Does waking up each morning find you feeling tired, with headaches or grouchiness? Do your family members complain about your snoring? If so, these may be signs that you are suffering from sleep apnea. It is a serious condition, and immediate treatment is important.
A physician is the best person to ask about which CPAP machine is the right one to use for your specific situation. Think about the machine's size and noise levels. A machine to get you through the night is better than feeling fatigued every day. The doctor will know which manufacturers offer the best machines.
You can really cut back on your sleep apnea by giving up alcohol and smoking. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the back of the throat, which will cause an interference with breathing. While quitting these habits may not stop your sleep apnea episodes entirely, you will be healthier overall and save money at the same time.
Lose some weight if you're heavy. Sleep apnea is directly associated with excess weight. A loss of 10 or more pounds can significantly reduce our sleep apnea symptoms.
Purchase yourself a mouth guard that is made specifically for your mouth. Sleep apnea patients can have mouth guards that are custom made specifically to treat their condition. It provides a more comfortable option to using a CPAP machine. Invest into a mouth guard instead of having a loud machine keep others up at night.
If your doctor has prescribed a CPAP machine, try to wear it for about 4 hours every night. It can be extremely difficult for some patients to get used to sleeping with a CPAP. In order for your CPAP therapy to be effective, you need to use it at least four hours a day. Just use it as much as possible and you'll get used to using it after a couple of weeks.
If you are not used to a CPAP machine, a stop snoring mouthpiece like good morning snore solution may come in handy as well. Be sure to select one that is approved by FDA before using it though.
The most common way for a physician to diagnose you with sleep apnea is to conduct a physical examination and investigate the medical histories of your and you relatives. After taking all this information, your family doctor may send you to see a sleep specialist. This doctor specializes in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders, and he will quite likely order a sleep study.
Many doctors ask patients to keep sleep logs to help diagnose sleep apnea. All hours slept or spent awake should be recorded. Your spouse can inform you of any excessive snoring and jerking, or momentary lapses in your breathing. That helps the physician determine whether your symptoms are, in fact, sleep apnea.
Try out a regular sleep schedule to help you through your sleep apnea. Your condition is already messing with your regular sleep cycle every night. Getting treatment from a doctor is just one part of the solution. Making sure that you don't disrupt your sleep on your own with a lax sleeping schedule is another part of the solution. Start with going to bed at a set time each night and waking up at a set time daily.
Lose a bit of weight to get rid of your sleep apnea. Sleep apnea symptoms can be reduced or eliminated by taking off those extra pounds. The symptoms of sleep apnea can be greatly reduced by even a relatively minor amount of weight loss as the breathing passages and the throat open up.
Consider trying devices that reduce snoring. Snoring happens when the airways are mostly closed but air can come though, and apnea is when the airways are completely closed. It is possible you can keep your airways open if you can reduce the snoring. If you have a machine to help with snoring it can help with apnea.
Do not lie on your back to sleep if you have a sleep apnea condition. Most people with sleep apnea habitually sleep through the night on their backs. This causes the throat muscles to collapse, blocking the airway. Try using a pillow or some cushions to keep yourself propped on your side when you are in bed.
If you currently are using a CPAP machine for sleeping, ask your general practitioner to prescribe a humidifier that is heated as well. The moist, comfortable air from a humidifier will make the therapy more soothing, although using a CPAP can initially be hard to get used to. Lots of CPAP machines have humidifiers built in. Check with your doctor to see if he or she can prescribe a humidifier for you.
Remember that you must bring your CPAP machine with you on long air flights, and the airline must know about this in advance. Many airlines are accommodating and will seat you in an area that has enough space where you can properly use the machine. Make sure you bring a power adapter if you fly on a foreign airline.
If you are a sleep apnea sufferer, don't sleep on your back. Sleeping on your back can block your airways and cause sleep problems. Instead, sleep on a side. You can use pillows to prop you up if side-sleeping is not something you are used to.
Take immediate steps to seek relief from your sleep apnea. Avoiding a visit to the doctor will only prolong finding treatment, and your symptoms can get worse over time. A visit to your doctor is essential to prevent your sleep apnea symptoms from ruining your nightly sleep.
IF you have sleep apnea you can do exercises with your throat that may help. Throat exercises build up the muscles around the airway, and can make them less likely to collapse. One example is pressing your tongue onto the roof of the mouth and holding onto it for about three minutes before releasing. Try this exercise daily.
Although sleep apnea has serious health ramifications, the situation is far from hopeless: Many apnea sufferers find it relatively easy to treat and manage their conditions. In the previous paragraphs, you found several tips to aid you in finding immediate relief. If they're not effective, speak with your doctor immediately concerning other options.
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