Sleep apnea is a difficult disorder to deal with. It is not only an unpleasant disorder to live with, it is also potentially life threatening. Use the tips provided in this article to treat and control your sleep apnea for deeper, longer sleep periods to help you get through the day.
When using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, you should learn as much as you can about it. How to use the machine and when to use it should be your top priority. There are 800 numbers from the manufacturers that you can call if you have any questions about its use.
Get a checkup regularly and act upon your doctor’s suggestions. Besides excess weight, you could be suffering from health issues such as heart disease and hypertension, which can greatly increase your chance of suffering from sleep apnea. Even problems with blood sugar can make sleeping a miserable experience for apnea sufferers.
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.
People who do not have a partner sleeping with them may not know they suffer from sleep apnea. If you wake up with a dry or sore mouth, wake up out of breath, have morning headaches, insomnia, and/or go to the bathroom frequently during the night, you may have sleep apnea and should talk to a doctor.
Attempt sleeping on the side. A lot of people that suffer from sleep apnea lay down in bed at night on their backs. If you sleep on your back, you are more likely to have your mouth open and block your airways. It is best to sleep on your side when you can. If you tend to roll onto your back in your sleep, try propping yourself on one side with pillows.
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule can help anyone dealing with sleep apnea. Once you can get on a schedule and stick to it, you will notice that your symptoms will decrease as your body gets more sleep. Make a routine that works for your lifestyle, and do your best to stick to it.
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.
Oftentimes a simple humidifier can help with the dryness and irritation caused by using a CPAP machine when treating your sleep apnea. With the constant airflow, many people suffer from dry skin and irritation from using the CPAP machine. A humidifier or special facial moisturizers can help to ease these symptoms.
Learn to recognize sleep apnea. If you snore a lot or choke and can’t breathe during the night, this is probably a sign of sleep apnea. Use a tape recorded if you sleep alone and listen to the tape to find out how much noise you make during the night.
Lose weight. If you find yourself having difficulty sleeping, take the time to evaluate your weight. If you are obese, that is likely a major factor in your sleep apnea. Start on a diet and exercise regime right away so that you can slim down and sleep more comfortably every night.
If your sleep apnea is severe, consider asking your SO if they need a separate sleeping area. Your condition shouldn’t be depriving them of sleep as well, but most partners of sleep apnea sufferers complain of frequent complications due to insomnia. Think about how separate sleeping arrangements could benefit someone you care about.
One thing you can try if you suspect that you have sleep apnea is sleeping on your side instead of on your back. While this may not help if you are very overweight, it can reduce the effects of gravity on your airway. You can sew a pocket at the back of your PJ top and place a small ball in it, if need be, to keep yourself off your back.
Sleep apnea sufferers oftentimes take sleeping pills in an effort to get a good night’s sleep. This is a huge mistake. Taking sleeping pills will actually make it harder for you to breathe while you sleep. This is because sleeping pills relax throat muscles, which leads to your throat getting blocked off. Sleeping pills can also cause lead to a number of other problems, including addiction.
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.
A way to reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea is to visit the Atlanta Organic Mattress Store and consider purchasing a new mattress. If you can get your head at least 4 inches off of the mattress or elevate your torso from the waist up, you will reduce your symptoms. Try using a foam wedge, Mattress Lafayette or cervical pillow when sleeping to do this.
As stated above, sleep apnea is not just unpleasant and tiring. When left untreated it is potentially fatal. Use the tips outlined in the article above to help deal with sleep apnea. Treat your sleep apnea and get it under control and enjoy longer and deeper periods of sleep.