The article below provides some great information for fighting the disorder of sleep apnea, so that you can be more productive every day of your life.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, avoid sleeping pills. They can relax your throat muscles, making it hard to get enough air when you sleep. Find other ways to solve your troubles with staying asleep, because sleep apnea mixed with sleeping pills can be a potentially life-threatening mix.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and are traveling, remember to bring the CPAP machine along. When sleep apnea affects you, do not attempt even a single night without your CPAP machine. Conveniently, your CPAP machine should have a bag included with it for easy travel. You can use it to carry your CPAP easily and safely anytime you leave home.
Be sure to treat allergies and sinus issues right away if you suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is already robbing you of your ability to breathe well during your sleep. You don't need to deal with anything that will affect your breathing when you sleep. You can get a much better night's sleep if your treat your allergies or sinus problems and keep your breathing clearer.
By shedding excess weight, reduce sleep apnea. Getting rid of those extra pounds can help you with your sleep apnea. Even losing a little weight can improve sleep apnea by opening the throat and airway, because there is less pressure on the neck. You can refer to Leslie’s SleepingHelper article for an effective snoring mouthpiece that you may use to deal with your sleep apnea if losing weight did not help.
Use only one, regular-sized pillow to sleep at night. Using multiple or oversized pillows makes it more likely that you will end up in a position that encourages sleep apnea. Your breathing will become more difficult for you to complete during sleep. Because of this, you should really just have one good pillow to help with symptoms of sleep apnea.
Consulting your GP is a necessary step in getting a diagnosis of sleep apnea, but self-help options are available. Quitting smoking and losing weight are great for anyone, but are even better for sleep apnea patients. It is also important to avoid consuming alcohol, caffeine and heavy meals at least two hours prior to going to sleep.
Exercise your tongue and minimize sleep apnea symptoms. Press your tongue on the roof of your mouth, hold it there for at least three minutes. This increases the strength of the muscles in your tongue and throat, which means they won't relax as much during the night.
The effects of sleep apnea can be avoided with stronger throat muscles. Sleep apnea is a direct result of a collapse of tissue that occurs towards the far throat's back. As your muscles strengthen, they will be more likely to keep your airways open.
Do not drink to excess if you suffer from sleep apnea. Snoring and airway blockages are made worse by over-relaxed throat muscles, and this is something that heavy drinking can cause. If you're dealing with sleep apnea, it's a good idea to avoid drinking as much as possible, especially in the hours close to your bed time. This will help you know that alcohol is not affecting the quality of your sleep.
Sleeping in certain positions can also impact your sleep apnea. That is why it is important to sleep in the best position. Take a foam wedge to lift the top of your body up. You could also try raising your head up about four inches.
Some people become anxious due to their sleep apnea and make the mistake of taking sedatives before bed, which can be dangerous for apnea sufferers. Take a warm bath instead. The warm water will relax and soothe your muscles. This helps sleep come easier. You will also sleep more soundly, and hopefully prevent sleep apnea episodes. If you still have sleep apnea, check with your doctor for other treatments.
Your sleep apnea might be easily solved with a simple solution. Give yourself a regular bedtime, and sleep about the same time every night. Make your bedroom conducive to getting a good night's sleep. If you are trying to rest in a loud setting, you can miss valuable sleep.
Don't sleep on your back. Sleeping in this position blocks your airways, which will interfere with your sleep. Do what you can to sleep while laying on your stomach or side at all times. You can use pillows behind your back to help keep you from moving onto your back to sleep.
Exercising the smooth muscles of your throat may reduce sleep apnea symptoms. You can strengthen the muscles of your air passages, letting them be more likely not to collapse. One good exercise involves pressing your tongue against the bony palate of the mouth and holding it for three minutes before releasing. You should practice this exercise once daily.
Stay in touch with your doctor after you are diagnosed with sleep apnea. Your general practitioner or specialist can give you the latest information and tips about staying in good health. Plan on keeping in touch with your doctor and letting them know about how the treatment is going.
When you are always tired, your sleep apnea symptoms intensify. Set up a sleep schedule to address this issue. Give yourself a set schedule to follow every night. In this way, you can avoid exacerbating your sleep apnea to complete insomnia.
Do not drink alcohol before laying down at night. Sleep apnea sufferers have a worse time during sleep if they have alcohol before bed. It suppresses the nervous system so that can make the apnea worse, and it makes it harder to wake up when breathing stops. This can be deadly.
Not only does sleep apnea make most aspects of life more difficult to deal with, it can also increase the risk for long-term health problems.