Are you having a hard time getting good rest even when you think you’re getting adequate sleep? If you have ruled out other possible causes, you need to get tested for sleep apnea. If you believe that you do, there is no need for worry, simply read through this useful article!
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 alcohol if you have sleep apnea. Your muscles will over-relax when you use alcohol, especially before bed. While this might often be a desirable side effect of drinking, it can also cause sleep apnea. Your throat muscles may be affected, causing breathing difficulties. If drinking is an important part of your life, restrict the amount of alcohol you consume and drink it earlier in the day.
If you tend to snore a lot and have difficulties staying asleep, you should go see your doctor right away. You might have a condition known as sleep apnea: find an effective treatment so you can get enough sleep and go through your daily activities without being held back by your health problem.
There are known risk factors for sleep apnea. Some of obstructive sleep apnea risk factors are being overweight, a smoker, male, related to someone with sleep apnea or being Hispanic, Black, or a Pacific Islander. If you have one or more of these risk factors, you are more prone to being diagnosed with sleep apnea.
Stick to one regular pillow for sleeping on at night. An over-sized pillow, or a pile of multiple pillows, can alter your sleep position with negative impacts on your ability to breathe freely. This causes you to lie in a way where breathing is more difficult. Because of this, you should only sleep with a single pillow to combat sleep apnea.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is important to avoid drinking alcohol. Alcoholic beverages will relax the muscles in your throat, which makes it more likely that they will block your airway during your sleep. At the very least, avoid any alcoholic beverages in the evening before you get ready for bed.
Many people can reduce the severity of their sleep apnea symptoms by losing excess weight. Sleep apnea commonly occurs in overweight patients that have a larger neck. Pressure on the neck is reduced with weight loss, making breathing easier while sleeping.
If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine when you sleep, ask your doctor to also prescribe a heated humidifier. It is much easier to get better sleep and to sleep with your CPAP machine if there is warm and humid air to breathe. A lot of CPAP machines come with built-in humidifiers, so ask your doctor to prescribe that type for you.
For those individuals that suffer from sleep apnea, sometimes the position that you sleep in can make a difference. Try sleeping on your side. Many times when people sleep on their backs, their tongues can block the airways making it harder to breath, and causing sleep apnea symptoms to appear.
If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP when you sleep at night, do not neglect your filters. It can be easy to forget about this, but you need to make sure your machine operates at maximum efficiency. Wash your reusable filter at least every week, and replace your white pollen filter at least once a month.
Believe it or not, it has been scientifically proven that your sleep apnea can be tied to your weight. In a recent study, it was proven that people who have lost at least 25 pounds relieved their sleep apnea symptoms. This drastic slim down should be taken slowly, over the course of at least one year.
Take immediate steps to seek relief from your sleep apnea. If you don’t seek medical help, your condition is likely to worsen over time. Don’t wait until you are getting absolutely no sleep every night. See your physician if you have even the slightest suspicion that you have sleep apnea.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, it’s important that you stay away from sleeping pills, cough syrup, or any other medication that may make you drowsy before going to sleep. These medications over-relax the throat muscles during sleep, even causing them to “collapse”, making it hard for enough air to come through.
Are you now a bit more confident with the fact that you can get treat your sleep apnea? You should be prepared to deal with your next night’s sleep by following these tips. Remember, like most things, this is a process and you won’t see all results immediately. Just keep doing what you are doing and you will notice positive changes soon.
Expert Tips For Dealing With Sleep Apnea was originally published on Spring