Understand The Best Way To Beat Sleep Apnea

Understand The Best Way To Beat Sleep Apnea

You have to have sleep to be healthy and feel good, but sleep apnea can make this nearly impossible. Use this article to determine how to get rid of sleep apnea and how to live a comfortable life filled with peaceful dreams. Do you smoke and drink? If the answer is yes and you have sleep apnea, you need to stop both habits. These items can harm your airways. Smoking can actually swell your airways while alcohol can overly relax them; each causes sleep apnea. If you are having trouble quitting either of these habits, at least try to abstain in the few hours before bedtime.

Sleep Apnea

Don't drink a lot of alcohol. Alcohol relaxes your muscles in a way that harms your breathing. This might be something you want to do but it can also exacerbate your sleep apnea. Your throat muscles become relaxed and cause your airways to become blocked. If you have to have a drink, do it well before bedtime. Quit drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Both of these cause muscles in your airway to relax, which can increase snoring and worsen sleep apnea. Some people resort to invasive surgeries to correct their sleep apnea without realizing that discontinuing these bad habits could have been a more simple and much cheaper route! Sleeping on one of your sides when you have sleep apnea can help you sleep better. By sleeping on your back, you'll notice that your throat and nasal passages may become obstructed. Be sure you try sleeping on your side to get rid of a few of your problems caused by sleep apnea at night. Speak with your physician about getting a mouth piece that can help you breathe better. You might just have a small air way, if you have a recessed chin or a smaller jaw this can cause sleep apnea. Specialty devices can alter your position during sleep and more properly align jaw elements, giving you a much higher quality rest. If you suffer from sleep apnea, avoid sleeping pills. They can cause muscles in your throat more than usual due to the relaxation it causes. These pills can become very dangerous if you have a bad case of sleep apnea; even though you might be tempted to use them to stay asleep, this is definitely not a good solution. Many people find that using a mouth guard while sleeping helps their sleep apnea. For those who have sleep apnea, this guard is a wonderful thing to have. These mouth guards are more comfortable than a CPAP. You will find that this mouth guard stabilizes the soft tissues and allows the airways to be more open. Many doctors ask patients to keep sleep logs to help diagnose sleep apnea. You will write down how many hours you sleep throughout the night, and any other symptoms you experience. Ask your partner for more specific information on how loud your snoring is, the quality of your breathing and even how restful you were. This type of data can help your doctor diagnose the issue. Avoid alcohol before bed as much as possible. The natural effects of alcohol lead to over-relaxation of your muscles. While this might often be a desirable side effect of drinking, it can also cause sleep apnea. Because alcohol relaxes your throat muscles, your airway is harder to control. If you have to have a drink, do it well before bedtime. Use a chin strap if your mouth falls open as you sleep. This device keeps your jaw up as you sleep. CPAP devices don't work well when your mouth is wide open, so this device can help. Sleep apnea is a significant disorder. If you suspect that you or a loved one has it, it's important to make an appointment with a physician to talk to them about it soon. Once you know whether or not you have it for sure, you can figure out how to deal with it. If your sleep apnea doesn't improve after anything you've tried, you may need to discuss more drastic options with your doctor. Some people have poor luck with typical sleep apnea treatments, and resort to a surgical treatment that entails the removal of the adenoids and tonsils, or the enlargement of the airway. When you have sleep apnea you can find out about it from tests your doctor will run. Sleep studies may be suggested and your doctor might refer you over to a type of sleep specialist that can diagnose and treat your symptoms. Consulting your GP is a necessary step in getting a diagnosis of sleep apnea, but self-help options are available. Dropping weight or dropping cigarettes are good ideas; more so for victims of sleep apnea. Stay away from large meals, caffeine, and alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Assessing your sleep apnea potential might be hard if you there is not a partner in bed at night to give you feedback. You might consider video recording yourself asleep. Remember that recording audio is equally important; medical professionals can tell a great deal from the sounds you make while you sleep. If you find that your CPAP machine is too drying, your physician can prescribe a humidifier for your mask. It is much easier to get better sleep and to sleep with your CPAP machine if there is warm and humid air to breathe. A lot of the CPAP machines now have a humidifier built in, so find out if you can be prescribed one of those. Stick to a schedule when it comes to your sleep. Your sleep apnea is already affecting your sleep. Anything you can do to restore a natural sleep pattern will assist you in regaining your health and avoiding daytime sleepiness. The adjustment that is most important is your sleep schedule. Inform your airline that you will have a CPAP machine if you intend on taking a long flight. They will usually accommodate you by giving you a seat where you can easily get to your machine. Don't forget your power adapter!

Sleep Apnea

If sleep apnea is something that you are afflicted with, you might want to try the throat exercises known to improve the condition. This is because when you exercise your throat it become stronger, allowing them to let air through them easier. A good way to do this is to put your tongue up against your mouth's roof, hold it there for three minutes, then release. Do this once a day. If you suffer from sleep apnea and you use a CPAP, carry your medical ID. This will let emergency personnel and others know you use a CPAP for sleep apnea. The ID needs to include all of the medical information pertaining to your CPAP use. People who suffer from sleep apnea should avoid sleeping on their backs. Sleeping on your back may cause the airways to become restricted or collapse while you sleep, which makes sleep apnea worse. Your best option if you have sleep apnea is to sleep on your side; gravity then won't work so much against you. Reduce sleep apnea by shedding excess weight. A number of patients have found that shedding excess pounds is enough to resolve sleep apnea all by itself. Even losing a little weight can improve sleep apnea by opening the throat and airway, because there is less pressure on the neck. Many people that have sleep apnea sleep on their backs. If this is your situation, you should think about different sleeping postures. It has been proven that side sleeping helps alleviate sleep apnea so you can get some rest. If you find that your CPAP machine is too drying, your physician can prescribe a humidifier for your mask. Warm, moist air will help keep you asleep comfortably. Humidifiers are built into a lot of CPAP machines. Ask your doctor about prescribing you one. Take up a wind instrument. Practicing any wind instrument will greatly help your sleep apnea. Playing these instruments helps you learn air control and exercises your airway muscles, increasing their strength. It won't happen immediately, but over time, learning to play one of these things will benefit your muscles and your sleep apnea. Not getting enough sleep has serious consequences in many aspects of life, and could even kill you if you aren't careful. Get a handle on your sleep apnea so you can get better sleep. Life is already hard and not getting enough sleep can mean more problems. Proper fitting will insure a comfortable fit. Plastic oral appliances have been proven to clear the airways and relieve snoring, which in some cases are the underlying causes of sleep apnea. Your jaw alignment is sometimes a contributing factor to sleep apnea.