The Best Ways To Cope With Your Sleep Apnea

The Best Ways To Cope With Your Sleep Apnea

Do not freak out if you get a diagnosis of sleep apnea. The disorder is serious, but it is also very manageable and treatable. It is, however, important that you learn as much as you can about the best sleep apnea treatments, which is the focus of this article. A CPAP machine may turn out to be vital in combating your sleep apnea, and you should get your doctor's advice about what model is right for you. Size and noise are both things to factor into your decision. Some machines can be quite small and be very quiet. Your doctor can help you pick a manufacturer for a good quality machine. Quit drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Both of these bad habits can cause the airway muscles to relax, which makes you snore and adds to the symptoms of sleep apnea. Unlike those medical interventions or pricey surgeries, eliminating these habits can save you money. Talk to your doctor about getting a fitted sleep mouth guard. Sleep apnea can be caused by a genetically small jaw, recessed chin or a breathing passage that is too small. You can get a mouthpiece to help you when you are sleeping to get better night's sleep. Attempt sleeping on the side. Don't sleep on your back. When you lay on your back during sleep, the tongue and soft palate shift to the back, which obstructs your airway. Instead, you should sleep on your side and that can help your breathe much better. You may want to prop yourself up with pillows so you stay on your side. If you want relief from sleep apnea symptoms, one way to get it is to start playing a woodwind instrument. German researchers suggest playing the didgeridoo regularly trains your upper airway muscles. The upper air passage muscles control the size of your airway. Because weaknesses in these muscles can cause apnea, playing regularly may actually help you sleep better at night. A diagnosis of sleep apnea usually involves your personal and family medical histories, as well as a comprehensive physical examination. Also, there may be a sleep study performed and even a sleep specialist recommended if the doctor treating you feels that your condition is severe enough to get it looked at further. If you have a prescription for sleep apnea and you are prescribed a CPAP, you should at least use it four hours every night. Many people find it very difficult to feel comfortable using a CPAP to go to sleep. Four hours of use every night is the minimum necessary time you need to realize the benefits of CPAP therapy. Try two hours at first if you must. The next week you should increase that amount to 4 hours. In the end, you should never use it less than 4 hours per night on a permanent basis. If you sleep alone, figuring out if you suffer from sleep apnea may be difficult. Using a simple camcorder while you sleep can give you the information you need. The video should be equipped with sound so that doctors can also hear any noises that occur during your sleep. Sleep on your side as much as possible. Many people with sleep apnea are used to sleeping on their backs. When you sleep on your back, tissue can block your throat and airways. It's easier to breathe when looking to the side. If you have a hard time sleeping on your back all night, you can try to prop pillows around yourself to prevent you from sleeping on your back. If you have a CPAP machine, carry your medical ID. If you are in need of medical attention, it is important that the people helping you realize you have sleep apnea and use CPAP therapy. The identification should say that you suffer from apnea and that you need a CPAP set at a particular pressure level. If your mouth opens a lot during the night when you use your CPAP machine, consider adding a chin strap. The chin strap holds your chin so that you cannot sleep with your mouth open; it is a tiny piece of fabric. If you keep your mouth open your CPAP will not work. Do you travel frequently? If so, then do not forget to bring along your CPAP. When you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you should not go even one night without using your CPAP. You should have a travel bag that is padded that came with the machine. This bag will help you safely travel with your CPAP machine when you are on vacation. Only sleep with a single pillow of standard size. Your sleeping position can be affected negatively by multiple pillows or an over-sized one. This may result in breathing difficulties, because you end up in odd positions. Try out different pillows until you find just one pillow that allows you to lay your head flatter against the bed each night so you can breathe more freely.

Sleep Apnea

Stop snoring devices are often helpful in treating sleep apnea. Snoring occurs if breathing passages become partially closed, and sleep apnea when they are closed entirely. A device that can eliminate snoring can also relieve sleep apnea. These devices might be just what you need for a better night's rest. Stop smoking cigarettes if you have sleep apnea. Smoking can cause swelling in the airways, exacerbating sleep apnea. You can use nicotine patches or replacement therapy to quit. For most individuals, the first month is the worst. Following this, the nicotine dissipates and cravings are reduced. Lower your risk for sleep apnea. Some sleep apnea risk factors (like genetic predisposition or being a man) are impossible to escape. So make sure you try to avoid doing things like this so you don't get sleep apnea. Playing a wind instrument is helpful. In addition to enjoying the music, you will be strengthening the muscles you need to breathe properly. Working these muscles make them stronger, and help you control them, especially when you sleep; this will reduce your sleep apnea. Some great tongue exercises can reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea. Try holding your tongue up toward the roof of your mouth for at least three minutes. That will make your tongue and throat stronger and cut down the likelihood of those muscles relaxing and blocking the airway while you're asleep.

Cpap Machine

One way to prevent yourself from getting sleep apnea is to exercise your throat muscles and make them stronger. Relaxed or excessive tissue can obstruct air passages and make breathing difficult. When your muscles strengthen, their chances of collapse and airway blockage go down. If you find that your CPAP machine is too drying, your physician can prescribe a humidifier for your mask. Using a CPAP can initially be hard to get used to, but the moist, comfortable air from a humidifier will make the therapy more soothing. Try and get a CPAP machine that has a humidifier built into it; your doctor should be able to point you in the right direction. Your sleep apnea can worsen from back sleeping, so try to sleep on your side. You can use something like pillows or blankets so that you will not want to sleep on your back. This forces you to lay on your side since it makes it tough to lay on your back. If you have sleep apnea, or if you just snore a lot, playing an instrument may be beneficial. Not only will it be soothing for you, but in a trial study in Germany, it showed that a wind instrument can relax the symptoms of sleep apnea. Learning this skill will assist you in controlling your breathing patterns. If you have a sleep apnea diagnosis, it is important to keep in contact with your doctor. A doctor will be able to give you all the latest information on treatments and how you can best remedy this situation. When you try something new, meet with your doctor after a few weeks to talk about how well the treatment is working. Sleep apnea that is left unchecked can ruin your wellness. Luckily, there are many methods of treatment for sleep apnea. The suggestions you've just read through make excellent starting points for a sleep apnea treatment regimen. Talk it over with your physician and get started today! Drink alcohol as infrequently as possible if you suffer from sleep apnea. Your throat muscles over-relax when you drink which makes breathing harder. You don't need to abstain from alcohol entirely. You only need to refrain from drinking during the few hours before bedtime.