Sleep disorders are a common, but often unrecognized, class of health problems that cause widespread problems for millions of people. Sleep apnea is one common disorder that is caused by blocked airways during the night. This leads to snoring, tiredness, headaches, and other problems. For some effective treatments, keep reading this article.
For people who suffer from sleep apnea, they may stop using their CPAP machine because it is noisy or too large. See if you can get an upgrade. The machines have gotten much smaller and quieter in recent years. You may be eligible for an upgrade. Contact your doctor or insurance provider for more information.
If you have sleep apnea, be sure to ask your doctor every five years if you should have a follow-up sleep study. As your weight and health change, your CPAP pressure may need to be adjusted. The most accurate way to reassess your needs is to have another sleep study with CPAP so the appropriate pressure can be determined.
If you have sleep apnea and cannot break the habit of sleeping on your back, try sleeping in a t-shirt with two tennis balls sewn into the back. Making this sleep shirt is a simple project to do at home, and it can help to break you of sleeping on your back. Every time you try to roll over on your back in your sleep, the tennis balls will remind you to roll back onto your side.
Take the steps to find out if you actually have sleep apnea. Those who snore don’t necessarily have the disorder. If you have a sleeping partner, ask them questions about your actions during sleep. Do you stop breathing and gasp for air? That is a sure sign of sleep apnea.
For people who smoke, the best way to correct a sleep apnea condition is to quit smoking. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of sleep apnea. When people stop smoking their risk of sleep apnea is reduced and they can get a full night sleep within days of quitting.
If you have to use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, you may find it hard to get used to at first. It is important that you do not quit using the machine, though. Focus on the benefits of the machine rather than the inconvenience. It will make life safer for yourself and others. Daytime sleepiness caused by sleep apnea is a major risk factor for car accidents, for instance.
Sleep apnea never just disappears of its own free will; you have to do something about it. Some treatments will work better for you than others. Weight loss can ease sleep apnea for many people, even though apnea can be experienced by thin people too. There are many options available to help treat this condition, one of which is a CPAP machine. Some prefer surgery when dealing with sleep apnea. Whichever route you choose, getting proper treatment can improve your sleep and your life.
If you have a CPAP machine, you should always have it with you. Using a different machine might not work as well since the settings or the mask might be different. If you have to go to the hospital, have someone bring your machine so you can keep on using it.
While it is common sense to avoid some things before sleeping, like caffeine, many people load up their plates and then go to bed. This is not healthy in general and can worsen sleeping issues like apnea. Avoid eating any heavy meals before going to bed and you will find yourself sleeping better.
Take the time to exercise your throat. Studies have shown that throat exercises can reduce sleep apnea symptoms by almost 40 percent. By practicing throat exercises daily, you can retrain your body to breathe in a way that prevents your sleep apnea. Although it may feel daunting to do the exercises daily, just envision how much more rested and energized you will feel after a good night’s sleep.
Taking steps to cure the condition of insomnia can lead to a significant reduction in sleep apnea episodes. Insomnia is a major cause of sleep apnea and when sufferers begin to get regular and restful sleep, the sleep apnea often disappears. Set a regular bedtime and make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet.
Throat exercises can help strengthen your muscles and fight sleep apnea. If you perform these exercises each day, your throat muscles will grow stronger over time, which means they will collapse less often while you are sleeping. A common exercise recommended to sleep apnea sufferers involves holding the tongue flat against the roof of the mouth for 180 seconds. Practice this technique at least once daily.
Talk to a doctor. When you have sleep apnea, you must be sure to see a physician. This is because only a doctor can tell you which treatments are right for you. If you wait, you may find yourself in dire straits as well as feeling confused. See a doctor right away so you can treat your condition.
When you are sleeping, in addition to laying on your side, it is also useful to prop your head up. This can be done by using an extra pillow or even a special pillow designed for people who suffer from apnea. A special wedge pillow is the perfect shape for this function.
There are several tools available to open up nasal passages that work to varying degrees. You should try several of these to see if any of them work well for you. The cheapest and easiest options are nasal strips, but neti pots are also becoming increasingly common for this type of problem.
Sleep apnea can be an annoying and potentially dangerous sleep disorder, but the good news is that there are effective ways of treating it. You do not just have to accept that you will never sleep well at night. By using the tips in the preceding article, you can find safe, effective relief from this problem.
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