Sleep apnea is a big deal. Many people blow off talk of sleep apnea without realizing that it is a disorder that is potentially dangerous for anyone. Read this article so that you can learn what you need to know that will help you and everyone you know about sleep apnea.
If you are carrying a few extra pounds, it may be time to lose them. Obesity is linked to sleep apnea according to certain studies. Consequently, it is therefore possible that losing just twenty-five pounds could result in a dramatic improvement of your sleep apnea symptoms if you are currently suffering from obesity.
Exercise your neck and throat. Sleep apnea is caused by your throat becoming obstructed as you sleep. By strengthening the muscles in your neck, throat, and jaw, you can help your muscles withstand the pressure. Spend a few minutes every day performing exercises designed for the jaw and neck area.
Sleep apnea sufferers should always invest in a heated humidifier equipped with a bacterial filtering mechanism for use in the room where they sleep. By utilizing this type of machine, it is possible to guard against the fragile membranes that line the lungs and nasal passages, preventing exacerbation of existing symptoms.
Try yourself to sleep on your side. If you fall asleep on your back, gravity can make it easier for your tongue and/or tonsils to fall back into your throat and obstruct your windpipe, causing apnea episodes. While it may be hard a first, as time passes, however, it will start to become second nature to sleep on your side.
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 aren’t sleeping with a partner each night who can let you know of any irregularities in your sleeping patterns, it can be hard to know if you have this condition. One way to check out your sleeping habits is to train a video camera on yourself. Make sure you have audio on your video so you and your doctor can hear the noises you make in your sleep.
Avoid sleeping pills when you find out you realize you are diagnosed with sleep apnea. Sleeping pills relax throat muscles to the degree that they no longer properly function. Avoid them at all costs to prevent yourself from hurting your body any more.
You need a regular sleep schedule if you suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can disrupt your sleep every night. Try your best to get a regular sleep pattern after you find out you have sleep apnea, this will help your overall health improve. You should go to bed at the same hour every single day.
If you are concerned your snoring may be sleep apnea, try keeping a sleep diary. You would keep a record of the hours you sleep, how many times you wake at night, and whether you feel refreshed the next day. Also, if you have a bedmate, ask them if your snoring is loud and frequent and if you exhibit any gasping or choking sounds.
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.
On easy way to help limit your sleep apnea is to stick to regular sleeping hours. When you stick to a sleep schedule that is steady and consistent, you will be more relaxed and sleep much better. Apnea episode frequency will be greatly reduced if you can get plenty of sleep every night.
Even though you want to sleep better, do not take sleeping medication if you suffer from, or have a history of sleep apnea. What you may think will help will only make the condition worse by relaxing your muscles even more when you sleep. If you suffer from insomnia along with sleep apnea, speak with your doctor.
If you have sleep apnea, and your CPAP does not seem to be working out for you, consider alternate types of machines. You may be a person who needs the air pressure to change throughout the night as you sleep. Your doctor can prescribe a machine that uses different technologies to deliver air, such as an APAP, a BiPAP, or a machine equipped with C-FLEX. Each of these adjusts the pressure up and down as you sleep, which can make it more comfortable and effective for you.
While you may not be obese or even very overweight, even a couple of extra pounds can cause sleep apnea. That means even if you have a little belly, you should work to get rid of it and see if that removes your sleeping problems. You will thank yourself for it afterwards.
Make sure that your airways are open while you sleep if you suffer from sleep apnea. You can do this by using some nasal strips, a saline nose spray, or a netipot. This will allow you not to struggle so much with your breathing and the better your breathing is, the least symptoms you will experience.
If your physician prescribes a CPAP machine for treating your sleep apnea, ask for a heated humidifier and additional bacterial filters for your machine. The durable medical equipment supplier may not automatically provide these, but they will help to minimize bacterial growth and keep your nasal passages moist and comfortable.
Knowing what sleep apnea is helps to arm you with power. You should now be well equipped to talk about it with more authority thanks to the information given here. If you think someone you know has sleep apnea, speak up. You can be the one that keeps others happy, healthy and alive for many more years.
