People who deal with sleep apnea are all too well aware of the associated problems. The best way to combat the unpleasant effects of this condition is to learn as much as possible on the subject.
Losing some harmful vices to fight off sleep apnea. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol are a big problem for people who have sleep apnea. The muscle-relaxing effects of alcohol are very hard on the whole respiratory system and lead to significant breathing problems. Smoking damages your lungs over time. Dropping both these habits entirely will help ease the symptoms of sleep apnea.
A common reason that people have problems with sleep apnea is due to excessive weight.
Mouth Guard
Do you smoke and drink alcohol? Eliminate bad habits. Your airways are significantly affected by smoking and drinking. When you smoke you can harm your lungs, and it can be hard for you to breathe at night. Alcohol has a similarly negative effect. If losing these habits is not possible, then at least limit yourself before going to bed.
Talk to your doctor about getting a mouth guard. You could be dealing with a narrow breathing airways, small jaw or recessed chin that can amplify the effects of sleep apnea. You will get better rest if you wear a custom mouth guard that aligns your jaw properly.
If you’re using a CPAP, you should at least use it four hours every night. It can be hard for many patients to become accustomed to using the CPAP. If you have trouble adjusting to use it the full night, try using the CPAP for about four hours while you sleep.
Keeping a sleep ledger can help your doctor monitor your sleep apnea. In it, you’ll be expected to log the hours you sleep nightly, any symptoms you may feel and the overall quality of your sleep. Your partner can often say if you jerk limbs around, stop breathing for a second, or snore loudly. This can help the doctor determine if you actually have sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea can occur in children. If he or she is cranky, such as chronic irritability, inattentive and tends to breathe through their nose, you might be looking at a case of sleep apnea. The symptoms can be confused with those of ADHD, but you must consult with your doctor to know for sure.
Remember to bring the CPAP machine with you if you should happen to require a stay at the hospital. If your stay is planned or an emergency, you will need your CPAP device either way. It already has your pressure settings dialed in, and your mask is something your used to wearing at night. Even if you are hospitalized, you can seamlessly continue using your CPAP in this manner.
Sleep on their side during sleep. Sleeping on your back can cause air passages to constrict. Try to fall asleep on one of your sides to see if that improves your symptoms get better.
You might consider video recording your sleep patterns with a camcorder. The video should be equipped with sound so that doctors can also have audio to listen for any noises that occur during your sleep.
Stick to one regular pillow for sleeping on at night. Using multiple or oversized pillows makes it more likely that you will end up in a position that encourages sleep apnea. This actually causes you to have more breathing difficulty based on your position. You can minimize the impact your sleep apnea has by using just a single pillow in bed.
This inconspicuous piece of fabric holds your chin up when you are asleep and your mouth remains closed. Your mouth must remain closed for CPAP therapy.
Stick to using just one regular pillow as you sleep. This makes you sleep in a way that makes it harder to breathe. This is why one pillow to sleep more restfully at night.
It’s important to take responsibility to lessen the things that can cause sleep apnea. Some things you can’t help, of course. On the other hand, you can influence risk factors like your weight, smoking and drinking.
You can lessen the risk factors for sleep apnea. Some factors are impossible to escape. However, you can limit many others, like being overweight, smoking or alcohol consumption.
You can help lessen the effects of sleep apnea by making the muscles in your throat muscles. Stronger muscles have more integrity and will not as likely to block your airways.
One method you can try to improve your condition is to strengthen your throat muscles. When your breathing is obstructed by soft tissues collapsing in the anterior of your throat while you sleep, the result is sleep apnea. When your muscles strengthen, their chances of collapse and airway blockage go down.
Learn to play one of the wind instrument. This will not only be fun and relaxing, but it will also strengthen the muscles that are the source of sleep apnea problems.
Sleep Apnea
If you plan on taking the plane for a long trip, contact the airline company and let them know you will need to use your CPAP machine. They will usually accommodate you by giving you a seat where you can easily get to your machine. Remind them that you will need to plug your machine in, or you can use a machine that uses batteries as a backup measure.
If sleep apnea is causing you anxiety, try taking a hot bath every night before bedtime.A hot bath can help sooth your aches and pains. This will help you ready for a restful night’s sleep and stay asleep rather than having constant sleep apnea incident.
Take the initiative and find a treatment for your sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is one condition so it is best to get treatment immediately.
If you have sleep apnea you should never sleep on the back. Many sleeping difficulties, like airway blockages, are caused or exacerbated by lying on your back when you sleep. Try side sleeping. If it does not seem natural to you, prop yourself using pillows.
Throat exercises can decrease the symptoms of sleep apnea. These exercises help to strengthen the muscles that surround the airway, which makes them less prone to collapsing. One example is pressing your tongue against the bony palate of the mouth and holding it for about three minutes before releasing. Try doing this at least once every day.
People who suffer from sleep apnea should avoid sleeping on their back. Your airway is more likely to get blocked by sleeping on your back.Sleeping on your side is ideal if you prevent sleep apnea; gravity won’t work against you.
If your sleep apnea is caused by excess tissue in your throat and airway, surgery may be required to remove it. UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) is a surgical procedure that is done to clear airways of extra tissue and matter, maximizing the space within and probably taking care of the problem. You should know that this involves removal of your tonsils as well.
Anyone who has sleep apnea knows how disturbing it can be. It’s important to thoroughly understand the subject before it can be dealt with. You’ll find it possible to improve the quality of your sleep and get back to natural restfulness if you try out the suggestions presented above.