Sleep is one of the most basic elements of healthy living and if you’re suffering from sleep apnea, you are just not getting yours. It’s important to know what you can do about your condition and how to alleviate symptoms. Start by reading the helpful advice in the following article.
Stop your destructive ways. If you smoke and drink, you are almost sure to suffer from sleep disturbances. The muscle-relaxing effects of alcohol are very hard on the whole respiratory system and lead to significant breathing problems. Inflammation and narrowing of the air passages is extremely dangerous for those who suffer from sleep apnea. Getting rid of these bad habits can help to lessen the frustration that sleep apnea brings.
Do you have a smoking or drinking habit? If the answer is yes and you have sleep apnea, you need to stop both habits. These items can harm your airways. When you smoke it causes swelling in your airways, and when consuming alcohol, your airway muscles tend to relax. That causes the symptoms of sleep apnea to worsen. Avoid second-hand smoke and do not drink immediately before going to bed.
For people who suffer from sleep apnea, they may stop using their CPAP machine because it is noisy or too large. See if you can get an upgrade. The machines have gotten much smaller and quieter in recent years. You may be eligible for an upgrade. Contact your doctor or insurance provider for more information.
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.
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.
Exercise your throat. Make faces. Stick out your tongue. Rotate your jaw. It might feel a bit silly, but it can actually help people who suffer from sleep apnea. Doing these things exercises the muscles your body needs to moderate its breathing. Studies have shown that doing these exercises a few times a day can make a huge difference.
If you have to use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, you may find it hard to get used to at first. It is important that you do not quit using the machine, though. Focus on the benefits of the machine rather than the inconvenience. It will make life safer for yourself and others. Daytime sleepiness caused by sleep apnea is a major risk factor for car accidents, for instance.
It’s imperative that you see a doctor for a proper diagnosis when it comes to sleep apnea. But some people find that they can be responsible for their own treatment. Try losing weight and eating healthier to get rid of your sleep apnea. Overeating, consuming an excessive amount of alcohol and too much caffeine before bed can all exacerbate sleep apnea.
It’s important to lose weight if you suffer from sleep apnea and you are overweight. The heavier you are, the harder it is for air to get down your throat. In fact, some studies suggest that obese people who suffer from sleep apnea can get rid of the condition by losing weight.
A great method of reducing your sleep apnea symptoms is strengthening your throat muscles. The origin of sleep apnea is obstructed air flow in breathing, which is a consequence of soft tissue collapse in the rear of your throat. When your muscles strengthen, their chances of collapse and airway blockage go down.
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.
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule can help anyone dealing with sleep apnea. Once you can get on a schedule and stick to it, you will notice that your symptoms will decrease as your body gets more sleep. Make a routine that works for your lifestyle, and do your best to stick to it.
Playing a wind instrument can be helpful for sleep apnea. Wind exercises will help exercise and strengthen your throat muscles, which will help you breath in the middle of the night. If you consistently make an effort to strengthen your throat muscles, you’ll have a better time sleeping with sleep apnea.
Smokers who also suffer from sleep apnea need to make a difficult decision. Research shows that smoking can worsen sleeping problems such as snoring and apnea, so those who like to light up need to really look into themselves and decide what is more important, nicotine or a great night’s sleep.
There are different ways that sleep specialists will treat sleep apnea. They may start by treating an underlying medical condition, using oxygen while you are sleeping or utilizing breathing devices that will manage your obstructive sleep apnea. They could prescribe medications that will help with the sleepiness, but will not help with the apnea itself.
Hopefully, quality sleep will elude you no more, after having read the valuable tips in this article. Sleep apnea can be a very serious problem and with no remedy, you face a near impossible existence. Employ the advice you have learned here tonight and see a professional if you are not able to start getting the sleep you need.
