Getting enough sleep each and every night is essential for health and happiness. However, if you’re suffering from sleep apnea, you are probably not getting the rest you need. Dealing with this can be troublesome when you don’t know what to do. If you’re in the dark about how to handle your sleep apnea, the article below can help.
Do throat and tongue exercises daily to reduce your apnea symptoms. The results of recent research suggest that jaw exercise, and tongue exercises can greatly reduce the presence of sleep apnea symptoms. Doing just a few of these exercises every day can help you get a good night of rest.
If you have sleep apnea, try sleeping on your side. If you are a back or stomach sleeper, gravity is working against you all night. Your airway is much more likely to collapse if you are facing straight up or down. Sleeping on your side instead makes it much easier for your body to maintain your airway as you sleep.
For people who smoke, the best way to correct a sleep apnea condition is to quit smoking. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of sleep apnea. When people stop smoking their risk of sleep apnea is reduced and they can get a full night sleep within days of quitting.
Eliminate or reduce your alcohol consumption to reduce your sleep apnea episodes. The relaxation that results from alcohol use can cause you to breathe less deeply and may also increase the likelihood that your upper airway will collapse. If you can’t refrain altogether from alcohol, make sure that you don’t drink for at least 3 hours before bedtime.
If you have difficulties sleeping because of your sleep apnea, you should avoid driving or operating dangerous machines. If you do not get a good night of sleep, take public transportation instead of driving to prevent accidents and do not take a job in a factory or on a construction site.
If you think that you may have sleep apnea, set up a video of yourself as you sleep. Just be sure that the video recorder has sound capability. When you wake up, look at the video, and if it seems like something other than snoring is going on, it may be time to go to the doctor.
A great way to know if you are experiencing severe apnea is to keep a sleep journal. Write down all the times that you wake up in the night and also record how you feel in the morning. This will help you to have a record to see your progress.
If you use a CPAP machine and suffer from dry mouth as a result, there are two solutions. First, try increasing the humidity of your system. If that doesn’t work, you can also try a chin strap. One or both of these solutions can prevent the air leakage that causes dry mouth.
At bedtime, elevate your head using pillows. This will allow your airways to remain open as you sleep, and will reduce sleep apnea. Just make sure that your neck and back are comfortable so that you are not causing any pain in these areas while you are trying to help your sleep apnea.
Relieve you sleep apnea symptoms by keeping your nasal passages clear. A good nasal spray can keep you breathing freely and lessen the occurrences of sleep apnea. Using a neti pot to clear sinuses before bedtime can keep you breathing freely all night long. Both nasal spray and neti pots are available at any drug store.
Make sure that you are getting enough sleep every night. When you are sleep deprived, you may notice that your sleep apnea is worse. You also want the room you are sleeping in set up so that you can get a good night sleep. It should be dark, quiet and you should feel comfortable and at peace while you are sleeping.
Lose weight. If you find yourself having difficulty sleeping, take the time to evaluate your weight. If you are obese, that is likely a major factor in your sleep apnea. Start on a diet and exercise regime right away so that you can slim down and sleep more comfortably every night.
Some researchers believe that strengthening your throat muscles may help alleviate sleep apnea. Specific exercises and the regular use of your throat muscles may strengthen them and help relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, don’t drink prior to going to sleep. Alcohol can overly relax your throat muscles and make it difficult to breathe causing an apnea episode. You don’t have to stop drinking, you just shouldn’t have any alcohol before bed.
Because allergy symptoms can increase apnea episodes, discuss your allergies with your doctor to find the safest ways to treat them. Certain antihistamines should probably be avoided, as they may lead to your airways becoming too relaxed. For this reason, follow your doctor’s advice regarding medications that are safe for your condition.
Surgery might be necessary to remove excess tissue from your uvula, palate or pharynx to relieve your apnea. The surgery entails a procedure called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP for short, and it helps to rid the airways of excess tissue which in turn opens up your airways allowing you to breathe more normally. It is often necessary to take out the tonsils as well.
If you have sleep apnea, only go to bed when you are actually sleepy. You need to work to establish and maintain good sleep hygiene. This means that you when you get into bed, you actually fall asleep and stay asleep. Wait until you are actually sleepy before retiring for the night, and get back up if you have not fallen asleep within 20 minutes.
Now that you’ve reached the end of this article, you should be better equipped to deal with your sleep apnea. Follow the tips and ideas you’ve just learned to help manage this affliction. You can control your sleep apnea, rather than letting it control you, when you practice the methods above.
