Handy Tips For Managing Your Sleep Apnea

If youre having trouble sleeping at night, it could be due to sleep apnea. There are many people with this condition, and it is a difficult one to live with. Thankfully, there are many ways to cope with it. Here in this article youll find some excellent tips to help you out.

If you suffer from sleep apnea, you should use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine while sleeping. This will help you treat your sleep apnea and get you on the path to having a full nights sleep. This machine uses either a face or nasal mask to pump air while you sleep.

Mouth guards can be custom fit. Mouth guards help keep your jaw in a proper position. It is a great alternative to CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) and is much more comfortable to wear at night. The device assists you by keeping your airways open while offering stability for soft tissue.

Stop smoking. Smoking cigarettes is bad for you for many different reasons. Smoking can also cause sleep apnea. It isnt just bad for your lungs; it can also cause your upper airway to swell. This can make it difficult for you to get the breath that you need at night.

For the sleep apnea patient using CPAP treatment, the wide range of options in machines and masks can seem overwhelming. The key to selecting the best equipment for your needs is to test out the various models yourself. Your Durable Medical Equipment (DME) provider should have a variety of masks and accessories available for you to try out. Dont settle for the "standard" company mask. Insist on viewing several and being fitted properly. Comfort and good fit are key to successfully adjusting to CPAP treatment.

If a person has sleep apnea and is overweight, they can often reduce their symptoms by losing some weight. If you are overweight it is more common that you might have sleep apnea. Losing weight can reduce pressure on the airways and cause better airflow when breathing at night.

The major signs of sleep apnea are loud snoring, choking or gasping while sleeping, significant lapses in breathing, and daytime tiredness. Other common symptoms are morning headaches, restless sleep, irritability, waking with a sore throat or dry mouth and even having more frequent runs to the bathroom at night. If you exhibit these, then you should see your doctor promptly.

Exercise

Learn how to play a wind instrument. Studies have found that playing a wind instrument like the flute or the didgeridoo can help with sleep apnea. Wind instruments exercise your breathing and help your body get accustomed to taking in sufficient amounts of air. Your throat will be able to better control airway dilation.

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.

Taking the time to exercise your jaw and stick out your tongue may seem like childrens play. In a recent scientific study, people who performed jaw and tongue exercises daily were able to relieve some of their sleep apnea symptoms. It may not work for everyone, but could be worth a try for a good nights rest.

In conclusion, sleep apnea has many treatment options. You can determine which tips work best in your situation by trying all of them. Applying the information youve just learned will have you on your way to adequate rest. Sleep apnea doesnt need to dictate the direction of your life.