Sleep apnea is an annoying condition. It can also be life threatening. Therefore, it is very important for people that suffer from sleep apnea to learn about the condition and its treatments. You can get going on that education by reading the tips below.
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.
You should know that getting a CPAP machine is not going to make your symptoms go away for good. These machines will help you sleep better and perhaps reduce your symptoms on the long term. Keep in mind that you really need to use your machine every night for this treatment to work.
Consider elevating the head of your bed if you suffer from sleep apnea. As you sleep, gravity is constantly pulling on your muscles and causing your airway to close. If you elevate the head of your bed a bit, the slight incline makes it easier for your body to maintain your airway when you are sleeping.
If you have just been diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP, join a CPAP support group. It can be quite difficult to get used to sleeping with a mask on your face every night. Sitting in a room full of other people going through the same thing can be very empowering. You can learn from others who have had the same issues you are having and made adjustments to make it work.
Avoid using sleeping pills and do not be tempted to consume alcohol before bedtime. Both sleeping pills and alcohol are sedatives, which can interfere with your breathing, as they cause your throat muscles to relax. You should also avoid other types of sedatives, including some prescription painkillers and many street drugs.
Lose the extra weight. Research has shown that losing weight can dramatically improve your sleep apnea symptoms. Losing a few pounds can reduce the amount of pressure on your neck as you sleep, a primary cause of sleep apnea. Some people were even able to completely cure their apnea using this method.
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.
If you smoke cigarettes and are suffering from sleep apnea, now is the best time to quit this habit. When you smoke, you are increasing the inflammation and the fluid retention in your throat along with your upper airways, and that will contribute greatly to sleep apnea. Once you quit, you should notice your symptoms start to lessen.
Do not drink too much alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Drinking can relax the throat muscles too much, and that can cause airways to be blocked as well as snoring. So stop drinking because this will only be a detriment to your sleep. If you do this, your quality of sleep should improve.
A CPAP machine can assist you in sleeping if you do have sleep apnea. You are much more likely to have a good night’s sleep and stick with your CPAP therapy if the air being delivered is warm and moist. Try and get a CPAP machine that has a humidifier built into it; your doctor should be able to point you in the right direction.
Learning to play a wind instrument can be an effective control strategy for those who snore or have sleep apnea symptoms. Not only will it be soothing for you, but in a trial study in Germany, it showed that a wind instrument can relax the symptoms of sleep apnea. Mastering this music form means you can retain control of your respiratory system.
Make sure to do some throat exercises every day to reduce any symptoms of sleep apnea. Try making silly faces and sticking out your tongue. It might seem funny, though according to some new studies, exercising your tongue and jaw on a daily basis can reduce the symptoms that you are experiencing.
There are different ways that sleep specialists will treat sleep apnea. They may start by treating an underlying medical condition, using oxygen while you are sleeping or utilizing breathing devices that will manage your obstructive sleep apnea. They could prescribe medications that will help with the sleepiness, but will not help with the apnea itself.
While sedatives and other sleep medications may help you fall asleep they are not so good when suffering from apnea. If possible, avoid taking any sleep aids to see if this improves your apnea problems. You just may find that something you thought was helping you to sleep was actually decreasing the quality of your sleep.
All sleep apnea patients can benefit from information found through the AWAKE Foundation. AWAKE sponsors support groups across the country that are dedicated to educating and informing the public on issues and treatment options related to sleep apnea. These meetings frequently showcase new equipment and mask options for CPAP patients, as well as updates on new trends in treatment. With chapters in most regional areas, AWAKE serves as a very effective support service for patients and their families to get sound and reliable information to improve their health.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, try chewing on both sides of your mouth! It may sound odd, but if you think about it, chewing works all of your jaw muscles, so balanced strength and functionality may lessen the airway problems associated with sleep apnea. You might also try specific exercises that work all muscles in the jaw and throat.
There is no argument about sleep apnea’s ability to cause distress. It’s an uncomfortable, frustrating, and sometimes dangerous condition. It can make life miserable for both you and those around you. Use this information to help you go about your treatment against sleep apnea.