Sleep apnea proves a very serious problem that effects people of all ages. This article will give you important advice about sleep apnea and what you no longer need to suffer needlessly.
If you have narrow air passages, consider a mouth guard. These guards look similar to what athletes use, but are specifically made to change the position of the tongue, jaw and palate while you sleep and keep your airway open. Talk to your physician about a mouth guard you can wear during sleep to help you control your condition.
A reason for sleep apnea to occur is increased weight.
Do you smoke cigarettes or drink alcoholic beverages? Both have a negative influence on your ability to breathe while sleeping. If you do not want to quit, make an effort to avoid smoking or drinking before you go to bed.
Children can also suffer from sleep apnea. If he or she is cranky, active, inattentive and tends to breathe through their nose, they may have sleep apnea. This swath of symptoms is not unlike ADHD, but you should have your doctor check out the possibility of sleep apnea to know for sure.
Try quitting smoking and alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Both of these habits are bad for the muscles in your airway.Quitting these addictions may help you avoid costly and invasive surgery in the future.
Talk to your doctor about fitting you with a mouth guard. You may have a naturally narrow breathing passage, or a small jaw which can all make the problems of sleep apnea much worse. You can get a custom-fitted device to keep your jaw and airway properly aligned.
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. Try setting up a video camcorder to record yourself while you are sleeping at night. The video needs audio too so that the doctors can hear the noises you make.
If you have been prescribed a CPAP for sleep apnea, use it a minimum of four hours nightly. It can be extremely difficult for some patients to get used to sleeping with the CPAP initially. If you’re struggling to adjust, use it for only 4 hours at a go.
Sleep Apnea
Remember to bring the CPAP machine with you if you should happen to require a stay at the hospital. You need to have your CPAP along with the mask, with you at all times while you’re there. The machine that you bring will help you find comfort at the hospital because it is the one you always use. Having your own familiar equipment eases the strangeness of being in the hospital, and helps you sleep more restfully.
Eating healthy can help you drop weight and fight apnea. A lot of people are surprised that a bad diet can affect sleep apnea worse. Research has proven that less nutritious food may exacerbate sleep apnea.
You will record the time you go to sleep and wake up, and any other symptoms you experience. Your partner can often say if you jerk limbs around, stop breathing for a second, or stop breathing. This will allow your doctor to see if you’re suffering from sleep apnea or not.
Use a single, average-sized pillow for your head at night. Larger or stacked pillows can put your airways in an awkward position and limit your breathing. You’ll be resting in such a way that makes breathing difficult. Because of this, you should really just have one good pillow to help with symptoms of sleep apnea.
If you need to stay at a hospital for any reason, bring your CPAP with you to ensure you get restful sleep. Your CPAP and your mask should be with you whether you’re admitted to the hospital or visiting the emergency room.This will make your CPAP therapy much more tolerable.
You can help lessen the effects of sleep apnea by making the muscles in your throat stronger. Stronger muscles are not as likely to block your airways.
There are some simple, straightforward techniques that can improve sleep apnea sufferers’ odds of getting a good night’s sleep. Set up a regular bedtime for yourself and go to sleep each night at around the same time. Also see to it that your bedroom is ideal for good sleep. If you are trying to rest in a loud setting, you can miss valuable sleep.
Don’t drink if you have sleep apnea. Alcohol will relax your throat and will block an airway. If you are going to drink, avoid all alcohol or make sure not to drink at all at least 4 hours before bedtime. This will lessen the problem of alcohol interrupting your sleep.
If the air you are taking in is moist and warm, you have a higher chance of sleeping better and continuing your CPAP machine application. A lot of the CPAP machines now have a humidifier built in, so ask your doctor to prescribe that type for you.
Keep in contact with your practitioner after you find out you have sleep apnea. Your doctor can give you the benefit of his or her medical expertise and help guide you towards the best treatments for your problem. You should go back to the doctor after you have tried any new treatment for a month so you can discuss how well it is working for you.
Sleep Apnea
Remember that you may not always notice sleep apnea at night. If you happen to feel sleepy, tired and exhausted all the time, talk to your doctor. Your unexplained sleepiness may mean sleep apnea.
Start playing a wind instrument. Your apnea symptoms may improve if you start playing the clarinet, the flute or some other wind instrument. This can help you improve the muscles that are in your airway. After a while, playing these instruments will provide you with relief from apnea because of the muscle training.
Take the initiative and find a treatment for your sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is often a progressive condition that tends to steadily worsen the longer it’s left untreated.
Try staying away from going to bed on your back with sleep apnea. Your airways will be much more prone to collapsing if you sleep on your back. Sleeping on your side can help you suffer from this condition.
Don’t allow any of your other breathing issues to spiral out of control. If you have sleep apnea, it is vital that you take care of it and any underlying conditions right now. Be sure to keep allergies under control with medications and good allergy control practices. If you have a cold, you should take care of it so that you do not have worse sleep apnea.
As mentioned at the start of this article, sleep apnea is a condition that many people suffer from. Being uninformed makes this serious condition even more harmful. On the other hand, armed with the right ideas and advice, like the contents of this article, you can control your condition.