Tips, Tricks, Techniques And Advice For Managing Sleep Apnea

Tips, Tricks, Techniques And Advice For Managing Sleep Apnea

Have you just learned you have sleep apnea? If so, then don't be afraid. Although the disorder can have dramatic, negative health consequences, if treated properly it is possible to live a normal life. That said, it is important that you understand best practices for treating sleep apnea, which will be outlined in the following paragraphs. Overweight people are more prone to suffering from sleep apnea. Should this be the reason, weight loss should be the rule of thumb. The simplest way to take off the weight is to eat fewer calories and engage in daily exercise. Some studies have also shown that limiting your carbohydrate intake can help. Avoid unhealthy activities to control your sleep apnea. Two of the most common offenders are drinking and smoking. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat, which restricts the airway while a person sleeps. Smoking can cause swelling in the throat, which also restricts the airway during sleep. Dropping these habits can help ease your symptoms. Mouth guards can be custom fit. These are a great aid to sufferers of sleep apnea. It is a more comfortable alternative to using a CPAP machine. A mouth guard will work by positioning the jaw and tongue in a helpful way that will allow for easier breathing while asleep. It's necessary to use a CPAP machine for four hours each night if your doctor has prescribed one for your sleep apnea. Some people have a really hard time sleeping with the device. However, you must use your CPAP a minimum of four hours for it to be effective. Using it for the minimum of four hours a day will allow yourself to slowly transition to full time use. Be sure to eat well and maintain a proper weight to help control your sleep apnea. A lot of people are surprised that a bad diet can affect sleep apnea. Good nutrition can help many medical conditions, including sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can be present in children. If your child exhibits any of the symptoms associated with sleep deprivation, such as chronic irritability, hostility and a drop in their grades, you might be looking at a case of sleep apnea. These symptoms can be similar to those of ADHD, so consult a doctor and consider both conditions. Children can suffer from sleep apnea, also. If you child seems to be distracted in class, cannot focus, and is breathing through his mouth, then he may have sleep apnea. The symptoms can be confused with those of ADHD, so it is important to speak with your doctor to see if sleep apnea is a possibility. Attempt to sleep on the side to get a full night of rest in spite of apnea. Sleeping on your back does not allow enough air to get into your airways. Try to fall asleep on your side instead and use a pillow if needed. It may relieve some symptoms. It's best to lay on your side to sleep when you have sleep apnea. Many people who have sleep apnea also sleep looking straight up. Your airways become blocked when you sleep on your back. Try to sleep on your side to avoid that. A large body pillow can help keep you from rolling to your back in the middle of the night. You may not even realize you have sleep apnea. If you have no wife or husband to tell you, you be unaware you stop breathing at night. A video recorder can help you discover whether you are sleeping well or struggling. Your video needs to have audio as well because the doctors will want to hear any noises you make. If you do not have a partner to let you know how you sleep at night, it can be difficult to assess if you have sleep apnea. Therefore, record yourself sleeping at night by putting a video camcorder in your room. The video should also contain audio in order to hear the noises that occur while you're sleeping. Some people have great luck with stopping their snoring by using an anti-snoring device they wear in their mouth while sleeping. Snoring happens when the airways are mostly closed but air can come though, and apnea is when the airways are completely closed. It makes sense to have a device that will help both. Anti-snoring devices help you reduce apnea as you sleep.

Sleep Apnea Treatments

Although you should speak with your doctor about sleep apnea, you can try certain things yourself. Dropping weight or dropping cigarettes are good ideas; more so for victims of sleep apnea. You will definitely want to stay away from alcohol and caffeine, along with late night heavy meals before going to bed. You should consult with a medical professional about the more intensive sleep apnea treatments available to you if your symptoms don't respond to the basic steps you take. There are people that don't respond well to traditional sleep apnea treatments, and sometimes they have to have surgery. This surgery may involve removing the adenoids, enlarging the airway or removing the tonsils. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is imperative that you stop smoking. Your air passages swell when you smoke, which is no good for sleep apnea sufferers. Try going cold turkey. Most people who have quit smoking report that the first month was the most difficult. Then you get less cravings as more and more nicotine leaves the body. Don't use multiple or oversize pillows. When you sleep on a pile of pillows, or one extremely thick pillow, your chin is pushed down toward your neck and restricts your air flow. This actually causes you to have more breathing difficulty based on your position. This is why one pillow is best to manage your symptoms. Don't drink too much if you have sleep apnea. When drinking alcohol it causes the muscles in your throat to relax, which results in snoring and blocked airways. Avoiding alcohol altogether is best, but if you must drink then limit yourself to one drink taken several hours before bedtime. You will make sure that your sleep is not affected by the alcohol. Weight loss can make a huge difference in sleep apnea symptoms. If a person has a neck circumference of 17 inches or more, they are more likely to develop sleep apnea. If you shed some pounds you will see that your airways will not be as constricted. If you find that your CPAP machine is too drying, your physician can prescribe a humidifier for your mask. You are much more likely to have a good night's sleep and stick with your CPAP therapy if the air being delivered is warm and moist. There are many different CPAP machines that are equipped with built-in humidifiers, so check with your doctor to see if one can be prescribed. Spending time exercising your throat muscles may significantly increase the complications of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when the tissues in your throat collapse into the airways, which ends up obstructing your breathing. Stronger muscles are not as likely to collapse. Do not be embarrassed about your treatment and your CPAP machine. Make it clear that it is necessary and don't allow those in your life to make you feel embarrassed when using it. If you have to use a CPAP machine your family and friends should not make fun of it.

Throat Muscles

Try learning how to play a musical instrument. A study in Germany proved that playing a Didgeridoo can reduce sleep apnea symptoms and induce other soothing effects. You will be able to better control the air passages. Play a woodwind instrument. Playing a wind instrument exercises your throat muscles to make breathing easier and gives you the pleasure of beautiful music at the same time. Strong throat muscles are less likely to contribute to the ill-effects of sleep apnea. People who have sleep apnea tend to sleep on their backs. A change in your sleep position can often help your breathing at night. Studies show that if you sleep on your side, it can help to alleviate the sleep apnea symptoms. A CPAP machine is a common treatment tool for sleep apnea; if you use one, you should also ask your physician about getting a heated humidifier. A humidifier will help keep the air moist for better breathing and to avoid chafing from the mask. Your physician can help you select a full-featured CPAP machine that includes an on-board humidifier. Sleep apnea sufferers should not drink alcohol prior to sleeping. Your throat muscles will relax more than they should from alcohol, and this makes it difficult for sufficient air flow to occur, instigating sleep apnea. You don't have to give up alcohol entirely; just shy away from drinking close to bed time.

Sleep Apnea

Try to work your throat by playing wind instruments. The clarinet and flute are great instruments for treating sleep apnea. Playing these instruments helps you learn air control and exercises your airway muscles, increasing their strength. After a while, playing these instruments will provide you with relief from apnea because of the muscle training. When sleep apnea is not addressed properly, your health can be jeopardized. As you can now see, there are things you can do to treat it. Consult your doctor and show her this article. If you do have sleep apnea, you can use these tips to stop suffering and start living. Avoid alcohol, especially before you go to sleep. Alcohol can worsen a lot of sleeping disorders, sleep apnea included. Your central nervous system depresses, which could cause your sleep apnea to prevent you from breathing. That makes drinking when you suffer from sleep apnea a dangerous idea.