Have you ever heard of something known as sleep apnea? Perhaps you even suffer from this dreadful problem yourself. If you do, then you are already aware of how difficult and frustrating of an issue it can be. While completely removing sleep apnea is difficult, this article can get you started on living with it.
Moderate your alcohol intake. Alcohol naturally relaxes your muscles. Drinking alcohol will make it hard for you to get through the night if you have sleep apnea. Your throat muscles may be affected, causing breathing difficulties. Reduce the frequency of your alcohol if you do continue to use it, and never drink close to bedtime.
Keep your bedroom in prime shape for sleeping. Insomnia and sleep apnea are often connected. This makes keeping an environment in which you sleep at the right temperature, lightness level and sound level important for helping you get a good night of rest. The right environment also means leaving your stresses outside the bedroom to ensure you are relaxed enough to fall asleep.
If you do not know if your snoring is from sleep apnea or just simple snoring, try using a sleep diary. In this diary, you will need to record how much time you spend in bed, the number of times that you awaken each night, and how tired you feel when you arise in the morning.
Sleep apnea generally is diagnosed by studying your medical and family history and having a thorough physical exam. Also, your doctor may want to try a sleep study on you. Depending on the results, you may be referred to a specialist.
If you think that you may have sleep apnea, set up a video of yourself as you sleep. Just be sure that the video recorder has sound capability. When you wake up, look at the video, and if it seems like something other than snoring is going on, it may be time to go to the doctor.
Sleep apnea events can be decreased by keeping regular sleep hours. Going to bed and getting up at approximately the same time every day will provide better and more relaxed sleep. This simple lifestyle change can be a big help when sleep apnea is in the mild to moderate range.
If you have sleep apnea, and you smoke, it’s crucial that you quit right away. Smoking causes the throat to inflame, making it hard for air to get into your airways. In fact, studies suggest that smoking may cause or worsen sleep apnea in some patients. So, avoid it altogether!
The first thing you should do if you discover you have sleep apnea is take a long look at your weight. If you are overweight that can be increasing the problem. That means you need to take some time to learn about weight loss and exercise. Not only will your sleep improve, but your whole life will.
While sedatives and other sleep medications may help you fall asleep they are not so good when suffering from apnea. If possible, avoid taking any sleep aids to see if this improves your apnea problems. You just may find that something you thought was helping you to sleep was actually decreasing the quality of your sleep.
Having sleep apnea puts you at risk for developing diabetes. When you go into sleep apnea, the body is deprived of oxygen and must produce more adrenalin to compensate, which causes sugar levels to rise. If you already have diabetes, check your sugar levels at night. If you do not have diabetes, make sure you adopt a healthy diet to prevent this condition from developing.
Without a doubt, one major contributor to the level of severity of sleep apnea is weight. If you find yourself to be a few pounds overweight it may be time to hit the gym. Studies have shown losing weight has drastically reduced, and sometimes altogether gotten rid of the symptoms of sleep apnea.
If you do not have a partner who can relay how your breathing is during the night, try recording yourself. Set up a camcorder and play it back in the morning. Then you can see if you stop breathing for long periods of time or snore excessively. Make sure you have enough light for the camera. Modern cameras will record well in low light, but you do need some.
Back sleepers make up the majority of sleep apnea sufferers. If this applies to you, try switching the position you sleep in. Sleeping in a position, such as on your side, can help alleviate the problems caused by constricted airways.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, one of the simplest ways to improve your condition is to cut back on the amount of alcohol that you drink, especially before bedtime. Drinking alcohol causes throat muscles to relax and block off your throat, making it much more difficult to breathe.
Subscribe to a good health insurance policy. Being diagnosed with sleep apnea might cause your premiums to go up, but purchasing a good policy will help you cover the cost of your CPAP machine and frequent visits to the doctor. Compare different policies and purchase the most coverage you can afford.
Your head and your throat should be aligned when you sleep. You can align your airways by sleeping on your side and propping your head with a small pillow. You should try different positions and wait a few minutes in each position to see which one allows you to breathe comfortably.
Invite your significant other to come with you to your next doctor’s appointment. Not only will this educate your partner on sleep apnea, he or she can also inform your doctor about your condition through reporting on first hand experiences. Your partner can, better than you, describe the patterns that are occurring while you are sleeping.
By reducing the likelihood of an apnea breakout, you are ensuring a good night’s sleep. This is something that is essential for everyone and impacts many aspects of daily life. This article offered some great tips on what to do when you are experiencing this frustrating ailment, and how to move forward in your own life.
