Any intrusion to your peaceful sleep can prove nightmarish, but the prospect of sleep apnea is particularly terrifying. What’s good for you is that if you do have sleep apnea, then you are in luck because of this article. The advice you will read here will help you begin to understand sleep apnea.
Losing some harmful vices to fight off sleep apnea. Smoking and drinking are some of the biggest offenders. Drinking relaxes your airway to prevent proper breathing. Smoking, of course, causes both long and short term damage to your lungs and airways, as well as putting you at risk for cancer. Dropping these habits can help ease your symptoms.
Alleviate you sleep apnea by loosing weight. Many studies have demonstrated that sleep apnea can be significantly improved or even eliminated when patients slim down. You can go to the gym, join exercise classes or just get out and walk. Taking off the extra pounds will help you sleep more soundly.
Check if a corrective device can help alleviate your sleep apnea symptoms. Having an overbite, an undersized jaw or a recessed chin can cause your airway to be more narrow because of how your jawbone is set. These devices help create proper alignment of your jaw while you sleep, opening up your airway more. As a result, you experience fewer sleep apnea symptoms.
Sleep Apnea patients using a CPAP machine may find that a humidifier is their best friend. The continuous passage of air from the machine can dry out sensitive nasal membranes, creating discomfort. A room humidifier, placed near the machine, often provides the humidification needed for comfortable sleep. If that isn’t sufficient, machines with integrated humidification chambers are available and allow the patient to customize the amount of moisture they receive.
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.
It is hard to know whether or not you are having difficulty breathing at night if you sleep alone. Record yourself to get a better picture of what is happening while you sleep. Remember to make a video with sound so your doctor can hear you snore!
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.
Don’t forget to bring your CPAP along when you need to stay in the hospital. Whether the hospital stay is a planned one or it’s just an emergency room visit, always bring along the CPAP machines just in case you need to stay for awhile. This is because it is already customized to the pressure you need, and the mask won’t be awkward. All of this will mean much better sleep for you with your CPAP, if you need hospitalization for any length of time.
A proven tip to reducing and preventing sleep apnea is to try sleeping on your side. You should avoid sleeping with your face up on your back. Gravity will cause the tongue and tissues in your neck fall back and block your airways. So sleep on your side for a better nights sleep.
Getting your throat muscles stronger is a great way to have less of a problem with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when the tissues in your throat collapse into the airways, which ends up obstructing your breathing. Stronger muscles have more integrity and will not be as likely to block your airways.
Don’t binge drink if you have sleep apnea. Alcohol consumption relaxes throat muscles beyond normality and can block an airway. Do not drink or smoke before you lay down to sleep. Doing this will prevent alcohol from disturbing your sleeping hours.
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.
Taking the time to exercise your jaw and stick out your tongue may seem like children’s play. In a recent scientific study, people who performed jaw and tongue exercises daily were able to relieve some of their sleep apnea symptoms. It may not work for everyone, but could be worth a try for a good night’s rest.
One quick tip for trying to get a better night’s sleep is to sleep only on your side and not on your back. If you sleep with someone else, ask them to gently roll you over any time they see you on your back. This can help to keep your airflow more controlled.
Take the time to exercise your throat. Studies have shown that throat exercises can reduce sleep apnea symptoms by almost 40 percent. By practicing throat exercises daily, you can retrain your body to breathe in a way that prevents your sleep apnea. Although it may feel daunting to do the exercises daily, just envision how much more rested and energized you will feel after a good night’s sleep.
Shed the pounds that have been bugging you. Those same pounds that you cringe at when you look in the mirror may also be causing your sleep apnea. In fact, there is a rule of thumb out there that for every 10% of the weight you lose, your sleep apnea will improve by 30%.
This is a busy century, and it takes a lot of energy just to get through each day and do everything that is necessary. Don’t let your sleep apnea stop your progress, so put the tips from this article to help work for your benefit.
