If you suspect that you may have sleep apnea, the question of what can be done about it may be on your mind. Do you know what is best for you? All you need to do to learn more about this debilitating condition is read the next few paragraphs.
Get through sleep apnea by consulting with your practitioner about getting a CPAP machine. You need to be aware of the machine’s size, as well as how loud it is. Some machines are smaller than a bread box and can be whisper quiet. Your doctor will be familiar with them, so be sure to tap his knowledge.
Consider doing a few very specific exercises before going to bed each night, to alleviate some of your sleep apnea symptoms. Exercising throat and tongue muscles has been proven in scientific studies to reduce snoring, improve breathing and lessen the more profound effects of sleep apnea when done according to doctor’s orders.
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.
Sleep with your body perpendicular to the bed. Sleeping on your back is attributed to a lot of people who suffer with sleep apnea. Your airways become blocked when you sleep on your back. Making an effort to stay off your back will help to give you a better night of sleep. Support yourself with pillows so that you won’t end up on your back at night.
If nasal dryness or congestion is an issue, try a nasal spray. This type of product can ease occasional congestion or dryness. Nasal spray is not a permanent solution to nighttime breathing issues, though; prolonged use will cause irritation and possibly sinus damage. Talk to your pharmacist about your options.
If you shed some weight it will likely help with apnea. Sleep apnea is more common in patients who are overweight and have a large neck circumference. If you lose weight, it will improve air flow by reducing pressure on your airways.
If you are a trucker who has sleep apnea, take precautions to stay safe on the road. First of all, get yourself properly diagnosed and treated. If your doctor prescribes a CPAP, use it. They are small and easily portable and can run on battery power if necessary. Try to stay fit and get regular sleep to keep your condition under control.
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.
Prior to going to bed, it is important to open up your nasal passages. This is so that you get enough air flow. To open up the nasal passages, you may want to use saline spray, a nasal dilator, a neti pot, breathing strips or whatever your doctor may have recommended.
If you have sleep apnea, do not use sleeping pills. These medications work to relax the throat muscles, which is not what you need to cure sleep apnea. They can also cause a lot of other problems, so it is best to stay away from them. If you have a hard time falling asleep at night, try learning some natural ways to rest your body.
If you are trying to sleep on your side to avoid problems with sleep apnea, one way to do ensure you stay on your side is to put hard round object in your clothes. This will help you to stay on your side throughout an entire night’s sleep and avoid apnea.
If your physician prescribes a CPAP machine for treating your sleep apnea, ask for a heated humidifier and additional bacterial filters for your machine. The durable medical equipment supplier may not automatically provide these, but they will help to minimize bacterial growth and keep your nasal passages moist and comfortable.
Don’t take sleeping pills. You may feel like the answer to your sleep problems would be a pill to help you sleep, but it’s not! Sedatives and other sleep aids cause your muscles, including your throat muscles, to relax. Relaxed throat muscles are even harder to control while sleeping and are a danger to those who suffer from sleep apnea.
Quit smoking. Smoking any kind of tobacco inflames all of your airways, which can make it more difficult for you to breathe at night. If you cannot stop altogether, work on cutting down throughout the day, particularly in the evening before you go to sleep. This will help your nasal passages to open so sleep is easier.
Check with your doctor about any medications that you are taking that may be causing your sleep apnea symptoms. Some prescription medications, such as muscle relaxers, may, in fact, promote the collapse of the soft tissue in the back of the throat which can contribute to the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Keep a humidifier in your room to keep your skin from getting to dry while using CPAP devices. A humidifier will increase the moisture in the room to keep your skin from getting too dry and irritated. You might also want to try an intensive lotion for dry skin.
Use a tennis ball to help you sleep on your side. When you sleep on your back, you can have a hard time breathing, so make sure that you do something that helps you avoid back sleeping. A tennis ball sewn into the back of your pajamas will feel uncomfortable if you sleep on your back, so your body will learn to be on the side.
Never underestimate the power of knowledge. Once you are aware of the possible treatments for sleep apnea, you and your doctor can determine which one is right for you. With so much information on sleep apnea available, it is a blessing to find it all in one spot, this article.
