of sleep apnea alleviation methods. Which ever way you go, the key is to get it treated so you can live a peaceful life. You must get treatment if you have sleep apnea. It will not resolve itself. Various treatment regimens and choices are effective for certain individuals, but not necessarily all. A good way to help with sleep apnea symptoms is by losing weight; but it can also occur in people who are very thin, too. Some people find that using a CPAP machine or a simple mouth guard designed for sleep apnea sufferers works for them. Some people with severe sleep apnea will have surgery to get rid of the tissue that blocks the airway. Which ever way you go, the key is to get it treated so you can live a peaceful life. Exercise your tongue and minimize sleep apnea symptoms. If you press your tongue up and hold it there for a short period of time, it will help. This can improve the strength of your tongue and throat muscles and decrease the chance that they will relax too much and cause breathing difficulty. If you are still smoking then you must stop - now. It can cause your upper airways to start swelling, which can make your sleep apnea worse. Common ways to quit smoking include smoking cessation programs and nicotine replacement products, such as gums. The first month is often the hardest for most smokers. After that, the nicotine starts to leave your body and the cravings lessen. If you want a way to reduce your chances of getting sleep apnea, strengthen your throat muscles. Difficulty in breathing causes sleep apnea, which is a result of your soft tissue collapsing in your throat. Stronger muscles mean a less likelihood of the the airways becoming blocked. If you are using a CPAP when dealing with sleep apnea, get your doctor to prescribe you a heated humidifier. Warm, moist air will help keep you asleep comfortably. A lot of the CPAP machines now have a humidifier built in, so find out if you can be prescribed one of those. Do not let your condition, treatment or even your CPAP machine embarrass you. Let people know that you need it, and do not feel self-conscious about using it in front of your friends or partner. If you have to use a CPAP machine your family and friends should not make fun of it. Remember that you must bring your CPAP machine with you on long air flights, and the airline must know about this in advance. Many airlines are accommodating and will seat you in an area that has enough space where you can properly use the machine. Remind them that you will need to plug your machine in, or you can use a machine that uses batteries as a backup measure. Try not to sleep on your back with sleep apnea. Sleeping on your back does not allow enough air to get into your airways, making sleep apnea flare up. This is why sleeping on your side is the best option, that way nothing gets in your way. You have begun your journey towards managing your condition effectively just by reading the preceding paragraphs. This step is really critical, yet a good number of sufferers have not even gone this far. You should now feel more comfortable, as well as knowledgeable, and be able to start getting good sleep once again. When dealing with sleep apnea you never want to drink alcohol right before going to sleep. Your throat muscles become relaxed, and it makes it harder for you to breath during sleep. You don't need to become a teetotaler; however, you should make sure to cease drinking at least 4 hours before bedtime.