The Best Ways To Cope With Your Sleep Apnea

The Best Ways To Cope With Your Sleep Apnea

People of every age and walk of life are affected by sleep apnea, a dangerous condition. Unfortunately, a lot of people suffer because they do not know the right approach to treatment. This article will provide you with sleep apnea tips that will allow you to get the sleep you need. A mouth guard for use while you sleep can help you deal with sleep apnea, even if your airways are naturally narrow. A mouth guard opens your airway and facilitate nighttime breathing. Speak with your doctor to see if you should get a specially fitted mouth guard. Try quitting smoking and drinking alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea and chronic snoring are each caused by over-relaxation of the airway muscles, and both smoking and drinking can cause this. Quitting these addictions may be the easiest way to address your sleep apnea. Try cutting out cigarettes and alcohol if you have sleep apnea. These habits can affect your airway, which makes sleep apnea and snoring more likely. Remember that surgery and medications are expensive. Correcting bad habits is free. If your weight is higher than it should be, reverse that. Sleep apnea is directly associated with excess weight. Therefore, if you are obese, a loss of just 25 pounds can cause a major improvement in your apnea symptoms. Losing weight through a good diet can fight sleep apnea. You'd be surprised at how much a healthy diet can help you with sleep apnea. Research indicates that less nutritious food may exacerbate sleep apnea.

Sleeping Pills

Try sleeping on your side. Sleeping on your back is attributed to a lot of people who suffer with sleep apnea. Your airways become blocked when you sleep on your back. Sleeping sideways facilitates breathing. To prevent rolling over onto your back while you sleep, build a wall of pillows behind yourself. Consider any alternative you can find to using sleeping pills. The muscles in your throat relax too much when you use a sedative like sleeping pills, (or alcohol) and your airway is much more likely to collapse during sleep. There are a variety of other problems that they can cause as well, so be cautious of using them. Consult your physician to find out about possible ways to get to sleep to faster that won't react poorly with your sleep apnea. A diagnosis of sleep apnea is performed by analyzing your medical history as well as your family history, followed by a physical exam. Also, your doctor may want to try a sleep study on you. Depending on the results, you may be referred to a specialist. Sleep on your side. Many people with sleep apnea are used to sleeping on their backs. Sleeping flat on your back may cause your throat and mouth tissues to obstruct your airways. However, breathing is much easier if you sleep on your side instead. If you move around at night and tend to always wind up on your back, try propping yourself up with pillows. Many doctors ask patients to keep sleep logs to help diagnose sleep apnea. This log is where you'll keep track of how much you sleep during the night, and other symptoms you may experience. You can ask your spouse or a family member to let you know you how often you snore at night. Your doctor will then be able to tell if you suffer from sleep apnea. You need a regular sleep schedule if you suffer from sleep apnea. Your regular sleeping patterns already suffer due to your condition. Do whatever you can to restore your natural sleeping patterns, and you will find that you can handle the apnea a bit easier. Try retiring and waking at consistent times. Keep a regular sleeping schedule to lessen the symptoms of sleep apnea. Your regular sleeping patterns already suffer due to your condition. Whatever you can try to help minimize the effects of this condition and help to normalize your sleep patterns can only help you get better. The best thing you can do is fall asleep around the same time each night and wake up around the same time each day.

Sleep Apnea

Always carry ID on you if you're a sleep apnea sufferer who uses a CPAP machine. You don't need people questioning you and your device all the time, so it makes it easier when you bring your medical ID. Your ID should clearly state all information relevant to your sleep apnea, including what pressure level setting you use for your CPAP. If you are using a CPAP, always have a medical ID on you. 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. With your ID you can inform medical personnel about your sleep apnea and your CPAP device. Bring your CPAP on all the trips you go on during your travels. When you are dealing with sleep apnea, the CPAP machine should be used every single night. This machine should have a travel bag with it. Use this for easy travel with your CPAP device. Take your CPAP device with you when you are going to the hospital. Whether the hospital stay is a planned one or it's just an emergency room visit, always bring along the CPAP machines just in case you need to stay for awhile. You're already comfortable with the mask you're using, and your machine provides exactly the pressure setting you need. Having your own machine will make using a CPAP while in the hospital much easier. If you are using a CPAP to treat sleep apnea, be sure to take it when you're going to the hospital. Your CPAP and your mask should be with you for both planned stays and trips to an emergency room. You're already comfortable with the mask you're using, and your machine provides exactly the pressure setting you need. Even if you are hospitalized, you can seamlessly continue using your CPAP in this manner.

Sinus Issues

Stronger throat muscles may help reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea. Difficulty in breathing causes sleep apnea, which is a result of your soft tissue collapsing in your throat. When your muscles are strenghthened they will not block your air passages. Be sure to treat allergies and sinus issues right away if you suffer from sleep apnea. You already are having difficulty breathing at night due to your sleep condition. You don't want any other complications. You'll experience a better night of sleep and reduce the odds of running into serious breathing difficulties if you take care of nasal and sinus issues without delay. Try not to feel embarrassed about getting treatment or using a CPAP machine. You will need to quickly get used to using it front of those who are closest to you. You also have to convince yourself that you need the machine. Your friends will understand if you explain why you use it. While a condition like this does require the professional opinion of a doctor, there are many self-help remedies that work, too. If you lose weight and quit smoking you will be able to combat sleep apnea. If it is within a few hours of bedtime, stay away from caffeine, alcohol or a heavy meal. How you sleep influences how many times sleep apnea will strike on a given night. This is why proper positioning is so critical. Use a foam wedge or body pillow to lift your upper body. This will keep excess tissue and relaxed muscles from blocking your airways.

Sleep Apnea

Let the airline company know far in advance when you plan on traveling and you have to take your CPAP machine with you. The airline may seat you in a convenient place to make using your machine easier. If you happen to be flying overseas on a foreign airline, make sure you have the right power adapter. Don't sleep facing upwards if you are a sleep apnea sufferer. Sleep apnea strikes back sleepers the most. Wedge a pillow in place to keep your body resting on your side while sleeping. Some people find that learning to play the wind instrument they've always been interested in is an effective treatment for their sleep apnea. This is good for your soul, and playing a wood instrument will reduce sleep apnea issues. This will help your airways. Spending time exercising your throat muscles may significantly increase the complications of sleep apnea. The labored breathing common in sleep apnea is usually caused when the soft tissues of the throat collapse and obstruct the airway. As your muscles strengthen, their possibility of collapsing and blocking your airways is lowered. Remember that you may not be aware of your sleep apnea. However, if you're suffering from drowsiness and exhaustion during the day, it is definitely time to see a doctor. Those symptoms might be part of what you're experiencing as sleep apnea. Back sleeping is not recommended if you suffer from sleep apnea, so try to sleep on your side. Simply sew a pocket onto the back of your sleep clothing and put a tennis ball inside the pocket. This will help you to keep from laying on your back while you are asleep. 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. If you suffer from sleep apnea, try sleeping in a position other than on your back. Lying on your back when you sleep makes it easier for your airways to become blocked. Try side sleeping. If it does not seem natural to you, prop yourself using pillows. There are many people that suffer from sleep apnea. Being uninformed makes this serious condition even more harmful. A little bit of research will go a long way in helping you get on the path to having sleep apnea diagnosed and treated. According to some research, simple throat exercises can have a significant positive impact on your sleep apnea issues. The muscles surrounding your airway get stronger, and that means they are less likely to collapse and make it hard to breathe. There are many exercises that are helpful, but one of them is to push your tongue very firmly up against the back of your front teeth. Then slide your tongue to the back of your mouth, and repeat this cycle for at least three minutes. This should be done at least once per day.