You have to have sleep to be healthy and feel good, so you must do everything in your power to manage your sleep apnea.
You can fight sleep apnea by giving up certain vices. Smoking and drinking can inflame your airways and make them swell. Alcohol can put you into a very deep sleep and depress your respiration. When you smoke, you fill your lungs with carcinogens and cause severe damage. If you quit these habits you are likely to see an improvement in your sleeping difficulties.
Sleep Apnea
Drop some of your vices to combat sleep apnea. Smoking and drinking alcohol are a big problem for people who have sleep apnea. Drinking potentially causes extreme breathing issues because it reduces the ability of your respiratory system. Smoking damages your lungs and damages them over time. Dropping these habits entirely will help ease the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Do you smoke and drink? Get rid of behaviors that are not good for you. They can do bad things to your airways. Smoking can cause your airways to swell up while alcohol will make your airway more relaxed, which can cause sleep apnea. If it is not possible for you to quit cold turkey, then try not to smoke or drink immediately before bedtime.
A common reason that a lot of people have problems with sleep apnea is due to the extra pounds on their bodies.
Playing music on a wind instruments can actually help you control sleep apnea. Researchers in Germany found playing a didgeridoo can make your throat muscles of the upper airway. These muscles are the key to dilation and proper breathing as we sleep.
Try not to drink alcohol as much. Alcohol causes your muscles to relax. People who are addicted to alcohol may learn that this is the cause of their apnea, and others who drink sporadically should know it affects them, too. When your throat muscles relax, your airway narrows and causes sleep apnea. While you might still drink, limit yourself and avoid it at bedtime.
Try getting fitted for a mouth guard to help you sleep. These are designed to help people who suffer with sleep apnea sufferers. It provides a more comfortable alternative to using a CPAP machine. The device assists you by keeping the airway open while offering stability for the soft tissues.
If your physician has prescribed a CPAP machine, try to wear it for about 4 hours every night. It can be hard for some people to sleep with a CPAP. If you are having difficulty adjusting to it at first, keep it on for four hours at the least.
If you have no one with you while you sleep, it would be hard to tell if sleep apnea is your problem. You can consider recording your sleep patterns with a camcorder. Make sure to record any sounds you make so the doctor can hear them.
Sleep Apnea
Eating healthier foods can help you deal with sleep apnea and lose weight. A lot of people would be surprised to learn how their poor diet could be causing sleep apnea worse. Research has proven that less nutritious food may exacerbate sleep apnea than even overweight folks who eat healthy.
Use a chin strap with your CPAP each night to prevent your mouth from opening as you sleep. It’s simply fabric that keeps your chin up and mouth closed. CPAP machines do not function with open mouths, so a chin strap can really save you.
Many people with sleep apnea sleep on their backs. Sleeping on your back can cause constriction of the throat to block your airway. Sleeping on one’s side makes breathing significantly easier. If your sleep tends to see you rolling onto your back, try using pillows to stay on your side.
Your condition is already messing with your regular sleep disrupter nightly. The first change you should make is setting a specific time to go to sleep and getting up every day during the same time.
No matter where you travel, you must bring your CPAP if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. It is important that you always have the machine, even if you feel it is an inconvenience. You should have a travel bag to bring your CPAP with you. Use this bag to carry your CPAP whenever you travel.
This inconspicuous piece of cloth will keep your chin up when sleeping so that your mouth from gaping open. Try out to keep your mouth.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
If your nose seems stuffy, apply a nasal spray. It helps to clear the nasal passages and airways to let you sleep more soundly. Do not use nasal spray over long periods of time: this could damage your nose and cause irritation. Visit your pharmacy to see what your options are for keeping your nasal passages open as you sleep.
An excellent way to help lessen the effects of reducing your sleep apnea symptoms is simply losing weight.A number of people find that if they shed weight they will help the apnea. Even a few pounds can improve the symptoms of sleep apnea symptoms.
Stick to one normal sized pillow as you sleep. This causes you to lie in a way that makes it harder to breathe. This means that one single pillow is most appropriate to help alleviate your sleeping concerns.
Do not sleep on your back if you have sleep apnea. Many individuals afflicted with sleep apnea are back sleepers, which just boosts the chances that their airways collapse. Try your best to avoid sleeping on your back, and use pillows or something else to keep you on your side.
Don’t go to sleep on your back if you have sleep apnea sufferer. Sleeping on one’s back with sleep apnea can make it hard for you to sleep. Use cushions or pillows to keep you sleeping on your side at night.
Avoid alcohol if you are a sleep apnea sufferer. Alcohol will relax your throat muscles beyond normality and will block your passages. If you are going to drink, avoid all alcohol or make sure not to drink at all at least 4 hours before bedtime. This can keep alcohol harming you from getting a good night’s sleep.
Play a woodwind instrument. You are going to have a good time with the music, and you get to give your mind a workout. However, you are also working out your throat muscles that regulate breathing. Strengthening and training your throat muscles will help you gain control of them and help them stay in place as you sleep. This will have a positive effect on your sleep apnea.
You shouldn’t feel embarassed or ashamed about sleep apnea treatments like CPAP machine.
Sleep Apnea
You should not be embarrassed of your diagnosis or your CPAP machine. Tell people that this is a necessity, and don’t be self-conscious about having to use it in the presence of others. Always know that the CPAP machine is something that you need which can help you, and if someone looks down upon you for using it, then they weren’t your friends anyway.
If you think that sleep apnea is something you may have, consult a physician and arrange a sleep study. This procedure will let you know if you’re suffering with sleep apnea and how severe it is. After that, you need to look for a treatment to manage it, even when suffering with a mild case.
Lack of sleep will interfere with every aspect of your life, and may even pose a threat to your long-term health. Start taking the necessary steps to get control over sleep apnea and getting the much needed rest you deserve. You don’t have to live the rest of your life with your eyes half shut.
How you sleep influences how many times sleep apnea will strike on a given night. This is why proper positioning is so critical. Elevate your body by placing a foam wedge under it. Alternatively, you can elevate the upper portion of your bed a few inches.