It can be overwhelming to hear your doctor inform you that you are afflicted with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is fairly common. Although it needs to be taken seriously, it is treatable. Read this article to learn about sleep apnea, its symptoms and the various treatments that can improve the condition.

Do you light up or knock some back every day? If the answer is yes and you have sleep apnea, you need to stop both habits. The reason is because these harmful substances impact your airways, and as a result, your sleep. Alcohol relaxes your airways, making them more prone to collapse, and smoking can cause them to swell, restricting airflow. Try to at least smoke less, because it will help you deal with sleep apnea.

If you decide to try a CPAP machine, do not give up until at least a few weeks. A lot of sleep apnea patients give up before they really get a chance to get used to their machine. Wait until you are comfortable with sleeping while wearing a mask and you should really notice a difference.

Consider sleeping sitting up if you have sleep apnea, and you do not have a CPAP available. Perhaps you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, but you have not had your CPAP prescribed yet. Maybe the power went out, and your CPAP will not work without electricity. Whenever you have to sleep without the benefit of CPAP therapy, sleeping sitting up will help to keep your airway from collapsing.

Eating in a healthy way will help you drop weight and fight apnea. A lot of people are surprised to learn how their poor diet could be causing sleep apnea. Research has proven that those who consume low quality food demonstrate more severe sleep apnea than even overweight folks who eat healthy.

Keep your bedroom in prime shape for sleeping. Insomnia and sleep apnea are often connected. This makes keeping an environment in which you sleep at the right temperature, lightness level and sound level important for helping you get a good night of rest. The right environment also means leaving your stresses outside the bedroom to ensure you are relaxed enough to fall asleep.

If you have sleep apnea and were just prescribed a CPAP, keep trying different masks until you find the one that fits you just right. Some masks may not be the right size or shape for your face. If your CPAP mask is leaking air into your eyes all night or rubbing the skin on your forehead raw, ask your sleep center to prescribe a different mask for you.

Do not take pain medications such as morphine. This medication can lower your oxygen level and make your symptoms even worst. If you take a high dose of morphine, your life could be in danger. If you go to the hospital and are given a pain medication, let the doctors know you have sleep apnea.

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.

Sleep apnea events can be decreased by keeping regular sleep hours. Going to bed and getting up at approximately the same time every day will provide better and more relaxed sleep. This simple lifestyle change can be a big help when sleep apnea is in the mild to moderate range.

Tongue exercising may help resolve certain sleep apnea symptoms. For example, try this: press your tongue up against your upper palate, and hold it for about three minutes. This exercise strengthens the tongue and throat muscles, making it less possible for them to allow the blocking of your air passage during sleep.

One great tip for people who sleep with an apnea sufferer is to use a white-noise machine. While this won’t target the problem at all, it does at least help the partner to get a good night’s sleep. Remember to use the same sound every night in order to sync the noise with relaxation.

Learn to play a woodwind instrument. You are going to have a good time with the music, and you get to give your mind a workout. However, you are also working out your throat muscles that regulate breathing. Making these muscles stronger reduces sleep apnea symptoms.

If you have tried all the self-help ideas and treatments and made changes in your lifestyle, and you still have not had success in helping your sleep apnea, you should consult with a sleep doctor. These doctors can evaluate your condition and work with you to find a treatment that is effective.

It is scary to get a diagnosis of sleep apnea. Fortunately, it can be treated simply and effectively. Use these sleep apnea tips to help you sleep through each night with ease. You will be able to live a better life even if you have sleep apnea.

Enjoy More Sleep With These Sleep Apnea Tips was originally published on Spring