Do not freak out if you get a diagnosis of sleep apnea. If left untreated, sleep apnea can cause many serious health problems. If treated, though, you can live a relatively normal life with just few inconveniences. You must learn about effective apnea treatments, which you will find in this article.
If you have inherently narrow airway that are causing sleep apnea, a mouth guard can help. These devices correct your airways and they help you breathe properly. Ask your doctor to help you get fitted for a mouth guard.
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.
Getting a CPAP machine is probably the best option for your sleep apnea. These machines will keep your airways open and help you breathe. You should talk to your doctor about CPAP machines and figure out which model would be the most adapted. This machine should work if you use it properly.
If you sleep alone, figuring out if you suffer from sleep apnea may be difficult. You might consider video recording yourself asleep. Make sure that the microphone on your recording device picks up any snoring or other noises you make while sleeping, because your physician needs to hear them.
Do you always sleep on your back? Try sleeping on your side instead. When you sleep on your back with a head propped on a pillow, your airways get narrower. Go to sleep on your side and use cushions to prevent yourself from rolling in your sleep. Your airways should remain open as long as you are on your side.
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.
A good way to determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea is by recording yourself when you sleep. You can do either an audio or video recording to catch your sleep patterns and sounds you generate when you are in a deep slumber. These recordings can be quite informative. Try doing them for several nights in a row to get a good range of information.
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.
Reduce your sleep apnea risk factors. Some sleep apnea risk factors cannot be changed, like genetic or hereditary reasons. On the other hand, certain risk factors, such as being fat, smoking cigarettes, and drinking alcohol, are entirely under your control.
If you have sleep apnea, and you smoke, it’s crucial that you quit right away. Smoking causes the throat to inflame, making it hard for air to get into your airways. In fact, studies suggest that smoking may cause or worsen sleep apnea in some patients. So, avoid it altogether!
One great way to track your sleep progress, especially if you sleep alone, is by recording yourself in the night. The next day you can watch for signs of apnea and see if there are specific times or triggers that cause the apnea. This is a great resource for your medical professional as well.
Getting a sufficient amount of sleep every night (about 7 to 8 hours) helps to decrease sleep apnea episodes. It has been proven that sleep apnea is less likely to occur when the body is well rested and relaxed. Try to have a specific sleep schedule and stick to it each night.
The first thing you should do if you discover you have sleep apnea is take a long look at your weight. If you are overweight that can be increasing the problem. That means you need to take some time to learn about weight loss and exercise. Not only will your sleep improve, but your whole life will.
Keep a generator at home. If there is a power outage, your CPAP machine will stop functioning. Some CPAP machines have a battery that will kick in if the power goes out but you should invest in a quality generator in case you have to remain without power for several hours.
Smoking is another thing which makes the problem of sleep apnea worse. It actually irritates the nasal passages and makes them swell. This in turn causes the airways to be partially blocked, making breathing on auto pilot while you are asleep more difficult. Cutting smoking out entirely is ideal, but even reducing the amount you smoke may help.
Do not give up if the first treatment you try does not work. Give each treatment a few weeks before you decide to give up and move on to the next treatment. Finding the right solution can take some time, but you will be glad you went through this process.
If you use a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure)device for your sleep apnea, make sure you know how to put it on correctly. Make sure the straps are tightened just right and make sure the device is sealing over your air passageways. The device’s fit is important to its operation.
Sleep apnea can harm your health if it’s left untreated. Fortunately, there are a multitude of treatments that have a positive effect on sleep apnea. Use what you learned in this article and consult with a doctor in order to help ensure that you’re staying in the best shape possible.
