Don't Let Sleep Apnea Control Your Life

Don't Let Sleep Apnea Control Your Life

Many people believe that long-term sleepiness is just something that we deal with in life and nothing more can take care of it. This is not true, and you do not have to settle for poor sleep quality. Sleep apnea is more common than you think and it can be a dangerous condition. Ask your doctor about a corrective mouth piece for your sleep apnea symptoms. You could have an overbite, small jaw, or narrow breathing passage that worsens your sleep apnea symptoms. With a specialty device, you can change your sleeping position and align your jaw so that you are able to sleep. Quit drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Both of these habits have a negative effect on the muscles in your airway. Unlike having expensive surgery or other medical procedures, eliminating these harmful habits actually saves money for you. Try using a mouth guard to help you sleep. Guards like these are specifically made for assisting sleep apnea patients. A mouth guard will help keep your airway open and may eliminate the need for a CPAP machine. It will provide stability and help your airway to remain open. If you have sleep apnea and you're overweight, try shedding those pounds. Studies have found a correlation between sleep apnea and obesity. If you are obese, even shedding 25 pounds can provide a drastic improvement in your symptoms. Take back a good night of rest by side sleeping. Sleeping on your back can obstruct your airways and cause apnea. Try sleeping on your side at night and determine if that helps you breathe a bit easier. If your doctor has prescribed a CPAP machine for you, make sure you use it every night, for at least 4 hours. Sometimes it is hard for people to get used to the CPAP. In order for your CPAP therapy to be effective, you need to use it at least four hours a day. If you still have trouble adjusting, get at least four hours and try to add more time each night. Give sleeping on your sides a try. Sleeping on your back is attributed to a lot of people who suffer with sleep apnea. Sleeping one one's back can cause constriction of the throat muscles. It's easier to breathe when looking to the side. If you tend to roll onto your back in your sleep, try propping yourself on one side with pillows.

Sleep Apnea

Be sure to use just one, normal-sized pillow when you sleep. When you use multiple pillows or an over-sized pillow, it can interfere with your position as you breathe. This actually causes you to have more breathing difficulty based on your position. So pick out a single pillow you feel comfortable with to sleep on at night. Sleep on your side, as it can help lessen your sleep apnea symptoms. Sleeping on the back can cause air passages to constrict. Try to fall asleep on one of your sides to see if that improves your sleep apnea this evening. Think about using nasal spray if your nasal passages are stopped up. It may offer a couple nights of relief. Nasal sprays with medications should not be used for many days in a row, however, because they can damage the nose. Visit your local pharmacist to learn which nasal sprays you can pick from. Sleep in a prone position. If you sleep on your back, this can make your sleep apnea worse. When you sleep, your throat muscles relax, and back sleeping causes gravity to pull the relaxed muscles downward, restricting airflow. Instead, you should sleep on your side and that can help your breathe much better. If your sleep tends to see you rolling onto your back, support yourself with pillows on one side or the other. Try an anti-snoring device. Both snoring and sleep apnea are caused by narrowed airways. Therefore, it is only sensible that a stop snoring device might also help with sleep apnea. Talk to your doctor to find out if one of these devices will truly help you or if you need some other type of treatment instead. People who have sleep apnea should establish a sleeping schedule. Your sleep apnea is already affecting your sleep. Try your best to get a regular sleep pattern after you find out you have sleep apnea, this will help your overall health improve. The most important adjustment to make is to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Stop putting yourself at risk for sleep apnea. Some things you can't help, of course. Yet some risk factors are controllable, for example heaving drinking, smoking, and being obese. When you travel, be sure to bring your CPAP on the trip. Once you have your CPAP machine, do not skip using it at any time. A convenience travel pouch is usually included with purchase. You can transport your CPAP machine with you away from home. Consulting a doctor is important, but there are several options you can try at home. It's always a good idea to stop drinking and smoking and lose weight. It is doubly so if you have sleep apnea. Curtail alcohol, heavy foods and caffeine before bedtime also. If you have tried everything to no avail, be sure to see your doctor about professional treatment. There are people that don't respond well to traditional sleep apnea treatments, and sometimes they have to have surgery. This surgery may involve removing the adenoids, enlarging the airway or removing the tonsils. It is fine to get a CPAP machine, it's natural for sleep apnea sufferers. You need not be self-conscious about your need to use a CPAP machine; be upfront about its medical necessity with friends, relatives, and room-mates. Undergoing CPAP therapy is an important step in preserving your overall health; don't let inappropriate social pressure prevent you from getting the treatment you need. You need only one regular pillow to sleep with at night. Having too many pillows, or one gigantic one, may interfere with good breathing posture. This actually causes you to have more breathing difficulty based on your position. Use a single pillow for maximum relief from your sleep apnea. If you plan on taking the plane for a long trip, contact the airline company and let them know you will need to use your CPAP machine. Most carriers will make sure they seat you with plenty of room to accommodate your machine. If you are flying a foreign airline, remember to bring a universal power adapter.

Risk Factors

Learning to play a wind instrument can be an effective control strategy for those who snore or have sleep apnea symptoms. Playing a Didgeridoo or other wind instrument was shown to reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea in a German study. This hobby will keep your airways under your control. Take what steps you can to reduce the risk factors of sleep apnea you're subject to. However, there are risk factors which aren't changeable, such as being a male or that the condition is prevalent in your family. But others, such as weight smoking and drinking, can be controlled. Sleep apnea is often easy to treat, and it's just a matter of becoming educated it and putting these treatments in place. Try setting a regular bedtime and wake time. Make sure your environment is suitable for your sleeping arrangement. If your room is not comfortable, you will probably have difficulty sleeping night after night. Now that you know about sleep apnea and possible treatments for it, your nights should be easier to get through. Do not let people try to convince you that being tired is OK, it is not and you should seek the advice of a doctor. Even though you may not be aware of your sleep apnea, anyone who sleeps with you probably is aware of it. If you experience unexplained sleepiness, exhaustion, or falling asleep while driving, discuss these symptoms with your doctor. These symptoms may be indicative of sleep apnea, despite the fact that you don't struggle to breathe at night.