If you’re dealing with sleep apnea, try not worry. While it can be dramatic and cause other serious issues, you can live normally with proper treatment. You must learn about effective apnea treatments, which you will find in this article.
It may sound silly, but taking up a music instrument may improve your sleep apnea. When subjects in Germany were taught to play the didgeridoo, their sleep apnea symptoms were reduced. The researchers believe that practicing the instrument improved the tone of the muscles in the upper airway, which are responsible for airway dilation.
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.
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.
Adjust your CPAP machine. Most machines come with default settings that might not correspond to your needs. You should be able to regulate the airflow: try different settings and choose one that seems to work for you. If you feel like your machine is not working like it should, try changing the settings again.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP, work hard to get in the habit of using it every time you sleep. While it can be a struggle to get used to sleeping with a mask on your face, your health and your life depend on it. Work with your sleep center to get everything adjusted just right so that you can use CPAP therapy with a minimal amount of discomfort.
Drink less alcohol and smoke less if you suffer from sleep apnea. Alcoholic beverages cause the upper airway to become overly relaxed, and smoking causes swelling in your airway. So, cutting back or completely giving up both can improve your symptoms or even cure your sleep apnea problem completely.
Many children suffer with sleep apnea. IF you have a child with sleep apnea you can tell through poor grades, irritability, or hostility. These symptoms are much like ADHD so you should make sure you get the right diagnosis.
You may benefit from wearing a medical bracelet that explains your sleep apnea, the treatment your are undergoing for the condition and the proper pressure level for your CPAP. If you need medical attention, it’s vital that the people treating you know about your condition and that you use a CPAP machine. The ID needs to include all of the medical information pertaining to your CPAP use.
Stick to using just one normal sized pillow as you sleep. Over-sized pillows may lead to you sleeping in an unhealthy position. As a result, you may find it more difficult to breathe normally. This is why you need just one single pillow to sleep more restfully at night.
Anyone who suffers from sleep apnea should avoid using sleeping pills. It can be tempting to try to use them to help you sleep better, but these pills can relax your throat muscles and make your sleep apnea worse. They also have a number of other side effects that can be unpleasant.
Your physician is the only one who can really diagnose sleep apnea in you for sure, but there are things you can do on your own to manage and combat the condition once you know. Stopping smoking and shedding weight is a great start, especially for anyone dealing with sleep apnea. Stay away from large meals, caffeine, and alcohol if you have sleep apnea.
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.
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.
Part of treating sleep apnea is working on exercises that open up the airways to get more air in. A great way to do this is by playing wind instruments, like the clarinet or the flute. Consistently doing this strengthens the throat muscles and opens up the airways as well.
Remember that you may not always notice sleep apnea in the evening. You need to let your doctor know if you have excessive daytime sleepiness, frequent exhaustion or episodes of falling asleep at the wheel. Those symptoms might be part of what you’re experiencing as sleep apnea.
One way to determine whether or not you may have sleep apnea is to have your partner report what they see, hear and feel during the night. While you might not notice yourself waking up, your partner may hear you snoring, tossing and turning, or gasping in the wee hours.
If your nasal airways are too narrow, try using nasal strips. These can be bought in any pharmacy and will not damage your airways like sprays do. Choose a quality product and apply the strips right before you go to bed. Breathing should be a little easier with these strips.
Sleep apnea that is left unchecked can ruin your wellness. Fortunately, there are a multitude of treatments that have a positive effect on sleep apnea. Apply what you have read in the preceding paragraphs and talk things over with your physician. Come up with a comprehensive treatment regimen to maintain your health.
