The detrimental impact sleep apnea has on the lives of countless sufferers is a very serious matter. Fortunately, with a bit of knowledge and research, it is possible for just about anyone to learn effective techniques for managing the condition. Review the ideas below for some useful information about battling sleep apnea successfully.
Aside from the obvious reasons that losing weight is important, if you have sleep apnea, it’s vital that you lose weight. Although it might not be the main cause, being overweight makes sleep apnea worse. Losing a little weight can have a big affect on your sleep apnea. Try a calorie restriction diet and exercise.
Take the steps to find out if you actually have sleep apnea. Those who snore don’t necessarily have the disorder. If you have a sleeping partner, ask them questions about your actions during sleep. Do you stop breathing and gasp for air? That is a sure sign of sleep apnea.
A great way to ensure that you do not sleep on your back and cause sleep apnea to occur is to use a tennis ball to prevent rolling onto your back. You can place one in a pillow behind your back and when you roll over in your sleep, the tennis ball will make you roll back on your side.
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.
If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine at night, consider using saline nasal spray. The continuous airflow being pushed through your nose every time you sleep can cause your sinuses to dry out. Keep them hydrated by using two pumps of saline nasal spray in each nostril morning and night.
You should adopt a healthy lifestyle and monitor your weight and blood pressure. Your doctor should be able to advise you on your diet and perhaps on a fitness program if you need to be more active. Living a healthy life should really help you reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea.
If you consume alcohol or smoke, this could be the underlying cause of your sleep apnea symptoms. Meanwhile, smoking causes the swelling of the airways; alcohol does the complete opposite and relaxes them too much. If you want to be able to sleep well each night, limit or quit smoking and/or drinking.
If you have sleep apnea, do not use sleeping pills. These medications work to relax the throat muscles, which is not what you need to cure sleep apnea. They can also cause a lot of other problems, so it is best to stay away from them. If you have a hard time falling asleep at night, try learning some natural ways to rest your body.
Go to your doctor if you always feel sleepy and irritated. This might be caused by sleep apnea, even though your condition is not bad enough to wake you up in the middle of the night. A mild case of sleep apnea can cause you to sleep very lightly and not feel refreshed in the morning.
Talk to a doctor. When you have sleep apnea, you must be sure to see a physician. This is because only a doctor can tell you which treatments are right for you. If you wait, you may find yourself in dire straits as well as feeling confused. See a doctor right away so you can treat your condition.
Don’t take sleeping pills. You may feel like the answer to your sleep problems would be a pill to help you sleep, but it’s not! Sedatives and other sleep aids cause your muscles, including your throat muscles, to relax. Relaxed throat muscles are even harder to control while sleeping and are a danger to those who suffer from sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea, as defined, is when your body does not have the required amount of oxygen it needs when you are asleep. As is the case, it would behoove the sufferer of sleep apnea to avoid sleeping at an elevation. The higher you are, the less oxygen there is which is bad. If you are able to avoid sleeping in the mountains or on an airplane, you should.
Work out the muscles in your jaw and throat. Sleep apnea can be brought on by weak muscles, so doing these exercises can help. You may be able to significantly reduce your sleep apnea symptoms with just a little effort this way.
Surgery may be your answer. If you have tried the at-home treatments with no success, surgery may be required to cure your sleep apnea. If your apnea is caused by severe misalignment of your jaw, you may require surgery to correct your alignment, thus enlarging your airway and curing the sleep apnea.
Invite your significant other to come with you to your next doctor’s appointment. Not only will this educate your partner on sleep apnea, he or she can also inform your doctor about your condition through reporting on first hand experiences. Your partner can, better than you, describe the patterns that are occurring while you are sleeping.
If you are thinking about some kind of oral device to help with your sleep apnea, you must get it custom fitted by a dentist who specializes in sleep apnea. These devices can have side effects sucks as saliva build-up, soreness, nausea or a permanent position change in the jaw, so regular consultations with your dentist are required.
Make no mistake, sleep apnea is one of the most disruptive conditions a person can have, largely due to its ability to rob sufferers of the sound sleep they need to stay healthy. The best way to effectively deal with the condition is to understand it completely. Keep the information in this article handy in order to stay on top of this dangerous condition and reclaim peace of mind.
