If sleeping each night is causing you issues, you may have sleep apnea. Lots of people suffer from sleep apnea. It can sometimes be a difficult condition to live with. Certain treatments and lifestyle changes can, fortunately, reduce the impact of sleep apnea. Read this article to learn some basic information about recognizing and treating sleep apnea.
Avoid unhealthy activities to control your sleep apnea. Two of the biggest problems are drinking and smoking. Drinking suppresses your breathing and causes a lot of harm to your respiratory system. Cigarette smoke is full of cancer-causing chemicals which are bad for your lungs. Dropping these habits can help ease your symptoms.
Sleep Apnea
Losing weight through a good diet can fight sleep apnea. Not everyone is aware of just how significantly bad dietary choices can affect a sleep apnea condition. Studies have shown that people that eat poor quality food have worse apnea than those who are overweight but eat healthier.
A common reason that people have sleep apnea is due to the extra pounds on their bodies. So if you have sleep apnea, and you are overweight, then try to shed some of those extra pounds. Increasing exercise and reducing your total calorie intake can help to accomplish this. Cutting out white carbs such as white rice, pasta and sugar is one step that many people use to lose weight.
Don’t drink alcohol to excess. Alcohol has a relaxing effect on all your muscles. Although many users find this to be one of the benefits of drinking, it tends to make the effects of sleep apnea much more serious. Alcohol can relax the muscles in your throat, making it more difficult for your body to control your airway. If you have to have a drink, do it well before bedtime.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and you smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol, quitting could improve your symptoms. Snoring and apnea are common occurrences for those with these habits because they relax the muscles in the airway. Getting rid of these habits can save you money as well.
It is not uncommon for children to be sleep apnea sufferers. If a child in your home shows symptoms like low grades in school, hostility, irritability, hyperactivity, inattention or mouth breathing, you should consider sleep apnea as a possibility to investigate. These symptoms can be similar to those of ADHD, so consult a doctor and consider both conditions.
Excess weight also causes sleep apnea, so losing weight is a very good idea. Studies have found a correlation between sleep apnea and obesity. It also stands to reason that losing just a little weight can dramatically improve your condition and your health.
Do not take sleeping pills if you have sleep apnea. You could seriously damage your air passage ways if you take them while you have sleep apnea. For those with severe cases of sleep apnea, using these pills can be quite dangerous. Avoid using them even if you are having trouble sleeping.
Some people believe that you can strengthen you upper airway muscles by playing a musical instrument belonging to the woodwind family. A German study found that didgeridoo playing gives you better motor control over your airways. These muscles are responsible for the strength of your airway passage and its ability to dilate. So try and play the didgeridoo regularly to help you get through the night with sleep apnea.
If when using a CPAP machine your mouth still falls open, use a chin strap. The chin strap is a fabric strap that supports your chin to keep your mouth shut. CPAP therapy will not work if your mouth is open, so try this simple device to see if it fixes the problem.
It is not uncommon for children to be sleep apnea sufferers. If you child exhibits certain symptoms, he or she might have sleep apnea. These symptoms are quite similar to ADHD, so it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis because treatments for these two disorders are quite different.
When you travel, be sure to bring your CPAP on the trip. You should never sleep without using your CPAP machine. Conveniently, your CPAP machine should have a bag included with it for easy travel. The bag should be used to secure your CPAP during all of your travels.
Don’t underestimate the potential health consequences of sleep apnea. It’s important to seek medical advice as soon as you suspect you may be suffering from it. An official diagnosis might mean consultation with a sleep specialist, a sleep test and monitoring to get a whole grasp on your situation.
Are you not having any success at improving your symptoms of sleep apnea? If so, then visit your doctor and ask him or her about other options you can utilize. There are surgical procedures that have proven to be highly effective in severe sleep apnea cases, such as airway enlargement and the removal of the adenoids or (if they’re still present) the tonsils.
Sleeping Pills
Use a single, normal-sized pillow for sleeping. Having too many pillows, or one gigantic one, may interfere with good breathing posture. This means that your position is actually making it harder for you to breathe. This is why you need just one single pillow to sleep more restfully at night.
Avoid relying on sleeping pills. Sleeping pills cause your throat muscles to relax, just like alcohol. Taking sleeping pills can have a negative impact on other health conditions that those with sleep apnea may experience. Think about asking your physician about ways you can get to sleep that will not affect your apnea.
Getting your throat muscles stronger is a great way to have less of a problem with sleep apnea. When you sleep, your airway relaxes and collapses and you cannot get enough air through. The stronger your muscles are the less chance they will block your airways.
When you suffer from sleep apnea, you should do your best to stick to the same sleep schedule each day. Your regular sleeping patterns already suffer due to your condition. So, anything that you can find that will help rebuild healthy sleep patterns is a must to help you live a healthier lifestyle. The adjustment that is most important is your sleep schedule.
Your sleeping position can actually be important when dealing with sleep apnea. This is why it’s crucial to sleep properly. Sew a tennis ball into the back of your sleeping attire so that it will remind you during your sleep to stay on your side or stomach. Try to also prevent yourself from falling off the bed in the middle of the night.
Chin Strap
Snoring and sleep apnea can be soothed by playing a musical instrument. Not only is this habit soothing, but a European research project showed that learning wind instruments like the Didgeridoo significantly cuts back on the problems of sleep apnea. This will help clear your airways.
You can wear a chin strap with your CPAP if you have problems with your mouth falling open as you sleep. It is only a small fabric strap that keeps your chin in place so you can sleep with a closed mouth. Your CPAP machine cannot function properly if your mouth hangs open. Using a chin strap may help.
Sometimes anxiety might arise if you get sleep apnea, so take a shower to get rid of your stress. When you take a bath in hot water, it calms your muscles and releases tension. People who suffer from sleep apnea find it easier to get through the night when they take a hot bath or shower before they head to bed.
If you use a CPAP, then ensure a medical ID is carried with you at all times. If you need medical attention, it’s vital that the people treating you know about your condition and that you use a CPAP machine. Your ID should include your use of CPAP and the pressure level at which your CPAP must be set.
There are a few simple solutions sleep apnea sufferers can look into. Stick to a regular, set schedule and go to bed at the same time each night. Your bedroom environment should be conducive to sleeping. If you don’t do that, you might cause insomnia.
If you are going to be traveling and you have sleep apnea, you need to remember to take your CPAP with you. When you are dealing with sleep apnea, the CPAP machine should be used every single night. A travel bag with good padding probably came with your machine. This can be used for transporting your CPAP so that you always have it, even when you’re not at home.
Many people that have sleep apnea sleep on their backs. If this describes your case, it may be time to change your sleeping position. It’s been proven that you can sleep more comfortably by sleeping on one side if you have sleep apnea.
Clearly, there are many ways to deal with sleep apnea. Try all of them, and stick with the methods that work for you. Keep the information shared here with you in mind in order to become more rested and gain the ability to feel better again. You don’t have to let your sleep apnea ruin your nights and spoil your days.
Give your throat and jaw muscles a workout. You have to work on your internal muscles and get them strong in order to deal with sleep apnea. You can really benefit from a few exercises.
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