Tips On Learning To Cope With Sleep Apnea

Tips On Learning To Cope With Sleep Apnea

Listening to your doctor tell you that you may have sleep apnea can be a frightening experience. Just keep in mind that many people have this serious disorder and have treated it effectively. The following article contains the best sleep apnea advice, so read on. Drop your bad habits to relieve your sleep apnea. Two of the most common offenders are drinking and smoking. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat, which restricts the airway while a person sleeps. Smoking damages all parts of your airways. If you can give up these bad habits, you'll see a significant reduction in your sleep apnea symptoms. If you're having a problem with sleep apnea and are a smoker or a drinker, you may find that quitting can help you immensely. 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. If your narrow airways are causing sleep apnea, get a mouth guard designed for sleeping. This will help you breathe better at night. It's best to see a medical professional to get fitted properly for a guard that will fit your individual situation. Have a mouth guard fitted for your needs. Guards like these are specifically made for assisting sleep apnea patients. This is a good alternative to using the CPAP machine. It will provide stability and help your airway to remain open. In order to assist you with sleep apnea, you must talk to your doctor about what CPAP machines to use. Think about the machine's size and noise levels. Some CPAP machines are small and are quiet. Your doctor will likely have a preferred brand or type of CPAP to recommend to you. Eating right can keep you healthy and well rested. One of the main factors contributing to sleep apnea is being overweight, caused by poor eating habits. Studies have shown that people that eat poor quality food have worse apnea than those who are overweight but eat healthier. Look for alternatives to sleeping pills. Similar to alcohol, sleeping pills will relax your throat and airways to an undesirable extent. Pills also can affect sleep apnea sufferers in several different ways. Consult with your doctor about what you should take besides sleeping pills. Don't drink a lot of alcohol. Alcohol causes your muscles to relax. Although you may think this improves your sleep, it actually just worsens it. Like the rest of your muscles, those around your throat and airway relax under the influence of alcohol, making it harder for you to maintain a proper air passage. If you feel like you have to drink, try to not do it prior to going to bed. Try sleeping in a different position (such as on the side) rather than on your back. A lot of people that suffer from sleep apnea lay down in bed at night on their backs. If you sleep on your back, your airway may become blocked when mouth tissues slide back. Sleeping on your side makes breathing significantly easier. If you move around at night and tend to always wind up on your back, try propping yourself up with pillows. If you have sleep apnea, never take sleeping pills. You will relax your throat muscles this way and you will not get as much from your sleep. Avoid them at all costs to prevent yourself from hurting your body any more. Sleeping by yourself can keep you from knowing if you have the symptoms of sleep apnea. Record yourself to get a better picture of what is happening while you sleep. Make sure you include the audio, so your doctor can hear what sounds you make. When dealing with sleep apnea it is best to keep a regular sleeping schedule. Your condition is already messing with your regular sleep cycle every night. So, anything that you can find that will help rebuild healthy sleep patterns is a must to help you live a healthier lifestyle. Begin by setting a specific time to lie down and rise every day. Then stick to it. Get to bed at a regular time every night if you suffer from sleep apnea. An irregular sleep pattern only aggravates the sleep apnea condition. Getting treatment from a doctor is just one part of the solution. Making sure that you don't disrupt your sleep on your own with a lax sleeping schedule is another part of the solution. Begin by setting a specific time to lie down and rise every day. Then stick to it. If you're a sleep apnea sufferer undergoing CPAP treatment, don't forget to take your machine along if you're going to the hospital. It's important to have your familiar mask and machine available in the hospital, whether you're there for a planned visit or an unplanned emergency. It already has your pressure settings dialed in, and your mask is something your used to wearing at night. This will facilitate your CPAP therapy during your hospital stay. When you are using a CPAP, if your mouth always drops open while you sleep, you should wear a strap for your chin. It is a simple cloth strap that can easily hold up your chin as you sleep. Try out CPAP therapy for your mouth. If you suffer from sleep apnea, get your allergy and sinus problems treated. Your condition is already affecting your breathing at night. There's no reason to compound your troubles by suffering through other problems that make it harder to breathe. You will sleep better and have a more open airway if you treat nasal problems. If you have a CPAP machine, carry your medical ID. It may be a vital piece of information if you need emergency medical care and unable to give that information. The identification should say that you suffer from apnea and that you need a CPAP set at a particular pressure level. If you have a stuffy nose, use a saline spray or neti pot. This will help to clear your airways temporarily. However, you should not continuously use nasal sprays as this may cause nose damage. Your pharmacy can offer a variety of solutions or options to clear your air passages as you sleep. If you are taking a vacation and suffer from sleep apnea, don't forget to bring your CPAP machine along. Using a CPAP is essential every night for those of you living with sleep apnea. Your machine should include a padded travel bag. You can use this bag to allow you to transport your CPAP machine with ease when you're not home.

Sleep Apnea

It's important to take responsibility to lessen the things that can cause sleep apnea. Be aware that certain risk factors, like gender and genes, cannot be changed. But many others can be easily avoided, like smoking and drinking. Sleep apnea will not magically disappear; patients will need to get it treated. There are treatments that work for some, but not others. Although losing weight is known to reduce sleep apnea symptoms, people who are thin suffer also. If you use a CPAP it can help your sleep apnea leaps and bounds. Some prefer surgery when dealing with sleep apnea. Working with your doctor to identify the best approach for your apnea issues will increase your opportunity to live a healthy and well-rested life. Sleep apnea does not go away on its own; patients need treatment. Various treatment regimens and choices are effective for certain individuals, but not necessarily all. Although losing weight is known to reduce sleep apnea symptoms, people who are thin suffer also. A CPAP machine has provided relief for millions of people. Some individuals prefer a surgical procedure which relieves airways restrictions. Many non-invasive treatments are available to decrease the symptoms of sleep apnea and improve your quality of life. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is imperative that you stop smoking. Your sleep apnea will worsen because smoking causes swelling in the upper respiratory system. In order to stop smoking you should think about a cessation program or one of those nicotine replacement therapies. Getting through the first month is the toughest. The strength of the cravings will then decrease as the nicotine begins to leave your system. Play wind instruments. This will help to relax your body and mind while you are working muscles used in breath control. If you consistently make an effort to strengthen your throat muscles, you'll have a better time sleeping with sleep apnea. Take up a wind instrument. You will get several benefits: learning how to exercise the muscles used in breathing, broadening your intellect, and playing music that you enjoy. Working these muscles can reduce sleep apnea symptoms, by strengthening them and enabling you greater control over them. If you currently are using a CPAP machine for sleeping, ask your general practitioner to prescribe a humidifier that is heated as well. Sticking with a course of CPAP therapy is a lot easier (and your overall sleep quality will be better) if you're getting a supply of air that's properly heated and moisturized. Many CPAP manufacturers are providing machines with integrated humidifiers, so check with your doctor to see if that is a good option for you. Hearing that you have sleep apnea is not easy. However, it is a very treatable disorder. Use these sleep apnea tips to help you sleep through each night with ease. There's no reason you can't enjoy a completely healthy life, even if you're suffering from sleep apnea. Don't be ashamed that you have to use a CPAP machine. Make people aware that your life would be much worse with the machine. Also, don't be afraid to use the machine in front of others, including friends and your spouse. You also have to convince yourself that you need the machine. Your friends will understand if you explain why you use it.