You are likely curious to learn how to cope with sleep apnea if you or someone you love is affected by it. Are you aware of just what choice best suits the particular situation? Learning what you need to know is as simple as continuing to read this article for great advice.
Stop your destructive ways. As with many other health problems, alcohol and tobacco will worsen sleep apnea. Consuming alcohol can lead to trouble with your respiratory system. When you smoke, you fill your lungs with carcinogens and cause severe damage. Dropping both these habits entirely will help ease the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Slim down if you’re heavy. The link between sleep apnea and obesity in its sufferers has been well-proven. If you are obese, lose at least 20 pounds to see if it makes a change for the better with your sleep apnea. It will also help ward off other medical conditions, too.
Do you regularly smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol? Rid yourself of those bad habits. These substances influence your airways. When you smoke you can harm your lungs, and it can be hard for you to breathe at night. Alcohol has a similarly negative effect. Avoid second-hand smoke and do not drink immediately before going to bed.
Taking up a musical instrument (especially a wind instrument) can have a positive effect on your sleep apnea. Playing this kind of instrument strengthens your muscles in the upper airways. These muscles control your airway. Because of this, regular playing of this instrument can aid sleep by reducing the various symptoms that sleep apnea produces.
If you’ve got a prescription for a CPAP for your sleep apnea, try using it for around four hours each night. Although it can be difficult to become accustomed to wearing a CPAP, it is an important tool in improving sleep apnea. If this is the case with you, try a different mask. That is often the source of the discomfort. You’ll be comfortable using it on a regular basis in no time.
Sleeping on one of your sides when you have sleep apnea can help you sleep better. Sleeping on your back can obstruct your airways and cause apnea. Be sure to go to sleep sideways and find out if that helps you to sleep tonight.
Try not to drink alcohol as much. Alcohol causes your muscles to relax. You might like the feeling, but it can contribute to or cause sleep apnea. Alcohol can relax the muscles in your throat, making it more difficult for your body to control your airway. If you can’t give up drinking completely, at least make an effort to moderate your intake and avoid having alcohol in the hours leading up to your bedtime.
Stick to a schedule when it comes to your sleep. Apnea disrupts your sleep patterns already. Using simple sleep hygiene techniques like this one will help you avoid health problems and falling asleep during the day. The first change you should make is setting a specific time to go to sleep and wake up each day.
You need only one regular pillow to sleep with at night. An over-sized pillow, or a pile of multiple pillows, can alter your sleep position with negative impacts on your ability to breathe freely. Sleeping in this way may prevent easy breathing. This is why you need just one single pillow to sleep more restfully at night.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, make sure you treat your allergy and sinus problems. You already are having difficulty breathing at night due to your sleep condition. The last thing you need is something else causing you difficulty breathing during your sleep. Try and clear your airways as much as possible, and keep your nasal problems to a minimum.
Get rid of as many sleep apnea factors as possible. Some sleep apnea risk factors cannot be changed, like genetic or hereditary reasons. Being overweight, drinking, smoking and weak throat muscles can all bring on sleep apnea.
Consult with your doctor about surgery if you find that none of the less invasive options are helping with your symptoms of sleep apnea. A lot of people do not do well on some of the treatments, requiring complicated surgeries to enhance their airway.
If you can’t see a doctor about your sleep apnea, you can still do some things to help yourself. Quitting smoking and losing weight are great for anyone, but are even better for sleep apnea patients. If it is within a few hours of bedtime, stay away from caffeine, alcohol or a heavy meal.
If you can’t see a doctor about your sleep apnea, you can still do some things to help yourself. Stopping the habits of drinking and smoking can help. Anyone who is overweight may find that they benefit quite well from losing 20 pounds or more. Curtail alcohol, heavy foods and caffeine before bedtime also.
Playing a wind instrument can help. Not only will you enjoy the music and exercise your mind, but you will also exercise the muscles that help you control your breathing. Strengthening these muscles can help you better control them when sleeping, which can lessen apnea symptoms.
You can get some relief from your sleep apnea symptoms by doing tongue exercises. Place your tongue on your mouth’s roof and keep it there for at least three minutes. Like other exercises for the body, muscles in the tongue and throat will be strengthened and therefore remain tighter while you sleep.
Speak with your doctor about writing you a prescription for a heated humidifier if you have a CPAP machine to sleep. It is much easier to get better sleep and to sleep with your CPAP machine if there is warm and humid air to breathe. If your CPAP machine doesn’t have a humidifier, make wearing your mask much easier on yourself by asking for a humidifier prescription from your doctor.
You can cut down on the sleep apnea symptoms you experience by making your throat muscles stronger. Sleep apnea is a direct result of a collapse of tissue that occurs towards the far throat’s back. If your muscles are stronger, their chances of collapsing and blocking your airways are minimized.
Snoring and sleep apnea can be soothed by playing a musical instrument. This can significantly help you get through the night without bothering other people with your heavy snoring. This new craft will help you keep control of your airways.
Your sleeping position can actually be important when dealing with sleep apnea. You must figure out which position is best for you. Use a foam wedge or body pillow to lift your upper body. You could also try raising your head up about four inches.
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 are indicative of sleep apnea, even when you do not know how many times you wake up at night gasping for air.
It’s a good idea to try to sleep on your side rather than your back if you’re struggling with sleep apnea. One method to prevent yourself from changing positions during sleep is to sew a spherical object like a tennis ball into your nightclothes. This will keep you from rolling onto your back.
Do not sleep on your back if sleep apnea afflicts you. Many sleeping difficulties, like airway blockages, are caused or exacerbated by lying on your back when you sleep. Attempt sleeping on your side. Should this be unnatural for you, use pillows to keep you in position on your side during the night.
Let the airline company know far in advance when you plan on traveling and you have to take your CPAP machine with you. You’ll find that most airlines are quite accommodating to this kind of medical necessity; they’ll seat you in a place where you have all the room you need. If you are using a foreign airline, pack a power adapter that will fit their outlets.
Be proactive in finding the right sleep apnea treatment. If you don’t consult a physician about what you can do, your condition will worsen and may even threaten your life. Don’t wait around for your lack of good sleep and snoring to get even worse. If you suspect sleep apnea, schedule a doctor visit now.
There is a simple fix you can use to help improve the quality of your sleep if you have sleep apnea. Give yourself a regular bedtime, and sleep about the same time every night. Make your bedroom conducive to getting a good night’s sleep. Don’t sleep in a room that you won’t have a comfortable time sleeping in.
Sleep apnea is an issue with throat muscles, which means strengthening them will help ease symptoms. There are a host of quick, simple exercises that can have a beneficial effect; you should be able to learn and master them very rapidly.
Remember that you may not be aware of your sleep apnea. Consult your physician if you show symptoms like having difficulty staying awake behind the wheel or severe exhaustion that surprises you. This could be a problem of sleep apnea, even when you have no idea that you’re getting up at night gasping for air.
Back sleepers make up the majority of sleep apnea sufferers. If this is your situation, you should think about different sleeping postures. It’s been proven that sleeping on the side of your body can greatly reduce the effects of sleep apnea.
Take the initiative and figure out how to live with sleep apnea. Without proper medical treatment, your symptoms can only worsen. Don’t wait around for your lack of good sleep and snoring to get even worse. If you suspect sleep apnea, schedule a doctor visit now.
Make sure you exercise your throat and jaw muscles. Sleep apnea can be caused by weak muscles in your throat and neck, so some exercises can greatly relieve the apnea. These exercises can greatly help reduce your symptoms.
Oral appliances designed to encourage proper jaw position can help treat many sleep apnea cases. That is due to the fact that some people have a jaw that naturally makes their airway narrow. These devices can align your jaw in a way that makes breathing easier.
Exercises designed to strengthen the throat muscle are available to help with your sleep apnea. If you can strengthen your throat muscles, you will see that they will be less likely to collapse in your sleep. Many things will work. Flexing throat muscles, humming, playing wind instruments and sticking out your tongue are just a few. Whichever one that you choose can make a huge difference, as you must find the right thing for you.
Many people who have sleep apnea sleep on their back. If you sleep on your back, you might rethink doing that. Research has shown that side sleeping can ease sleep apnea, meaning you get better rest.
If you have been advised by your physician that you have sleep apnea, then it is important that you follow all prescribed forms of treatment. Sleep apnea can leave you feeling drained and depressed, so you must take steps to prevent that from happening.
Be in constant contact with your physician with regards to a recently diagnosed case of sleep apnea. Your physician will be your best source of information in treating your condition. If you try something new, follow-up with your doctor in about a month so you can tell him how the treatment is working.
Go to a specialist right away. Although your regular doctor will be able to provide basic assistance with sleep apnea, someone who has concentrated in this field of medicine will be able to bring more expertise to bear on your problem. They’ll be able to teach you more about the issues that are factoring into your sleep apnea. They will also tell you of different ways to manage your sleep apnea.
Knowledge can be very powerful. You can more easily find the best answer when you learn about the different treatments of sleep apnea and what they can do to control symptoms. There is an abundance of things to learn about sleep apnea and this article is a good starting point.
