Sleep apnea can harm your health and your life, not just your quality of sleep. It is important that you learn all you can about your sleep apnea. Try your best to determine the cause and a potential treatment. You can get a jump start on this by going through this article and consulting your physician as soon as possible.
Skip sleeping pills if you are prone to bouts of sleep apnea. You may feel you need them to get to sleep, but they have a similar effect as alcohol on the body. They also have additional side effects besides the obvious ones. Stay away if you want to lessen your sleep apnea symptoms.
Make sure that the mask you use on your CPAP machine fits properly. Often, people will stop using their CPAP because the mask does not fit right. If your mask is uncomfortable, try getting a different mask. There are many different masks available, so choose one that fits right and is comfortable to use.
You must be careful not to use sedating medications if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Anything that sedates you will slow down your breathing, especially when you go to sleep. When you are sedated by medication, your throat muscles will relax and collapse more quickly as you sleep.
Do not take sleeping pills if you suffer from sleep apnea. These pills are not recommended if you suffer from this condition because they relax the muscles of your throat. Skipping them can actually help you get a better night of sleep because your apnea symptoms are not aggravated.
Instead of sleeping on your back, sleep on your side, which can help to avoid the symptoms of sleep apnea getting in the way of a peaceful night’s sleep. Sleeping on the back can cause air passages to constrict. Try very hard to rest on your side, and you may find your symptoms alleviated.
Try something else besides sleeping pills. Sleeping pills cause your throat muscles to relax, just like alcohol. They also can cause other harmful issues to make your sleep apnea worse. See if your doctor knows of any sleeping medication that doesn’t cause respiratory depression.
If you do not have a partner to let you know how you sleep at night, it can be difficult to assess if you have sleep apnea. Or you can record yourself as you sleep to look at your sleeping patterns. Make sure any video you make includes an audio stream, since certain noises are clues that you may suffer from sleep apnea.
Take the steps to find out if you actually have sleep apnea. Those who snore don’t necessarily have the disorder. If you have a sleeping partner, ask them questions about your actions during sleep. Do you stop breathing and gasp for air? That is a sure sign of sleep apnea.
You should adopt a healthy lifestyle and monitor your weight and blood pressure. Your doctor should be able to advise you on your diet and perhaps on a fitness program if you need to be more active. Living a healthy life should really help you reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea.
While it is common sense to avoid caffeine before sleeping, this is especially true for people who have problems with snoring or apnea. This is a simple thing to cut out, just remember that this includes soft drinks, coffee and even some types of coffee flavored foods. This will also help you sleep faster.
Sleep apnea is undoubtedly a major cause of sleep frustration. Being uncomfortable, unable to sleep, and afraid of dying can make sleeping an absolutely miserable time for those suffering from it. As you battle sleep apnea, remember the information contained in this article and get to work designing your own sleep apnea battle plan.
