Physicians and sufferers alike are all too familiar with the agony sleep apnea can create. The best way to tackle the problems this condition tends to cause is to educate yourself thoroughly on the topic. The information and advice that follows offers you a great start on the road to increased awareness about the causes and treatments for this frustrating disorder.
You really need to do your best to lose weight if you have sleep apnea. Those who have sleep apnea typically have a neck circumference of 17 inches or more. This excess weight around the throat causes the airway to collapse more easily during sleep. Reducing your weight by even ten pounds can have a beneficial impact on your sleep apnea.
Did you know that sleep apnea is more than just snoring? Your breathing may actually stop, or it may become very shallow, and this could happen upwards of a hundred times or more each night. If you feel you may be suffering from this affliction, you should see a doctor and be properly diagnosed and discuss a treatment that works best for you.
If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from sleep apnea, you need to avoid caffeine and large meals before you go to bed. Stop eating and drinking any caffeinated beverages at least two hours before you go to bed. Both of these are linked to sleep apnea and should be avoided before bedtime.
Although you should speak with your doctor about sleep apnea, you can try certain things yourself. Dropping weight or dropping cigarettes are good ideas; more so for victims of sleep apnea. You will also want to avoid alcohol, caffeine or heavy meals within a couple hours of going to bed.
The first thing to do when you think you are dealing with sleep apnea is to discover if it is really apnea or just advanced snoring. If you have a loved one sleeping with you, this can be done alone at home, but if not you may need to visit a sleep clinic.
Try to slim down. Sleep apnea is exacerbated and sometimes even caused by obesity. Try losing enough weight to shift your BMI from obese to just overweight or even healthy. People who have lost weight have improved their sleep apnea symptoms, and some have even cured their sleep apnea completely.
You should adopt a healthy lifestyle and monitor your weight and blood pressure. Your doctor should be able to advise you on your diet and perhaps on a fitness program if you need to be more active. Living a healthy life should really help you reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea.
If you are suffering from sleep apnea, sleeping pills are definitely not your answer. Sleeping pills give you similar negative symptoms as alcohol would. These pills relax your airways too much and will worsen your symptoms. Not only will your symptoms worsen; you may experience other side effects as well. Lay off of sleeping pills for a good night’s rest.
Relieve you sleep apnea symptoms by keeping your nasal passages clear. A good nasal spray can keep you breathing freely and lessen the occurrences of sleep apnea. Using a neti pot to clear sinuses before bedtime can keep you breathing freely all night long. Both nasal spray and neti pots are available at any drug store.
Your nasal breathing may contribute to sleep apnea. If you have a stuffy nose, make sure that you help open your airways with a nose spray. Your local drugstore sells over the counter sprays that are great for this purpose, but feel free to ask a pharmacist for help choosing the right one.
Corrective oral devices can sometimes be effective at easing the symptoms of sleep apnea. Some people have an overbite or narrow jaws that are set in such a way that cause the apnea. These devices can align your jaw in a way that makes breathing easier.
If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, talk to your doctor about undergoing a sleep study. During the course of the study, you will be hooked to monitors while you sleep. These monitors will tell doctors about the levels of oxygen in your blood, the states of sleep you enter, and whether or not your breathing is inhibited while you sleep.
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 think you have sleep apnea, make an appointment with your doctor and ask for a sleep test. This type of test can help you figure out if you’re suffering from sleep apnea and the intensity of the condition. Following that, you can begin to treat the problem.
Do not give up if the first treatment you try does not work. Give each treatment a few weeks before you decide to give up and move on to the next treatment. Finding the right solution can take some time, but you will be glad you went through this process.
Don’t drink alcohol before bed if you’ve got sleep apnea. Alcohol causes your palate and tongue relax toward the back of the throat, which obstructs the airway. You don’t have to give up alcohol entirely; just shy away from drinking close to bed time.
If you are like most people who suffer from sleep apnea, you lie on your back when sleeping. Sleeping on your back will make it much easier for your tongue and tissues in your throat to obstruct your airway and cause obstructive sleep apnea. Even though you may try to remedy this issue by falling asleep while lying on your side, you’ll probably roll onto your back not long after you falling asleep. To keep from rolling onto your back, use pillows to prop you up so you remain sleeping on your side. If using pillows doesn’t keep you sleeping on your side, place a small rubber ball into a sock and stitch it to the rear of your sleep shirt. If you try to roll onto your back, this ball will feel very uncomfortable to you, and you can soon “program” yourself to sleep through the night, while lying on your side.
Experts and laypeople agree that sleep apnea can be among the most debilitating disorders a person can have. The impact it has on overall health can be quite severe, and sometimes even life threatening. With any luck, the information contained in the preceding article has provided you with the knowledge you need to approach sleep apnea proactively and effectively on behalf of yourself or someone you love.
Read more: Learn How To Deal With Sleep Apnea