Sound Advice For The Sleep Apnea Patient

Remember that it is important to follow through rather than just contemplate addressing your sleep apnea. If you suffer from this affliction, you need to be proactive. Learning about effective sleep apnea treatments is a great way to get started. The article you're reading will provide some ideas that may help you find relief.

Do you smoke or drink? Quit these terrible habits. Your airways are affected by using both of these substances. Alcohol use will lead to over-relaxation of your airways, making sleep apnea symptoms worse, while smoking can have a similar effect by constricting them. Eliminate drinking or smoking before bedtime if you can't avoid them entirely.

Try cutting out cigarettes and alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Both habits cause the muscles of the airway to relax, which increases both snoring and sleep apnea. Avoiding these temptations can put more money back in your pocket, and is a lot more cost effective than expensive surgeries that may no longer be necessary.

Have a mouth guard made for you. For those who have sleep apnea, this guard is a wonderful thing to have. It provides a more comfortable option to using a CPAP machine. The guard assists in opening up your airways and stabilizing the soft tissues. 

You really should cut down on your alcohol consumption. Alcohol naturally relaxes your muscles. While this is often considered a desirable effect, it can lead to sleep apnea. Like the rest of your muscles, those around your throat and airway relax under the influence of alcohol, making it harder for you to maintain a proper air passage. While it's not vital that alcohol be avoided 100%, do what you can to make sure you do not drink it before a nap or night-time sleep.

Sleep apnea is not to be taken lightly. If you have symptoms of sleep apnea, make an appointment with your doctor. After diagnosis, you may be referred to a sleep specialist who may order a home study using a portable monitor. In this way, the specialist can assess your condition accurately.

Sleeping on one of your sides when you have sleep apnea can help you sleep better. Sleeping on your back can obstruct your airways and cause apnea. Try very hard to rest on your side, and you may find your symptoms alleviated.

If you sleep alone, you may have sleep apnea and not know it. One way to see is to set up a video camera to record yourself as you sleep. Make sure you include the audio, so your doctor can hear what sounds you make.

Get to bed at a regular time every night if you suffer from sleep apnea. Your condition is already disrupting your nightly sleep cycle. Do whatever you can to restore your natural sleeping patterns, and you will find that you can handle the apnea a bit easier. Go to sleep and wake up each day on a regular schedule and this schedule should be used on the weekends, too.

An excellent way to help lessen the effects of sleep apnea is by losing weight. Weight loss alone can be an effective treatment for those with mild sleep apnea. Just losing a little bit of weight can go a long way in improving the symptoms of sleep apnea and opening up breathing passage ways.

Use a single, normal-sized pillow for sleeping. Over-sized pillows may lead to you sleeping in an unhealthy position. Not only is this bad for your neck in general, it also restricts your airway. So find a normal size pillow that is comfortable and doesn't contort your airway because this will help you sleep better and breathe easier.

Don't sleep facing upwards if you are a sleep apnea sufferer. Many people with sleep apnea find their airways block more easily when they sleep lying on their backs. Try your best to avoid sleeping on your back, and use pillows or something else to keep you on your side.

If you have sleep apnea, stop smoking. Your sleep apnea will worsen because smoking causes swelling in the upper respiratory system. Try to use some nicotine patches or other stop smoking programs or medications. The first month is pretty tough for most people, but it gets better. After that, the nicotine starts to leave your body and the cravings lessen.

A great method of reducing your sleep apnea symptoms is strengthening your throat muscles. Sleep apnea is commonly caused by the throat becoming obstructed because the soft tissues collapse near the back of your throat. Stronger muscles mean a less likelihood of the airways becoming blocked.

If you have sleep apnea, do not drink too much alcohol. When drinking alcohol it causes the muscles in your throat to relax, which results in snoring and blocked airways. You should either quit drinking, or try and limit it to an occasional drink before going to bed. You will make sure that your sleep is not affected by the alcohol.

Try not to feel embarrassed by your CPAP machine. Use it when you need to, and make others aware that it is necessary to your health and well-being. You also have to convince yourself that you need the machine. Your friends will understand if you explain why you use it. You can refer to this article, http://SleepingAdvisor.com/cpap/ for more useful tips on how to use your CPAP machine.

The way you sleep can play a big role in the amount of sleep apnea episodes you suffer from. You need to find the right position. Use a foam wedge to raise the top part of your body higher. Alternately, consider raising your bed top by a minimum of four inches.

If you are flying on a plane and it's going to be a long trip, you need to speak with the airline ahead of time to make arrangements to use the CPAP machine. It is important that you have enough space for your medically necessary device. If you fly a foreign carrier, be sure to pack a power adapter.

Now that you better understand your condition, use the tips above to help you devise a plan of attack. Choose the ones that will be most effective for you, and start applying them. Better sleep will give you back your happy life.

Sound Advice For The Sleep Apnea Patient by
No votes yet.
Please wait...