If you are waking up tired every morning, you may be suffering from any number of sleep disorders. You may have a treatable condition known as sleep apnea and not even realize it. Extract all the information from this article on sleep apnea that you can.
Try using a mouth guard that’s custom-fitted for you. These oral devices are specially made for sleep apnea sufferers. They make a good substitute for CPAP machine use, and provide better nighttime comfort. A mouth guard will work by positioning the jaw and tongue in a helpful way that will allow for easier breathing while asleep.
If you have sleep apnea, try sleeping on your side. If you are a back or stomach sleeper, gravity is working against you all night. Your airway is much more likely to collapse if you are facing straight up or down. Sleeping on your side instead makes it much easier for your body to maintain your airway as you sleep.
Did you know that sleep apnea is more than just snoring? Your breathing may actually stop, or it may become very shallow, and this could happen upwards of a hundred times or more each night. If you feel you may be suffering from this affliction, you should see a doctor and be properly diagnosed and discuss a treatment that works best for you.
Make sure to provide relief for your allergies. Congestion can make it harder to breathe through your nose and force you to take in air through your mouth. Allergies can cause soft tissues to swell and make apnea much more severe. Research the medicines you use to treat your symptoms and be wary of adding side effects to the mix.
Always get enough sleep. When you fail to get a decent amount of sleep on a regular basis or fail to follow a normal sleeping pattern. Insomnia and sleep apnea go hand in hand. So, when you can successfully sleep regularly, your symptoms are less pronounced because you are well rested.
Sleep in a prone position. Many people with sleep apnea sleep while on their backs. Your airway can get blocked if you sleep on your back. Sleeping on one’s side is a better option. Put a pillow on your side if you always find yourself moving around during sleep.
If you are a smoker and suffer from sleep apnea, quit, or at the very least, cut back dramatically. Smoking is dangerous for those who suffer from sleep apnea because it causes swelling to the airways, not to mention all the tar it leaves behind in your lungs and airways.
Take your CPAP anywhere you go, even if you make a trip to the hospital. It’s important to have your familiar mask and machine available in the hospital, whether you’re there for a planned visit or an unplanned emergency. It already has your pressure settings dialed in, and your mask is something your used to wearing at night. Doing so will make your hospitalization easier because you can continue to do your CPAP therapy.
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. Standard treatment vectors of sleep apnea do not work for certain individuals, and they wind up going in for surgical options. These can include tonsil removal and airway enlargements.
Sleep apnea events can be decreased by keeping regular sleep hours. Going to bed and getting up at approximately the same time every day will provide better and more relaxed sleep. This simple lifestyle change can be a big help when sleep apnea is in the mild to moderate range.
Minimize your alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol can cause your throat to relax which can make sleep apnea worse. Limit drink consumption to no more than two or quit drinking completely prior to bed. This can keep alcohol from messing up your sleep.
If your sleep apnea is caused by misalignment of your jaw, which results in the narrowing of your airway, you may benefit from visiting a doctor. A doctor can look at the alignment and suggest a night mouth guard that will force your airways to stay open while sleeping by holding your jaw in proper alignment.
Having sleep apnea puts you at risk for developing diabetes. When you go into sleep apnea, the body is deprived of oxygen and must produce more adrenalin to compensate, which causes sugar levels to rise. If you already have diabetes, check your sugar levels at night. If you do not have diabetes, make sure you adopt a healthy diet to prevent this condition from developing.
If you are trying to sleep on your side to avoid problems with sleep apnea, one way to do ensure you stay on your side is to put hard round object in your clothes. This will help you to stay on your side throughout an entire night’s sleep and avoid apnea.
Cut down on alcohol use. When you drink, the alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat, making it easier for them to obstruct your airway and “collapse.” Don’t have alcohol within 4 or 5 hours before going to sleep to avoid this, if you want to continue to drink at all.
Do not give up if the first treatment you try does not work. Give each treatment a few weeks before you decide to give up and move on to the next treatment. Finding the right solution can take some time, but you will be glad you went through this process.
Avoid sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your back allows gravity to compound your sleep apnea. If your airway is already prone to collapse, sleeping on your back will make it much more likely to occur. If you find yourself turning onto your back as you sleep, consider sewing a tennis ball to the back of your pajamas to discourage it.
If you, or someone you know, has been plagued with being tired for months or years, it is time to mention it to a health care provider. Trying to tough it out yourself won’t change anything; you need to see a doctor. Share what you learned with those around you.
