If you have sleep apnea, you understand how troublesome it can be. If you want to be healthy and happy, you have to get enough sleep. All is not lost – there are options available to you. Keep reading to learn how to better handle sleep apnea.
If you want to ease your sleep apnea, it’s crucial that you speak with your physician regarding CPAP machines and which is best for you. Think about the machine’s size and noise levels. Some machines are very quiet and no bigger than a simple bread box. Your doctor will help you find one that is well made.
Get a mouth guard if your airways are the cause of your sleep apnea. A sleep mouth guard will correct the airway and let you breathe correctly all night. Get fitted for a mouth guard by your doctor if need be.
Taking up a musical instrument (especially a wind instrument) can have a positive effect on your sleep apnea. Research conducted in Germany has shown that you can greatly strengthen the muscles of your upper airway by taking up an instrument like the didgeridoo. Muscles in this area stiffen the airway walls and control the dilation. This is why playing this instrument regularly will help strengthen these muscles, and reduce snoring and sleep apnea symptoms.
If you have sleep apnea, consider learning how to play a wind instrument. There have been studies that show playing the didgeridoo, a wind instrument, helps relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea. These muscles control your airway. Therefore, getting involved with an instrument like this can help you sleep better.
Many people don’t realize that sleep apnea is not something to ignore and can be potentially dangerous if left untreated. If you have symptoms of sleep apnea, be sure to speak with your doctor immediately. Once you know whether or not you have it for sure, you can figure out how to deal with it.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea sufferers often benefit from laying on their side during sleep. When people sleep on their back, their tongue and soft palate rest to the back of the throat, which blocks the airway. Try very hard to rest on your side, and you may find your symptoms alleviated.
A good diet can help anyone control their weight while also helping to fight sleep apnea. Many people may be surprised how much a poor diet plays in the symptoms of sleep apnea. Studies show that people who eat low quality foods suffer from apnea worse than overweight people that eat healthy foods.
Sleep apnea is diagnosed through a medical exam and consideration of your and your family’s medical history. Your PCP may ask for a sleep study to be done by a sleep specialist.
Reduce your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol relaxes the muscles too much. 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 will relax the throat muscles, which ends up making it harder for the body to control the airways. While you might still drink, limit yourself and avoid it at bedtime.
Be sure to make use of nasal spray for a runny, stuffy, itchy nose. It helps to clear the nasal passages and airways to let you sleep more soundly. Avoid using this product for more than a few days because it may irritate the delicate tissues in your nose. Ask your pharmacist what other options you can try to keep your nasal passages clear.
If your mouth opens a lot during the night when you use your CPAP machine, consider adding a chin strap. This is a small piece of fabric that holds your chin up while you sleep and keeps you mouth closed. If you keep your mouth open your CPAP will not work.
Consider a snoring device. When the airway is closed but still allows a little air through, that’s when snoring is most probable; in sleep apnea, the airways are almost fully closed. For less severe forms of sleep apnea, consider finding some simple anti-snoring devices. These tools may be able to lessen the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Lose weight to prevent developing sleep apnea. There are a number of people who only need to lose a few pounds to entirely stop their sleep apnea episodes. Even a nominal amount of weight loss will go a long way in improving your breathing at night.
You shouldn’t be smoking if you are afflicted with sleep apnea. Upper airways have a tendency to swell in smokers and increases the likelihood of sleep apnea. Common ways to quit smoking include smoking cessation programs and nicotine replacement products, such as gums. Many people find the first month to be the hardest. Once you are past that point, your nicotine cravings lessen drastically.
Stick to using just one normal sized pillow as you sleep. Having too many pillows, or one gigantic one, may interfere with good breathing posture. As a result, you may find it more difficult to breathe normally. You can minimize the impact your sleep apnea has by using just a single pillow in bed.
Exercise your tongue and minimize sleep apnea symptoms. Press your tongue on the roof of your mouth, hold it there for at least three minutes. This makes your tongue and throat muscles even stronger than before, so you minimize your odds of them blocking your air flow during sleep.
There are some good tongue exercises you can do which can help lessen the effects of sleep apnea. For example, try this: press your tongue up against your upper palate, and hold it for about three minutes. Doing this strengthens your tongue and the connective throat muscles; this in turn makes them less likely to relax at night and constrict your breathing passages.
One way to prevent yourself from getting sleep apnea is to exercise your throat muscles and make them stronger. Difficulty in breathing causes sleep apnea, which is a result of your soft tissue collapsing in your throat. When your muscles are strenghthened they will not block your air passages.
Cpap Machine
Don’t try to hide the fact that you use a CPAP machine to treat your sleep apnea. Use it when you need to, and make others aware that it is necessary to your health and well-being. Using this machine is for your own good, and anyone who pokes fun at you for needing it should probably not be your friend.
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. 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.
How you sleep each night can determine the quality of sleep you get and how bad your sleep apnea really is. Sleeping on one’s side or stomach will go a long way toward making for easier breathing with sleep apnea. Use a foam wedge to raise the top part of your body higher. Or, if you are up for it, raise up the top part of your bed itself four to six inches.
Don’t be ashamed that you have to use a CPAP machine. Be open about it and explain to others that it is necessary for you to sleep better. Stress that it is necessary for your health. Your health is the most important thing you should be focusing on, not wasting time on what others think of your machine. It’s quite possible they may find themselves with sleep apnea at some point in their own lives.
Try learning how to play a musical instrument. They can be enjoyable and calming, and it has also been been shown that constantly using them strengthens throat muscles and helps people to breathe more easily when sleeping. Just as working out helps to make other muscles in the body stronger, playing an instrument will help make the muscles in your mouth and throat stronger.
If you suffer from sleep apnea this is a good way to get better sleep. Choose a time to go to bed every night and stick to that schedule. Keep your bedroom comfortable and calm for the most satisfying sleep. If you do not, insomnia may occur.
Sleep apnea can cause psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety. If you suffer from such symptoms, run a bath before you go to sleep each night. Soaking in a hot tub will alleviate tension and relax your muscles. This leaves you ready for a restful night’s sleep and decreases the risk of a sleep apnea incident.
If you are dealing with effects of sleep apnea, one solution is to perform throat exercises, which can help lessen the symptoms. When you strengthen the muscles around the airway, you are helping make them much less likely to collapse. A good way to do this is to put your tongue up against your mouth’s roof, hold it there for three minutes, then release. Make sure you do this once during your day.
Sleep apnea sufferers may need to look for a simple solution in order to get a better night’s rest. Give yourself a normal bedtime and follow your self imposed rules. Be certain you create an environment in your bedroom that is conducive to sleep. If your room is not comfortable, you will have a hard time resting.
By now, it should be apparent that sleep apnea can be handled. Use the tips that work for you and seek medical help as well. Do not try to address your sleep apnea by yourself. After you start sleeping normally again you will see your whole life change.
Prevent falling asleep on your back. Sleeping on the back causes the airway to block, preventing sound and restful sleep. You could try sleeping on your side or in a semi-reclining position propped up with pillows.
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