Sleep disorders are a common, but often unrecognized, class of health problems that cause widespread problems for millions of people. Sleep apnea is one common disorder that is caused by blocked airways during the night. This leads to snoring, tiredness, headaches, and other problems. For some effective treatments, keep reading this article.
Think about changing a few of your habits to help with your sleep apnea. If you drink and smoke, you need to quit now. Drinking potentially causes extreme breathing issues because it reduces the ability of your respiratory system to function. Smoking damages the lungs. Letting these habits go can reduce your symptoms and make sleeping easier.
Getting a CPAP machine is probably the best option for your sleep apnea. These machines will keep your airways open and help you breathe. You should talk to your doctor about CPAP machines and figure out which model would be the most adapted. This machine should work if you use it properly.
Taking up a wind instrument can help to alleviate your sleep apnea symptoms. A German study has shown that playing wind instruments such as the digeridoo will help your sleep apnea. These muscles are responsible for the strength of your airway passage and its ability to dilate. Regular playing can significantly reduce the occurrence of the symptoms of sleep apnea by allowing these muscle to function properly and letting you get a peaceful night’s rest.
Check if a corrective device can help alleviate your sleep apnea symptoms. Having an overbite, an undersized jaw or a recessed chin can cause your airway to be more narrow because of how your jawbone is set. These devices help create proper alignment of your jaw while you sleep, opening up your airway more. As a result, you experience fewer sleep apnea symptoms.
Consider any alternative you can find to using sleeping pills. Just like alcohol, these medications relax your throat when you sleep. They’re also known for causing other problems in those that have to deal with sleep apnea. Discuss alternative methods for getting to sleep without altering your breathing with your physician.
If your sleep apnea requires the use of a CPAP machine, make certain that a medical ID is always with you. If you are in need of medical attention, it is important that the people helping you realize you have sleep apnea and use CPAP therapy. The ID should mention that you have sleep apnea, you use a CPAP, and your CPAP should be set to a particular pressure level.
A great way to ensure that you do not sleep on your back and cause sleep apnea to occur is to use a tennis ball to prevent rolling onto your back. You can place one in a pillow behind your back and when you roll over in your sleep, the tennis ball will make you roll back on your side.
Patients who suffer from sleep apnea might want to consider losing weight as a means to relieve the symptoms. Sleep apnea is linked to people who are overweight. Even a modest amount of weight loss can increase air flow and decrease airway pressure.
If you have a CPAP machine, you should always have it with you. Using a different machine might not work as well since the settings or the mask might be different. If you have to go to the hospital, have someone bring your machine so you can keep on using it.
If you use a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP machine to treat your sleep apnea, sleep with it every night. When you take the mask off at night, your symptoms will return. Sometimes they might disappear for one or two nights, but then return. Wearing the mask every night prevents episodes of sleep apnea from occurring.
If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP when you sleep at night, do not neglect your filters. It can be easy to forget about this, but you need to make sure your machine operates at maximum efficiency. Wash your reusable filter at least every week, and replace your white pollen filter at least once a month.
Sleep apnea can be an annoying and potentially dangerous sleep disorder, but the good news is that there are effective ways of treating it. You do not just have to accept that you will never sleep well at night. By using the tips in the preceding article, you can find safe, effective relief from this problem.