Sleep Apnea: The Deadly Condition You May Never Have Heard Of

Sleep Apnea: The Deadly Condition You May Never Have Heard Of

Do you wonder why you are sleeping horribly, even when you lay in bed for a full 8 hours? If you haven't put your finger on your problem yet, you might have sleep apnea. There's no need to panic. It can be managed. Read through this article to learn where to get started. If you have sleep apnea because of naturally narrow airways, get a sleep mouth guard. These devices are designed to correct your airways and allow you to breathe properly during the night. Talk to your doctor about whether or not a mouth guard can solve your sleep apnea problem. Try getting rid of bad habits to better your sleep apnea. If you drink and smoke, it can make your sleep apnea worse. Drinking relaxes your airway to prevent proper breathing. Smoking damages your lungs over time. These are both habits which can make sleep apnea worse. Try getting fitted for a custom-made mouth guard. Mouth guards help keep your jaw in a proper position. It provides a more comfortable option to using a CPAP machine. The mouth guard keeps your jaw in the proper position and keeps your airway more open. Do you sometimes drink or smoke? Lose all your bad habits. Both have a negative influence on your air passages. 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 it is not possible for you to quit cold turkey, then try not to smoke or drink immediately before bedtime. Eating healthily can help you shed weight and relieve sleep apnea. You'd be surprised at how much a healthy diet can help you with sleep apnea. Studies show that people who eat low quality foods suffer from apnea worse than overweight people that eat healthy foods. If you have sleep apnea and drink or smoke, try quitting to improve your symptoms. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the back of the throat, which will cause an interference with breathing. Cutting out these habits actually saves you money, unlike other costly alternatives like surgery. It can be a very serious issue when you have sleep apnea. If you find you have some of the symptoms, talk to a physician as soon as you can. After diagnosis, you may be referred to a sleep specialist who may order a home study using a portable monitor. In this way, the specialist can assess your condition accurately.

Mouth Guard

Try to sleep on your side instead of your back to breathe easier when you sleep. When people sleep on their back, their tongue and soft palate rest to the back of the throat, which blocks the 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 getting fitted for a custom-made mouth guard. The design is made to relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea sufferers. These mouth guards are more comfortable than a CPAP. Invest into a mouth guard instead of having a loud machine keep others up at night. Do not take sleeping pills if you have sleep apnea. These pills can cause your throat muscles to relax and keep your airways from properly functioning. These pills can lead to a very dangerous situation if your case is bad, especially when tempted to try and get a good night's sleep. Try something other than sleeping pills. Just like alcohol, taking sleeping pills will make your throat muscles relax. They can also cause a significant number of additional complications for sleep apnea patients. Ask your doctor about sleeping aids that won't have a negative impact on your breathing. Keep a diary of your sleep habits to show your doctor at your appointment for sleep apnea. You simply log the amount of hours you're sleeping each night, and mentioning other symptoms too. Ask your partner to note anything unusual noticed during the night while you were sleeping. This type of data can help your doctor diagnose the issue. Lie on your side when you sleep. Many folks afflicted with sleep apnea rest on their backs. When you lay on your back during sleep, the tongue and soft palate shift to the back, which obstructs your airway. Making an effort to stay off your back will help to give you a better night of sleep. If you tend to roll onto your back in your sleep, try propping yourself on one side with pillows. If you wear a CPAP for your sleep apnea symptoms, but are still bothered by your mouth opening when you try to sleep, get a chin strap. This minor fabric piece and make sure that your chin stays up and your mouth closed. If your mouth falls open when you sleep, your CPAP therapy won't be effective. Use this device to try and solve the problem.

Sleep Apnea

If you suffer from sleep apnea and you use a CPAP, carry your medical ID. You need to have a way of letting medical personnel know about your condition if you are unconscious. The ID should mention that you have sleep apnea, you use a CPAP, and your CPAP should be set to a particular pressure level. Do you feel more confident about managing your sleep apnea at this point? You should feel optimistic about your future after reading this article. Keep in mind that this process is like most, and immediate results may not happen overnight. Work at it a bit every day and you'll slowly start to see changes with your sleep apnea. If you suffer from sleep apnea and must go to the hospital, make sure your CPAP is with you. Whether you have a planned hospitalization or you need to go to the emergency room, you should have your CPAP and mask available for use while you are there. While they may have a machine for you to use, your machine is already preset for your specific settings and has the mask you are already accustomed to wearing. All of this will mean much better sleep for you with your CPAP, if you need hospitalization for any length of time.