If you have sleep apnea, you have already experienced the sleep deprivation and ill health that result from this condition. There is simply no substitute for the role natural, restful sleep plays in your health. There are a lot of things you will be able to do to help it. You’ll find a lot of potentially useful sleep apnea advice presented in the following article.
For people who are using a CPAP machine, you need to take notes to give to your doctor. If you experience any symptoms, like snoring, that were eliminated when you started using the CPAP machine and they come back, you need to let your doctor know. Only your doctor can properly assess any problems.
Adjust your CPAP machine. Most machines come with default settings that might not correspond to your needs. You should be able to regulate the airflow: try different settings and choose one that seems to work for you. If you feel like your machine is not working like it should, try changing the settings again.
If you’ve got a prescription for a CPAP for your sleep apnea, try using it for around four hours each night. Using a CPAP while sleeping is a tough adjustment for many patients to make. For the CPAP therapy to work, it must be used a minimum of four hours per day. If you find it hard to get used to your CPAP, use it for only 4 hours at a go.
Exercise your throat. Make faces. Stick out your tongue. Rotate your jaw. It might feel a bit silly, but it can actually help people who suffer from sleep apnea. Doing these things exercises the muscles your body needs to moderate its breathing. Studies have shown that doing these exercises a few times a day can make a huge difference.
If you are taking a great deal of medicines on a regular basis, sit with your doctor and discuss how they can be reduced. Side effects from prescription medication can be making your sleep apnea worse. Keep a dialog open with your doctor and make sure he is up to date on all your symptoms.
If you need to be hospitalized for some reason, be sure that you take your CPAP machine with you to the hospital. Whether the stay is for a planned surgery or sudden emergency, make sure you have access to your CPAP for the duration of your stay. This is because it is already customized to the pressure you need, and the mask won’t be awkward. This will facilitate your CPAP therapy during your hospital stay.
Inform a friend or family member of your condition. Sleep apnea can be life threatening. It can also cause complications when combined with other conditions. Inform those around you of your sleep apnea. If the worst occurs, they will be able to pass this information along to a medical professional during an emergency.
Eliminate or reduce your alcohol consumption to reduce your sleep apnea episodes. The relaxation that results from alcohol use can cause you to breathe less deeply and may also increase the likelihood that your upper airway will collapse. If you can’t refrain altogether from alcohol, make sure that you don’t drink for at least 3 hours before bedtime.
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.
Many methods can be used effectively to treat sleep apnea. Use what you’ve just learned to enhance your quality of sleep. You may be surprised by how dramatic a difference it makes in your life to be well-rested and energized at the start of the day.
