Tips, Tricks, Techniques And Advice For Managing Sleep Apnea

Tips, Tricks, Techniques And Advice For Managing Sleep Apnea

If sleep apnea afflicts you, you need to be aware that it steals your sleep and wounds your well-being. To have a healthy and joyful life, you need to get enough sleep. There are, thankfully, some highly effective treatments out there for sleep apnea. Continue reading this article to learn how to better manage your sleep apnea. Overweight people are prone to suffering from sleep apnea. So if you have sleep apnea, and you are overweight, then try to shed some of those extra pounds. Exercising and following a regular weight loss plan is the best strategy. Reducing carbs in the diet may also help. Quit smoking and drinking. Both habits cause the muscles of the airway to relax, which increases both snoring and sleep apnea. As an added benefit, keep in mind that ditching these bad habits will put extra money back into your pocket, whereas extensive medical treatments will cost you a great deal. If you are suffering with sleep apnea due to having narrow airways, you should get yourself a mouth guard to use when sleeping. These mouth guards correct airways and facilitate breathing. It's best to see a medical professional to get fitted properly for a guard that will fit your individual situation.

Sleep Apnea

Talk to your doctor about a CPAP device if your sleep apnea is severe. The noise level of a CPAP machine and its overall size are both points to take into consideration. Some are as small as a loaf of bread and quiet as a whisper. Your physician can recommend the best manufacturers in the industry. If you are carrying a few extra pounds, it may be time to lose them. Research has shown a clear link between sleep apnea and obesity. If you slim down, you may see a marked difference in how your sleep apnea affects you. Do you smoke or drink alcoholic beverages? Address your bad habits if you have sleep apnea problems. Smoking and drinking have negative effects on your airways. Smoking will cause your throat to swell, and alcohol will relax it too much. If you cannot get rid of these habits for good, make an effort to avoid smoking or drinking before you go to bed. Go to the doctor to get a mouth guard that is custom made. Specially made mouth guards are particularly focused for individuals suffering from sleep apnea. 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 mouth guard keeps your jaw in the proper position and keeps your airway more open. Try to sleep on your side instead of your back to breathe easier when you sleep. When we sleep on our backs, the nasal and throat passages are more prone to obstructing the air-ways. Try to fall asleep on one of your sides to see if that improves your sleep apnea this evening. Sleep on your side in order to get some better sleep. By sleeping on your back, you'll notice that your throat and nasal passages may become obstructed. If you can get to sleep lying on your side (and stay that way through the night), you may well experience a much less trouble night. Sleep on your side as much as possible. A lot of people who suffer from sleep apnea are back sleepers. Your airway can get blocked if you sleep on your back. 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.

Sleeping Pills

In an effort to better diagnose your apnea problem, your physician might want you to maintain a sleep log. You will write down how many hours you sleep throughout the night, and any other symptoms you experience. Your partner can help with that, as they know whether you are a loud snorer or jerk about. Your doctor can use this information to determine if you actually suffer from sleep apnea. If you are having trouble getting to sleep, do not turn to sleeping pills for assistance when you have sleep apnea. Sleeping pills can make your throat muscles relax in an undesirable way. Sleeping pills also worsen many other effects dangerous to sleep apnea sufferers. Consult with your physician on sleep remedies that won't hinder your breathing. One method you can try to improve your condition is to strengthen your throat muscles. The reduced airflow characteristic of sleep apnea is due to soft tissue in the throat relaxing. The stronger your muscles are the less chance they will block your airways. If you can, sleep on one of your sides. Sleep apnea sufferers tend to sleep on their back. If you sleep flat on your back you are only exasperating your breathing problem by allowing your throat muscles to relax and move down. Making an effort to stay off your back will help to give you a better night of sleep. To prevent rolling over onto your back while you sleep, build a wall of pillows behind yourself. Avoid excessive drinking if you are a sleep apnea sufferer. When you drink you relax your throat muscles which actually provokes them to collapse. So stop drinking because this will only be a detriment to your sleep. You will make sure that your sleep is not affected by the alcohol. If you aren't sleeping with a partner each night who can let you know of any irregularities in your sleeping patterns, it can be hard to know if you have this condition. To gather evidence a physician can evaluate, record yourself sleeping through the night. The video should also contain audio in order to hear the noises that occur while you're sleeping. 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. This will make sleeping with CPAP much more comfortable and less frustrating. Many CPAP manufacturers are providing machines with integrated humidifiers, so check with your doctor to see if that is a good option for you.

Sleep Apnea

Don't feel any shame about necessary treatments for sleep apnea, including lugging around your CPAP device. Make it clear that it is necessary and don't allow those in your life to make you feel embarrassed when using it. You have to use your CPAP machine or else you might not get a solid night's rest, so everyone you know should understand. Keeping a sleep log can help your doctor diagnose you with sleep apnea. Keep track of how long you are able to sleep at night, as well as anything else related to your sleeping process. Your partner can help with that, as they know whether you are a loud snorer or jerk about. This will allow your doctor to see if you're suffering from sleep apnea. Whatever you do, don't sleep on your back. Try sewing a large, lumpy object like a ball onto your PJ's to prevent you from rolling on your back while sleeping. You can sew a pocket onto the back of your pajama shirt to put the ball or socks in. Consider trying devices that reduce snoring. Snoring occurs when air passages are almost closed, while sleep apnea occurs when air passages are completely closed. A device that can eliminate snoring can also relieve sleep apnea. Talk to your doctor to find out if one of these devices will truly help you or if you need some other type of treatment instead. Snoring and sleep apnea can be soothed by playing a musical instrument. They can be enjoyable and calming, and it has also been been shown that constantly using them strengthens throat muscles and helps people to breathe more easily when sleeping. Any instrument that strengthens your airway muscles can improve your breathing at night. By now, it should be apparent that sleep apnea can be handled. Use what you've just learned to enhance your quality of sleep. Once you have a handle on your sleep apnea, you will fell rested and have more energy. Your life will improve more than you can imagine. Try sleeping on your side instead of your back. Sleeping on your back does not allow enough air to get into your airways, making sleep apnea flare up. The best thing you can do is sleep on the side.