Sleep apnea robs many people of a good night’s sleep. Thankfully, there are many things you can do to both improve your condition and sleep better. Take to heart the ideas and tips in the following paragraphs to start sleeping soundly again.
Drop some vices to combat sleep apnea. Smoking and drinking can inflame your airways and make them swell. Drinking affects the respiratory system. Cigarette smoke is full of cancer-causing chemicals which are bad for your lungs. When you stop doing these things, your sleep apnea symptoms should be reduced.
Get a mouth guard if your airways are the cause of your sleep apnea. 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 these, and get a fitting if you two think it might work.
Skip sleeping pills if you are prone to bouts of sleep apnea. You may feel you need them to get to sleep, but they have a similar effect as alcohol on the body. They also have additional side effects besides the obvious ones. Stay away if you want to lessen your sleep apnea symptoms.
Consider using a mouth guard when you sleep. If your jaw is improperly aligned, this could lead to issues with sleep apnea. The alignment of your jaw has a lot to do with whether or not you are getting sufficient airflow. Being fitted for a mouth guard can help your breathe while it’s correcting the problem.
Try your best to lay off tobacco and nicotine products. Cigarette smoke can irritate your upper airway causing it to swell up, subsequently hindering your ability to breath during the night. Quitting smoking could therefore, significantly improve your sleep apnea symptoms and will also improve your body’s overall health and your feelings of well-being.
Consider sleeping sitting up if you have sleep apnea, and you do not have a CPAP available. Perhaps you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, but you have not had your CPAP prescribed yet. Maybe the power went out, and your CPAP will not work without electricity. Whenever you have to sleep without the benefit of CPAP therapy, sleeping sitting up will help to keep your airway from collapsing.
If you have just been diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP, join a CPAP support group. It can be quite difficult to get used to sleeping with a mask on your face every night. Sitting in a room full of other people going through the same thing can be very empowering. You can learn from others who have had the same issues you are having and made adjustments to make it work.
Stop smoking. Smoking cigarettes is bad for you for many different reasons. Smoking can also cause sleep apnea. It isn’t just bad for your lungs; it can also cause your upper airway to swell. This can make it difficult for you to get the breath that you need at night.
Try some throat and mouth exercises. One reason people suffer from sleep apnea is because their throats close when they sleep. Strengthening these muscles can decrease the chance that they will go slack while you are sleeping. Try some tongue, jaw and neck exercises to increase your throat strength.
If you are taking a great deal of medicines on a regular basis, sit with your doctor and discuss how they can be reduced. Side effects from prescription medication can be making your sleep apnea worse. Keep a dialog open with your doctor and make sure he is up to date on all your symptoms.
Clear up your nasal passage before heading to bed. If you suffer from sleep apnea and have problems with a “stuffed up” nose, using a nasal spray or device can help clear your nasal airway. This is not a permanent solution, but one you can use when your apnea symptoms are the worst.
A good way to determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea is by recording yourself when you sleep. You can do either an audio or video recording to catch your sleep patterns and sounds you generate when you are in a deep slumber. These recordings can be quite informative. Try doing them for several nights in a row to get a good range of information.
Sleeping at a high altitude can worsen your sleep apnea because of the lower levels of oxygen. If you are going to a place located higher than what you are used to, take a CPAP machine with you. The best thing to do would be to completely avoid high altitude.
Keep your throat and head elevated while you sleep. If you suffer from sleep apnea, your airways are getting blocked while you sleep. So, keeping your throat and head in an elevated position helps keep your airways open. This can translate into a better night of sleep with reduced sleep apnea symptoms.
While it is common sense to avoid caffeine before sleeping, this is especially true for people who have problems with snoring or apnea. This is a simple thing to cut out, just remember that this includes soft drinks, coffee and even some types of coffee flavored foods. This will also help you sleep faster.
If you are drowsy, listen to your body. If you are not getting enough sleep at night because of sleep apnea, you are more likely to feel drowsy during the day. This indicates that your treatments are not effective. So, when you are feeling drowsy on a regular basis, consider visiting your doctor to re-discuss your treatment options and your current apnea treatment plan.
People need every bit of available energy to deal with the demands of day-to-day life, and that means that getting healthy, natural sleep is vitally important. Sleep apnea shouldn’t get in your way any more if you’re able to use these tips to benefit you.
