Sleep Apnea Can Be Dangerous. Follow These Tips To Sleep Well.

Sleep Apnea Can Be Dangerous. Follow These Tips To Sleep Well.

Although many people are having trouble getting all of the rest they need on a day-to-day basis, few of them realize that the culprit may actually be a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea may be the cause of this, as it can obstruct the airways each night. If you think that sleep apnea affects you, then continue on into this article for more knowledge. Losing some harmful vices to fight off sleep apnea. If you drink and smoke, you need to quit now. Drinking causes respiratory depression, which makes it more difficult to breathe. Over time, your lungs will be damaged as the result of smoking. When you stop doing these things, your sleep apnea symptoms should be reduced. Do you smoke or drink? Address your bad habits if you have sleep apnea problems. These types of substances restrict your airways. Smoking can actually swell your airways while alcohol can overly relax them; each causes sleep apnea. If you do not want to quit, just do not do it before laying down to sleep. 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. Factors such as the machine's noise level and its size are important to consider. Some machines are very quiet and no bigger than a simple bread box. Your doctor will likely have a preferred brand or type of CPAP to recommend to you. If you want to find relief from sleep apnea, pick up a wind instrument. Researchers in Germany have found playing a didgeridoo can make your throat muscles stronger. This muscle group controls how your airway dilates and how your airway walls stiffen. Because weaknesses in these muscles can cause apnea, playing regularly may actually help you sleep better at night. Quit smoking and drinking. Both habits cause the muscles of the airway to relax, which increases both snoring and 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! If you've got a prescription for a CPAP for your sleep apnea, try using it for around four hours each night. Some find that it can be uncomfortable to use at first, but the point is to use it and ward off trouble. However, in order to be effective, the CPAP has to be used for four hour every night. If you're struggling to adjust, ensure you're using the CPAP for four hours every single time you go to sleep. You can both shed unwanted pounds and reduce the effects of sleep apnea with a nutritious and healthy diet. Some people are surprised to learn how much a bad diet effects sleep apnea. Studies show that people who eat low quality foods suffer from apnea worse than overweight people that eat healthy foods. Try not to drink alcohol as much. Your muscles will over-relax when you use alcohol, especially before bed. You might like the feeling, but it can contribute to or cause sleep apnea. Your throat muscles are relaxed by alcohol, making it harder to breathe at night. If you're not going to give up alcohol, then just don't do it right before bedtime. Avoid sleeping pills when you find out you realize you are diagnosed with sleep apnea. These pills can cause your throat muscles to relax and keep your airways from properly functioning. The medication can be very dangerous, even fatal, if you suffer from sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea

You need to make sure you have a medical ID on you if you use a CPAP and have sleep apnea. This will let emergency personnel and others know you use a CPAP for sleep apnea. Your ID should tell people about your sleep apnea, your use of a CPAP, and the proper pressure level for it. Your kids may have sleep apnea. If you child seems to be distracted in class, cannot focus, and is breathing through his mouth, then he may have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea symptoms can mimic those of ADHD, but only a doctor can give the proper diagnosis. If you're admitted to the hospital, take your sleep apnea machine with you. You need to take your CPAP machine with you whenever you go to the ER or any routine hospitalization, such as for surgery. This is preset to your breathing pressure. In addition, you'll be using the same mask you've been accustomed to using each night. Having your equipment close by will make it easy to continue your treatment and improve your prognosis. If you sleep alone, you might have a hard time determining if you suffer from sleep apnea. You can always set up a camcorder to make a video of a typical night's sleep. The video should also have audio to listen for any noises. Do not lie on your back when you sleep if you have sleep apnea. Most apnea sufferers are chronic back sleepers and this position leads to a collapse of the soft tissue in the throat and blocks the air passage. Try your best to avoid sleeping on your back, and use pillows or something else to keep you on your side. If you are using a CPAP, always have a medical ID on you. If you need attention from paramedics or have to go to a hospital, your caregivers need to know that you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and require a CPAP. With your ID you can inform medical personnel about your sleep apnea and your CPAP device. You can get some relief from your sleep apnea symptoms by doing tongue exercises. One exercise includes pressing your tongue on the roof of the mouth and keeping it for several minutes. You will have less chance of your throat muscles relaxing and blocking your airway if you strengthen the muscles of your tongue and throat.

Cpap Machine

Back sleeping can aggravate the the symptoms of sleep apnea, so always sleep to one side of your body. If you want to prevent rolling to your back while unconscious, prop yourself up by sewing something lumpy into your pajamas. Even if you are sound asleep, you will not like the sensation of the ball in your back, and you will automatically move back to your side again. Alway travel with your CPAP machine if you suffer from the symptoms of sleep apnea. It is important that you always have the machine, even if you feel it is an inconvenience. Most CPAP machines come with a travel bag designed for just this purpose. You can transport your CPAP machine with you away from home. Let the airline company know far in advance when you plan on traveling and you have to take your CPAP machine with you. Most carriers will make sure they seat you with plenty of room to accommodate your machine. Remind them that you will need to plug your machine in, or you can use a machine that uses batteries as a backup measure. Eliminate all the risk factors you can. Some risks are inherent, such as family history or being male. However, many other risk factors can be cut out, like being overweight, a smoker or a heavy drinker. Some people become anxious due to their sleep apnea and make the mistake of taking sedatives before bed, which can be dangerous for apnea sufferers. Take a warm bath instead. A hot bath can help sooth your muscles to help you sleep better. This makes it easier to get to sleep and stay asleep. It also reduces the number of sleep apnea episodes that occur. Of course, for a solid diagnosis of sleep apnea, you must see a doctor. Nonetheless, healthy, self-help techniques may help and won't hurt. If you lose weight and stop smoking, these are good decisions, especially if sleep apnea is a problem for you. Other vices to avoid are caffeine, alcohol and large meals right before bedtime. Your family doctor can help you find the appropriate treatment to deal with your apnea. By not visiting your doctor and searching for a treatment, your sleep apnea symptoms are just going to get worse. When you wait and go without treatment, you cause harm to your overall health. It will not go away on its own, so seek help from a doctor.

Sleep Apnea

Don't sleep face-up if you suffer from sleep apnea. Sleeping on the back leaves you more prone to having your airways become blocked. Sufferers of sleep apnea should as such, try to sleep on their side. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is imperative that you stop smoking. Smoking causes the upper air passages to swell up, which causes sleep apnea to be more debilitating. There are many effective ways to stop smoking. The majority of smokers say that the first month is the hardest. The nicotine will be out of your system at this point. Exercise your throat muscles to help your sleep apnea. If you want to learn exercises that can make your throat stronger, do a little research; there are plenty available. You can actually reduce your sleep apnea symptoms by practicing a few simple tongue exercises. For three minutes, press your tongue up to the roof of your mouth. This will make your throat stronger and prevent the muscles from relaxing too much during sleep and causing apnea. Be in constant contact with your physician with regards to a recently diagnosed case of sleep apnea. He can chart your progress and keep you abreast of the latest developments in sleep therapy. If you try something new, follow-up with your doctor in about a month so you can tell him how the treatment is working. If you use a CPAP device for your sleep apnea, you should look into getting a heated humidifier also. Warm, moist air will make you more comfortable at night and allow you to sleep well. There are many different CPAP machines that are equipped with built-in humidifiers, so check with your doctor to see if one can be prescribed. Sleep apnea can be worsened if you are tired for long periods of time. Set up a sleep schedule to address this issue. Set a specific bedtime, and specific wake time, and try to adhere to them both. This will stop sleep apnea from turning into something worse such as insomnia. If you're certain you have sleep apnea, you must find ways to deal with it. It is important to get enough sleep on a regular basis. Getting a better night's sleep can improve the quality of your life. There are cases where sleep apnea must be treated with surgery. This is usually when excess tissues in the throat block the airway at night. A surgeon then goes in and removes some of the tissue, which helps clear the airway, making breathing easier at night. Keep in mind that this procedure often involves a tonsillectomy as well.