Many people become frightened when they hear the term sleep apnea. It is true that sleep apnea is an extremely serious health problem, but the good news is that it can be treated and managed effectively. The key is knowledge and education. This article contains treatment advice and health care tips related to sleep apnea.
Improve your sleep apnea by slimming down a bit. Recent research showed dramatic improvements in overweight men who shed 25 pounds over a period of one year to reduce sleep apnea symptoms. In some cases, the weight loss resulted in a cure of sleep apnea where no further treatment of the condition was necessary.
You may have success in treating your sleep apnea with a doctor-prescribed fitted mouth guard. The natural configuration of your jaw and airway passages may be conducive to the conditions associated with sleep apnea. There are special devices which will align your jaw properly while also putting you in the best position while asleep, this results in you getting more rest.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, it is vital to avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol acts as a sedative, therefore, it will naturally slow down your breathing. In addition, it will relax all the muscles in your body, including those in your throat that help to keep your airway open.
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.
Everyone who snores does not have sleep apnea. Conversely, everyone who has sleep apnea does not necessarily snore either. How do you know the difference? The biggest signs are how you feel during the course of a normal day. Snoring does not interfere with the sleep quality the same way that sleep apnea does. With snoring you are less likely to suffer from fatigue during the day.
Be sure to treat allergies and sinus issues right away if you suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea makes breathing during sleep hard. You really don’t want anything else impacting your air flow during sleep. Eliminating your nasal problems maintains a clear airway, which will increase the chances that you will sleep better.
Inform a friend or family member of your condition. Sleep apnea can be life threatening. It can also cause complications when combined with other conditions. Inform those around you of your sleep apnea. If the worst occurs, they will be able to pass this information along to a medical professional during an emergency.
If you have difficulties sleeping because of your sleep apnea, you should avoid driving or operating dangerous machines. If you do not get a good night of sleep, take public transportation instead of driving to prevent accidents and do not take a job in a factory or on a construction site.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, it’s very important for you to sleep on your side. Avoid sleeping on your back at all costs, as this position does not allow enough air to get into your airways. To prevent yourself from sleeping on your back, put a tennis ball in the back of your pajamas.
Strengthening the muscles of your throat can be an effective way to reduce the risk of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea results from breathing obstruction due to your soft tissues in your throat collapsing. Stronger muscles mean a less likelihood of the the airways becoming blocked.
Smokers who also suffer from sleep apnea need to make a difficult decision. Research shows that smoking can worsen sleeping problems such as snoring and apnea, so those who like to light up need to really look into themselves and decide what is more important, nicotine or a great night’s sleep.
Part of treating sleep apnea is working on exercises that open up the airways to get more air in. A great way to do this is by playing wind instruments, like the clarinet or the flute. Consistently doing this strengthens the throat muscles and opens up the airways as well.
If you suffer from sleep apnea now might be the time to see the doctor. There are a multitude of prescription medications available that can help you rest more fully throughout the night. amongst these medications are Lunesta, Ambien, and Rozerem, to name a few. Each of these will help you get a full 8 hours of restful sleep.
As was stated in the opening paragraph of this article, although sleep apnea is a serious medical problem, it can be effectively treated. The key is to educate yourself on the nature of the disorder and to read up on all of the treatment options. Apply what you have learned from this article to help you treat your sleep apnea.
How To Reduce Snoring And Ease Sleep Apnea was originally published on Spring