All sleep disturbances are unpleasant, but sleep apnea can also be dangerous. If you suffer from this condition, then thankfully, you have some methods of easing this condition. Use the advice from this article to sleep more comfortably.
Excessive weight is a primary cause of sleep apnea for many people. Losing even a few pounds can make a big difference. Improving the overall health of the diet in combination with an increased level of exercise makes a simple, effective weight loss strategy. Reducing carbohydrate intake can help greatly, as well.
A major reason why a lot of people deal with the sleep apnea condition is because of the excess weight they’re carrying. In this case, a person suffering from sleep apnea needs to lose this excess weight. Exercising and following a regular weight loss plan is the best strategy. It may be worth it to look into diet plans that reduce the amount of carbohydrates that you eat.
Aside from the obvious reasons that losing weight is important, if you have sleep apnea, it’s vital that you lose weight. Sleep apnea and obesity are often tied together. It also stands to reason that losing just a little weight can dramatically improve your condition and your health.
Do you occasionally drink or smoke? Drop these unhealthy habits. Both have a negative influence on your air passages. When you smoke it causes swelling in your airways, and when consuming alcohol, your airway muscles tend to relax. That causes the symptoms of sleep apnea to worsen. If you cannot get rid of these habits for good, make an effort to avoid smoking or drinking before you go to bed.
It may be possible to reduce the problems you are having with sleep apnea by getting involved with a wind instrument. Research in Germany has shown that playing an instrument called the didgeridoo can train the muscles in your upper airways and strengthen them. These muscles are responsible for opening and closing your airway, as well as controlling the stiffness of the airway. Because of these movements, if you play this instrument regularly, you can control your sleep apnea symptoms and get a better night’s rest.
A good physical exam, and a look at your family history, can quite often easily determine sleep apnea’s presence. You can do sleep studies and the things the doctor finds will guide him on making a decision on what can be done.
Sleep apnea afflicts children too. If you child seems to be distracted in class, cannot focus, and is breathing through his mouth, then he may have sleep apnea. Sometimes parents mistakenly think these symptoms have to do with something like ADHD, and it is best that you talk to your child’s doctor to find the true culprit.
If you sleep alone, you might have a hard time determining if you suffer from sleep apnea. Setting up a camera to record your sleeping habits might be the answer. Ensure that you record audio also, which will allow the doctors to evaluate noises you are making during sleep.
Sleep apnea is no joke. If you suspect you may have it, it is important to see your doctor right away. Once you know whether or not you have it for sure, you can figure out how to deal with it.
Swear off sleeping pills. You may find these pills are causing your muscles in your throat to relax and this obstructs your airways. Avoid them at all costs to prevent yourself from hurting your body any more.
Normally sleep apnea is diagnosed after getting a physical exam, but it also helps to study your family’s medical history to see if it’s prevalent among your relatives. In addition, sleep studies could be performed. Afterwards, depending on the results, your doctor could refer a sleep specialist to you. A sleep specialist is a doctor who treats those with sleep problems.
Always bring your CPAP along whenever you travel. A diagnosis of sleep apnea is serious and means that you cannot forgo the use of your CPAP for even a single night. A travel bag with good padding probably came with your machine. Use this to easily transport your CPAP with you whenever you are away from home.
Use a chin strap with your CPAP each night to prevent your mouth from opening as you sleep. This device keeps your jaw up as you sleep. CPAP therapy will not work if your mouth is open, so try this simple device to see if it fixes the problem.
If you need to be hospitalized for some reason, be sure that you take your CPAP machine with you to the hospital. If the hospitalization was planned or for an emergency, you should still be sure that your CPAP and your mask are brought with you to be used while you’re there. Your mask has been fitted to you or maybe you have a special humidifier attached to your mask that a hospital won’t have. This will make your stay a little more comfortable.
Always have your CPAP machine with you while you sleep, even if it happens to be during a hospital stay. Whether you have a planned hospitalization or you need to go to the emergency room, you should have your CPAP and mask available for use while you are there. Since the settings are already set to what you’re used to, and the mask that you use each night is there, it makes it much easier to use at the hospital. This will make continuing your CPAP therapy much more tolerable.
Sleep Apnea
If you have tried many treatment options and nothing works, then it is time to contact your doctor for more serious treatment alternatives. Not everyone responds to the standard treatment for sleep apnea, and some may need to do something a little more drastic, including surgical techniques.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, make sure to get sinus and allergy problems treated. Having sleep apnea means you already struggle to breathe during the night. The last thing you need is something else causing you difficulty breathing during your sleep. Keep your airway clear by clearing your nostrils before you go to sleep.
If you have sleep apnea, you shouldn’t smoke. Smoking can cause swelling in the airways, exacerbating sleep apnea. Try to use some nicotine patches or other stop smoking programs or medications. Usually the first 30 or so days is the hardest part. After that, it gets easier, because the nicotine addiction is gone.
Stop snoring devices are often helpful in treating sleep apnea. Snoring occurs when air passages are almost closed, while sleep apnea occurs when air passages are completely closed. So you can see that it is logical that this device can help with both issues. Anti-snoring devices help you reduce apnea as you sleep.
Don’t binge drink if you have sleep apnea. When you drink, the alcohol causes the muscles in your throat to relax, which will impede your airway and cause snoring. Avoiding alcohol altogether is best, but if you must drink then limit yourself to one drink taken several hours before bedtime. In this way, the alcohol will not disturb your sleep.
Risk Factors
Learning a wind instrument is recommended as a treatment for sleep apnea. Wind exercises will help exercise and strengthen your throat muscles, which will help you breath in the middle of the night. If you consistently make an effort to strengthen your throat muscles, you’ll have a better time sleeping with sleep apnea.
Eliminate all the risk factors you can. Some factors are unable to be altered. On the other hand, certain risk factors, such as being fat, smoking cigarettes, and drinking alcohol, are entirely under your control.
The manner in which you sleep can have a hand in your sleep apnea. This is the reason why it’s vital to sleep in a proper position each night. You can try using a foam wedge; it will elevate your upper body. An alternative method is to angle your bed so that the head is approximately four inches above the foot.
Your physician is the only one who can really diagnose sleep apnea in you for sure, but there are things you can do on your own to manage and combat the condition once you know. If you lose weight and stop smoking, these are good decisions, especially if sleep apnea is a problem for you. Overeating, consuming an excessive amount of alcohol and too much caffeine before bed can all exacerbate sleep apnea.
Remember, it’s not easy to spot your own sleep apnea when sleeping. You should tell your doctor about any symptoms of fatigue, drowsiness or nodding off while driving. Common symptoms of sleep apnea include unexplained exhaustion and falling asleep during the day.
Do not sleep on your back if sleep apnea affects you. A common sleeping position for most people suffering from sleep apnea is on their backs. As a result, it’s easy for airways to get blocked. Try using a pillow or some cushions to keep yourself propped on your side when you are in bed.
Sometimes sleep apnea is treated successfully with mouth guards or other oral devices. This is because some people’s jaws are shaped in a way that makes the airways naturally narrow. A sleep mouth guard can change the position of these things while you sleep to help lessen sleep apnea symptoms.
We live in a fast paced world and need enough energy to meet the day and accomplish our obligations. Don’t allow sleep apnea to diminish your productivity anymore. Apply what you’ve learned from this article when you go to bed tonight.
Sleep apnea is really a problem with your throat, not your nose, this is why you should try and increase strength in your throat muscles. There are many quick exercises that you can do to increase the strength of your throat.
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