Living life with poor quality sleep is very hard, but dealing with the sleep apnea symptoms makes it that much harder to enjoy. Sleep apnea is no death sentence, and there are treatments to help. This article will help you get started.
Try playing a wind instrument. Playing the trumpet or a similar musical instrument should help you strengthen your throat and help you control your breathing. Your upper airways should become stronger and remain open throughout the night, which would make the symptoms of sleep apnea disappear or at least reduce them.
Do you smoke or drink alcoholic beverages? Get rid of behaviors that are not good for you. Both have a negative influence on your air passages. Smoking can actually swell your airways while alcohol can overly relax them; each causes sleep apnea. If you can’t quit, at least don’t drink or smoke right before going to bed.
Do not take sleeping pills if you suffer from sleep apnea. These pills are not recommended if you suffer from this condition because they relax the muscles of your throat. Skipping them can actually help you get a better night of sleep because your apnea symptoms are not aggravated.
Keep your bedroom in prime shape for sleeping. Insomnia and sleep apnea are often connected. This makes keeping an environment in which you sleep at the right temperature, lightness level and sound level important for helping you get a good night of rest. The right environment also means leaving your stresses outside the bedroom to ensure you are relaxed enough to fall asleep.
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.
If nasal dryness or congestion is an issue, try a nasal spray. Nasal spray can help clear out your airways. Most nasal sprays are not recommended for extended periods of time so use them sparingly. Visit a pharmacy to find a variety of ways of keeping your nose clear as you sleep.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is important to avoid drinking alcohol. Alcoholic beverages will relax the muscles in your throat, which makes it more likely that they will block your airway during your sleep. At the very least, avoid any alcoholic beverages in the evening before you get ready for bed.
Minimize your risk from the conditions causing sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can run in the family, and that is one factor that can’t be changed. However, many other risk factors can be cut out, like being overweight, a smoker or a heavy drinker.
If you think that you may have sleep apnea, set up a video of yourself as you sleep. Just be sure that the video recorder has sound capability. When you wake up, look at the video, and if it seems like something other than snoring is going on, it may be time to go to the doctor.
An excellent way to reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea is to prop up your head and body. If you can get your head at least 4 inches off of the mattress or elevate your torso from the waist up, you will reduce your symptoms. Try using a foam wedge or cervical pillow when sleeping to do this.
Don’t drink a lot of alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Drinking can relax the throat muscles too much, and that can cause airways to be blocked as well as snoring. So stop drinking because this will only be a detriment to your sleep. That way, your sleep will not be affected.
New apnea patients who are being fitted for CPAP equipment should insist on trying out several mask options. It is customary for the DME providers (Durable Medical Equipment) to show up at your door with a CPAP machine and a basic mask. Truth be told, there are many different styles of masks, and finding the best style for you dramatically improves your compliance with the CPAP therapy. Take the upper hand and insist that they show you a variety of masks, even if you have to go into their showroom. Like so many health issues, knowledge is the key. You will get better service and far more relief by knowing your options and speaking your mind.
Prior to going to bed, it is important to open up your nasal passages. This is so that you get enough air flow. To open up the nasal passages, you may want to use saline spray, a nasal dilator, a neti pot, breathing strips or whatever your doctor may have recommended.
There have been many advances in the treatment of sleep apnea recently and it is in your best interest to explore all of the various options in treatments. If you were unhappy with previous results from past treatments, you may find a new treatment that will work for you and that you will be comfortable with.
Make sure to do some throat exercises every day to reduce any symptoms of sleep apnea. Try making silly faces and sticking out your tongue. It might seem funny, though according to some new studies, exercising your tongue and jaw on a daily basis can reduce the symptoms that you are experiencing.
Take hold of your sleep apnea and seek out a cure for it. By not visiting your doctor and searching for a treatment, your sleep apnea symptoms are just going to get worse. A visit to your doctor is essential to prevent your sleep apnea symptoms from ruining your nightly sleep.
Since life is already filled with so many difficulties, sleep apnea should not be another one. Hopefully this article has offered you some very useful advice you can try out as soon as this evening, and you will be able to start getting a really good night’s sleep, once and for all!
