Sleep apnea is often undiagnosed and might vary in intensity. This condition happens when the airway collapses partially while one sleeps, impeding on the person’s breathing patterns. For more information about this harmful and even fatal condition, keep reading.
One way to fight against sleep apnea is to give up vices. In particular, alcohol and cigarettes are bad for you. Consuming alcohol can lead to trouble with your respiratory system. Cigarettes can hurt your lungs, possibly even causing lung cancer. Dropping these habits can help ease your symptoms.
Losing some harmful vices to fight off sleep apnea. Smoking and drinking are some of the biggest offenders. Your respiratory system will not be happy with you if you drink all the time. Smoking can create carcinogens inside of your lungs, which can damage them later on. You will notice a decrease in sleep apnea symptoms by quitting these habits.
Many people find that using a mouth guard while sleeping helps their sleep apnea. For those who have sleep apnea, this guard is a wonderful thing to have. These mouth guards are more comfortable than a CPAP. You will find that this mouth guard stabilizes the soft tissues and allows the airways to be more open.
Being overweight can be a cause of sleep apnea. Losing weight may help to greatly reduce sleep apnea symptoms in many patients. Try changing your diet and ramp up your activity level. It may be worth it to look into diet plans that reduce the amount of carbohydrates that you eat.
Sleep apnea is very serious. If you suspect you may have it, it is important to see your doctor right away. In the process of fully diagnosing your condition, you may be able to consult with a sleep specialist. Home sleep tests with portable monitors are also often used to pinpoint sleep apnea.
If you are using a CPAP to treat sleep apnea, be sure to take it when you’re going to the hospital. You need to take your CPAP machine with you whenever you go to the ER or any routine hospitalization, such as for surgery. The machine is pre-set to your specifications and you have the benefit of wearing the mask you are already familiar with. You’ll be able to resume your CPAP therapy much easier by having these things in the hospital with you.
Try to sleep on your side instead of your back to breathe easier when you sleep. Your air passages are more likely to suffer obstruction when you sleep on your back. Try very hard to rest on your side, and you may find your symptoms alleviated.
Sleep Apnea
You need to have a complete physical exam and give a thorough medical history in order to get a sleep apnea diagnosis. Sleep studies may be included in the equation, and it may be necessary to involve a sleep specialist.
Shedding weight oftentimes is a big help to anyone who is dealing with sleep apnea. Those who are overweight usually suffer from sleep apnea due to the circumference of their neck. When you lose a few extra pounds you reduce the pressure on your airway and breathing becomes easier.
If you are not sleeping with a partner, then it’s almost impossible to determine if you’re suffering from sleep apnea on your own. Record yourself to get a better picture of what is happening while you sleep. Make sure you have audio on your video so you and your doctor can hear the noises you make in your sleep.
It’s imperative that you see a doctor for a proper diagnosis when it comes to sleep apnea. But some people find that they can be responsible for their own treatment. Stopping smoking and shedding weight is a great start, especially for anyone dealing with sleep apnea. Other vices to avoid are caffeine, alcohol and large meals right before bedtime.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, you should avoid sleeping on your back. A lot of people suffering from apnea have problems with blocked airways because they sleep not on their side, but on their backs. Use cushions or pillows to keep yourself lying on your side at night.
Don’s sleep on your back if you are suffering from sleep apnea. Most people who have sleep apnea are back sleepers, which means that their airways constrict easier. Try your best to avoid sleeping on your back, and use pillows or something else to keep you on your side.
Don’t drink a lot of alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Alcohol consumption relaxes throat muscles beyond normality and can block an airway. If you’re dealing with sleep apnea, it’s a good idea to avoid drinking as much as possible, especially in the hours close to your bed time. This will lessen the chances of alcohol interrupting your sleep.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is imperative that you stop smoking. Your air passages swell when you smoke, which is no good for sleep apnea sufferers. You can use nicotine patches or replacement therapy to quit. Getting through the first month is the toughest. Over time, you’ll find you need and/or want nicotine less.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and require a CPAP machine, talk to your physician about heated humidification with it. When your sleeping in conditions of warm and moist air, you will most likely adhere to the CPAP therapy. Many of these machines now include humidifiers, and your doctor can probably prescribe one for you.
Avoid alcohol when you have sleep apnea. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat and causes your airway to become constricted. Quit drinking, or have only one drink a few hours before bed. This will help you know that alcohol is not affecting the quality of your sleep.
Go to sleep on your side because sleeping looking straight up can make sleep apnea worse. 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. You will not want to lay on your back on these objects.
Sometimes anxiety might arise if you get sleep apnea, so take a shower to get rid of your stress. A good hot bath before sleep helps to relax the mind and the muscles. Due to this effect, you can sleep easier and more comfortably without getting interrupted by apnea.
Your sleep apnea might be easily solved with a simple solution. Stick to a regular, set schedule and go to bed at the same time each night. Also see to it that your bedroom is ideal for good sleep. If you don’t do that, you might cause insomnia.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, give up sleeping facing up. Being on your back can compress your airways, leading to breathing problems that wake you up. Try side sleeping. If it does not seem natural to you, prop yourself using pillows.
Remember that you may not be aware of your sleep apnea. If you find yourself falling asleep when you are driving, feel exhausted after a full night of sleep or feel strangely sleepy, talk to your doctor. Even if you don’t find yourself bolting breathlessly awake at night, you may have sleep apnea.
If you have sleep apnea, be proactive about finding and following treatment options. If you fail to see a physician and get treated, it is very likely that your symptoms are going to get worse. Avoid waiting for your condition to deteriorate. If you wonder whether you have sleep apnea, talk to a doctor right away.
Try not to sleep on your back if you have sleep apnea. Being on your back can compress your airways, leading to breathing problems that wake you up. Do what you can to sleep while laying on your stomach or side at all times. You can use pillows behind your back to help keep you from moving onto your back to sleep.
Corrective oral devices may be used to correct sleep apnea on occasion. Some individuals have jaws aligned or formed in ways that constrict their air passages. Your jaw’s alignment is improved with corrective devices, allowing more air to flow.
Throat exercises can decrease the severity of sleep apnea. These exercises help to strengthen the muscles that surround the airway, making them less likely to collapse. One example would be pressing your entire tongue against the top of your mouth, holding it there for multiple minutes and then letting go. Do this exercise once each day.
Throat Muscles
It is possible to use a mouth guard to treat some of the symptoms of sleep apnea. The reason for this is that jaws vary in shape and size, and some configurations may cause narrowing of the airways. Your jaw’s alignment is improved with corrective devices, allowing more air to flow.
Sleep apnea begins in the throat, and exercising the throat muscles can help prevent apnea. Specific exercises and the regular use of your throat muscles may strengthen them and help relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea.
You might want to find and join a sleep apnea support group. Sleep apnea doesn’t affect lots of people. A lot of people do not know what it is like to have sleep apnea. It’s important to look for a group who can support you specifically for this disorder. If you get shy in person, look for online forums that offer tips from others.
The lack of oxygen during sleep is known as sleep apnea. Therefore, it makes sense to prevent sleeping at high elevations. Since oxygen levels are lower at heightened elevations, this can negatively affect people afflicted with sleep apnea. Avoid sleeping at higher elevations as much as possible.
If sleep apnea keeps you awake at night, take a nap during the day to compensate for lost sleep. Not getting enough sleep can lead to health problems as well as lost productivity and poor concentration. Take a nap during the day to correct this problem if your schedule allows it.
Do not have an alcoholic drink close to your bedtime. A wide range of sleep disorders are compounded negatively by the use or consumption of alcohol, and sleep apnea is among them. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It worsens sleep apnea and can cause you to become dangerously unresponsive if you stop breathing. This is a disaster waiting to happen.
Discuss your sleep apnea with your partner. Spouses are often the first to help sleep apnea sufferers recognize their condition. Ask them if they have been awoken because of snoring and explain that your treatment should bring that to an end.
If extra tissue is present in your throat airways, it could be causing your sleep apnea and could possibly necessitate surgical removal. A surgeon can remove the excess tissue and open up your airway a bit by performing a UPPP. Be aware that in this procedure your tonsils are often removed, too.
Stay away from pain medicines with narcotic or opioid properties. These medications lower oxygen levels in all patients. Combining these drugs with a sleep apnea condition, which causes reduced levels of oxygen all on its own, can be extremely dangerous and even, in some cases, life-threatening.
You should be fitted with a mouth guard that works for you. These can help take care of any problems with your airways, which are usually the culprit for sleep apnea. The alignment of your jaw can contribute to problems with sleep apnea.
Don’t let yourself get discouraged if you haven’t found the right treatment yet. There are many types of symptoms that can vary in severity from person to person, so someone may find that certain methods don’t work for them. Be persistent in your efforts and eventually you will land on a cure that alleviates your individual symptoms.
Always follow your treatment outline. You might be tempted to entertain the thought that skipping a night or so is safe, but you are going to regret it in the morning and not be as functional the next day. Do the treatments recommended by your doctor so that you can sleep and therefore function in your daytime life.
You can make your CPAP machine more comfortable with a humidifier that provides cool mist. By itself, a CPAP machine can cause discomfort since it will dry out your nose. You can prevent this with a humidifier. All you need to do is fill it up with water which will add to your comfort while wearing your mask. You must wear you mask as prescribed to see an improvement in your ability to get a good night’s sleep.
Hopefully, you now know more about how this terrible condition can impact those who suffer from it. Get in touch with your doctor to learn more about sleep apnea. That way you can do everything possible to live well with sleep apnea.
Many people take up learning to play a wind instrument when they have sleep apnea. Your throat muscles will get stronger with practice. It has been shown this can help alleviate sleep apnea. You can find previously-owned instruments that can alleviate cost concerns.
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