Do you often wake up after 8 hours of sleep feeling drowsy? If this has happened to you several times then you may be suffering from something known as sleep apnea without knowing it! If this is true for you then the best thing to do is read this article for information.

Quitting smoking and drinking can relieve sleep apnea symptoms. Both habits cause the muscles of the airway to relax, which increases both snoring and sleep apnea. Instead of costly surgery or some other medical procedure, losing these bad habits is the best way to save yourself money and address this condition.

Get a checkup regularly and act upon your doctor’s suggestions. Besides excess weight, you could be suffering from health issues such as heart disease and hypertension, which can greatly increase your chance of suffering from sleep apnea. Even problems with blood sugar can make sleeping a miserable experience for apnea sufferers.

Did you know that sleep apnea is more than just snoring? Your breathing may actually stop, or it may become very shallow, and this could happen upwards of a hundred times or more each night. If you feel you may be suffering from this affliction, you should see a doctor and be properly diagnosed and discuss a treatment that works best for you.

Always get enough sleep. When you fail to get a decent amount of sleep on a regular basis or fail to follow a normal sleeping pattern. Insomnia and sleep apnea go hand in hand. So, when you can successfully sleep regularly, your symptoms are less pronounced because you are well rested.

Sleep apnea can be extremely tricky to diagnose yourself, especially if you sleep alone without a loved one to tell you about minor sleep problems you experience. You can consider recording your sleep patterns with a camcorder. Make sure the video has sound as well, so that your doctor can hear your breathing.

If you suffer from sleep apnea, make sure your significant other or your family is aware of your condition. In emergency situations, it is vital that whoever is with you can tell the physician treating you about your condition during any emergency medical care. You should make them aware of both the apnea diagnosis and your treatment.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is essential that you stop smoking immediately. People who smoke are 3 times more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than non smokers or those who have quit smoking. There are many wonderful programs that can help you kick the habit.

The most important aspect of dealing with sleep apnea is understanding exactly what it is. Unlike simple snoring, it is when a sleeper stop’s breathing for a short period of time while he is sleeping. If your sleep partner tells you that sometimes you stop breathing, there is a good chance you have apnea.

Smoking is another thing which makes the problem of sleep apnea worse. It actually irritates the nasal passages and makes them swell. This in turn causes the airways to be partially blocked, making breathing on auto pilot while you are asleep more difficult. Cutting smoking out entirely is ideal, but even reducing the amount you smoke may help.

Cut down on alcohol use. When you drink, the alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat, making it easier for them to obstruct your airway and “collapse.” Don’t have alcohol within 4 or 5 hours before going to sleep to avoid this, if you want to continue to drink at all.

Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about sleep apnea. You want to know what is up so you know how to go about getting better sleep. Give your doctor a list of your symptoms. This will help determine what is causing the problem and the appropriate treatment.

Sleep apnea sufferers oftentimes take sleeping pills in an effort to get a good night’s sleep. This is a huge mistake. Taking sleeping pills will actually make it harder for you to breathe while you sleep. This is because sleeping pills relax throat muscles, which leads to your throat getting blocked off. Sleeping pills can also cause lead to a number of other problems, including addiction.

Use a CPAP machine. You may not like the idea of sleeping in a machine, but many people who use a CPAP have found relief of their sleep apnea symptoms in a very short time. Such a machine may be uncomfortable at first, but if you stick with it, you will find a great deal of relief.

Now that you know about sleep apnea you can analyze your situation to see if that is what is happening to you. By following these useful tips you can turn a horrible night’s sleep into a great, peaceful rest. Remember to enlist the help of loved ones when you are dealing with this issue.

Sound Advice For All Sleep Apnea Sufferers was originally published on Spring