Sleep apnea is an annoying condition. It can also be life threatening. This is why people with sleep apnea are wise to educate themselves regarding the causes of sleep apnea and its treatments. This article should help you control your sleep apnea.
Some people believe that you can strengthen you upper airway muscles by playing a musical instrument belonging to the woodwind family. Research conducted in Germany has shown that you can greatly strengthen the muscles of your upper airway by taking up an instrument like the didgeridoo. These muscles are responsible for opening and closing your airway, as well as controlling the stiffness of the airway. Therefore, getting involved with an instrument like this can help you sleep better.
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.
If you have just been diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP, join a CPAP support group. It can be quite difficult to get used to sleeping with a mask on your face every night. Sitting in a room full of other people going through the same thing can be very empowering. You can learn from others who have had the same issues you are having and made adjustments to make it work.
Drink less alcohol and smoke less if you suffer from sleep apnea. Alcoholic beverages cause the upper airway to become overly relaxed, and smoking causes swelling in your airway. So, cutting back or completely giving up both can improve your symptoms or even cure your sleep apnea problem completely.
Avoid relying on sleeping pills. Sleeping pills will just make you snore more by relaxing the muscles in the throat. Natural sleep aids, such as melatonin, are much safer. Ask your doctor about sleeping aids that won’t have a negative impact on your breathing.
Get a mouth guard made especially for sleep. If you have a recessed chin, overbite or a small jaw, they way your jaw sits while you sleep may be causing the breathing problems while you sleep by narrowing your airways. A mouth guard can correct this and help you sleep better.
Consider putting yourself on a strict bedtime schedule and routine, if sleep apnea is keeping you from a good night’s sleep. Doing the same things at the same time may help condition your mind and body to better sleeping, and if you suffer from sleep apnea, you need all the help you can get!
Make a sleep schedule and keep to it. By sleeping at regular intervals and times, your body gets used to a pattern and takes advantage of it. If you are not getting quality sleep on a regular basis, your sleep apnea may worsen. Make sure to go to bed at a similar time every day and try to sleep a fixed amount of hours.
Don’t use more than one standard pillow. The position of your body can become awkward and harmful to your breathing when you use too many pillows. You’ll be resting in such a way that makes breathing difficult. That’s why using one pillow may be the answer to your sleep apnea problem.
Frustration due to sleep apnea is hardly debatable. Fatigue, interrupted sleep, irritability and the dangers of sleep apnea are cause for sufferers to worry. Utilize the tips you’ve just learned so that you can effectively deal with sleep apnea.
