Get A Good Night's Rest With These Sleep Apnea Tips

Get A Good Night's Rest With These Sleep Apnea Tips

Don't panic if you've been told you suffer from sleep apnea. If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause many serious health problems. If treated, though, you can live a relatively normal life with just few inconveniences. Learn what you can about sleep apnea and what works for you. That is what this article is all about. Try these tips out and consult with your doctor. You can really cut back on your sleep apnea by giving up alcohol and smoking. Both of these bad habits make the airways relax too much, making sleep apnea worse. If you avoid these things, it may help your sleep apnea. Do you drink and smoke? Stop these bad habits. Alcohol and tobacco both cause airway problems. When you smoke you can harm your lungs, and it can be hard for you to breathe at night. Alcohol has a similarly negative effect. If you do not want to quit, just do not do it before laying down to sleep. Get fitted for a specialty made mouth guard. For those who have sleep apnea, this guard is a wonderful thing to have. A mouth guard is more comfortable than wearing a CPAP and is better to sleep with. It keeps your air passageways wide open and clear by stabilizing your throat and holding it in the proper position.

Sleep Apnea

Eating well can help you become thinner, which can often reduce sleep apnea symptoms. Most people would find it surprising to know that your diet can be a factor in managing sleep apnea. Studies show that people who eat low quality foods suffer from apnea worse than overweight people that eat healthy foods. Playing wind instruments can actually help you control sleep apnea. There have been studies that show playing the didgeridoo, a wind instrument, helps relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea. These are the muscles that control airway dilatation and airway wall rigidity. Due to this, regular play can translate into good sleep at night. Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed by a doctor after he looks at your family history, medical history, and you have a comprehensive physical exam. Your PCP may ask for a sleep study to be done by a sleep specialist. It is not uncommon for children to be sleep apnea sufferers. If you child exhibits certain symptoms, he or she might have sleep apnea. Oftentimes these symptoms cab be associated with ADHD, but first you should consult with your doctor to see if the problem is sleep apnea. If you sleep alone, it may be hard for you to get a good idea of the exact nature of your sleep apnea symptoms. To gather evidence a physician can evaluate, record yourself sleeping through the night. Make sure the video has sound as well, so that your doctor can hear your breathing. Attempt side sleeping. Many sufferers of sleep apnea sleep on their backs. When you sleep, your throat muscles relax, and back sleeping causes gravity to pull the relaxed muscles downward, restricting airflow. 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. If you suffer from sleep apnea and have a problem with your mouth opening while sleeping with your CPAP, a chin strap may be able to help. This little piece of fabric can work wonders to hold your chin that your breathing is not interrupted. The CPAP only works if the mouth is closed, so try using the strap. Try and get someone you know to tell you how you sleep through the night. Setting up a camera to record your sleeping habits might be the answer. The video should also contain audio in order to hear the noises that occur while you're sleeping. Treat your allergies or other sinus problems when dealing with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea makes breathing during sleep hard. One issue is enough when battling for air when you are asleep. Maintaining free nasal passages will ensure greater odds of sleeping getting a great night's sleep.

Regular Schedule

Sleep with just a single, average-sized pillow each night. Your sleeping position can be affected negatively by multiple pillows or an over-sized one. This means that your position is actually making it harder for you to breathe. With this in mind, use only a single pillow to minimize sleep apnea symptoms. Try to sleep on a regular schedule if you have sleep apnea. Your condition is already messing with your regular sleep cycle every night. A natural pattern of sleep will help you gain your health back and also avoid daytime sleepiness. Go to sleep and wake up each day on a regular schedule and this schedule should be used on the weekends, too. Although you should speak with your doctor about sleep apnea, you can try certain things yourself. If you lose weight and stop smoking, these are good decisions, especially if sleep apnea is a problem for you. Overeating, consuming an excessive amount of alcohol and too much caffeine before bed can all exacerbate sleep apnea. You can wear a chin strap with your CPAP if you have problems with your mouth falling open as you sleep. It is only a small fabric strap that keeps your chin in place so you can sleep with a closed mouth. Your mouth must remain closed in order to get the best results from your CPAP therapy. A great method of reducing your sleep apnea symptoms is strengthening your throat muscles. Sleep apnea occurs when the tissues in your throat collapse into the airways, which ends up obstructing your breathing. When your muscles get stronger, chances becomes less that they will collapse and cause a blockage in the airways. 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. The settings will be prepared and you won't have to adjust the pressure. Your whole hospitalization process will go much smoother because of this. If you're using a CPAP machine, see if you doctor can also prescribe a humidifier with heat. Moist, warm air will help you get a better night's sleep and make it easier to keep up with the CPAP therapy. A lot of CPAP machines come with built-in humidifiers, so ask your doctor to prescribe that type for you.

Sleep Apnea

Be aware that sleep apnea is not something you will always know is occurring at night. However, if you're suffering from drowsiness and exhaustion during the day, it is definitely time to see a doctor. They may indeed point to sleep apnea, even if you aren't aware that you are waking up gasping for air during the night. Sleep apnea symptoms can be worse if you also have allergies or other sinus related issues. Sleep apnea is already robbing you of your ability to breathe well during your sleep. You don't need anything else to interfere with your sleep. Eliminating your nasal problems maintains a clear airway, which will increase the chances that you will sleep better. There are throat exercises for sleep apnea sufferers that have been found quite effective. These exercises strengthen the muscles surrounding the airway, which makes them less prone to collapsing. One good exercise involves pressing your tongue against the bony palate of the mouth and holding it for three minutes before releasing. This should be done at least once per day. Patients who suffer from sleep apnea might want to consider losing weight as a means to relieve the symptoms. For people who are overweight, sleep apnea is much more prevalent especially people with a larger neck circumference. Losing weight can significantly reduce the pressure on your airway and improve the flow of air as you breathe at night. There are some sleep apnea cases that you can cure with oral devices. This is due to the fact that the jaw on some people is configured in such a way that the air passages are narrowed. More air can enter the airway if a corrective device is used to reposition the jaw. Sleep apnea will not go away by itself; you need to treat it. Depending on the person, some treatment options will work well, while others will not. One good way to lessen sleep apnea episodes is by losing weight, but there are thin people who suffer from sleep apnea as well. Non-invasive options like the CPAP machine are highly successful for millions of sufferers. Some actually choose to have surgery done, where airway restrictions are physically removed. Whichever route you choose, getting proper treatment can improve your sleep and your life. Exhaustion can worsen the symptoms of sleep apnea. This problem may be reduced when you sleep on a schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day without fail. This helps to stop sleep apnea from getting much worse, where it could possibly lead to complete insomnia. If left unchecked, sleep apnea can wreak havoc on your health. As you can now see, there are things you can do to treat it. Use this information and talk to your doctor about it. Using these tips can help you stay healthy. Try exercising your throat and jaw. Weaknesses in these particular muscle groups can make your sleep apnea much worse, so it's a good idea to learn some targeted exercises to treat them. In fact, you could solve the problem entirely.