How You Can Better Manage Your Sleep Apnea

Are you still tired when you get out of bed every morning, or suffering with headaches and irritability? Do others tell you that you snore quite a bit? You just may have sleep apnea. This can be serious, so you must seek help now.

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If a person is severely overweight, they are much more likely to develop sleep apnea. In these cases, simply losing the extra weight can alleviate the symptoms. Increasing exercise and reducing your total calorie intake can help to accomplish this. Carbohydrate restriction has been shown to help people lose weight in recent studies as well.

 

Try losing a few pounds, if you suffer from chronic sleep apnea. Controlled studies have proven that people with this sleep disturbance benefit greatly after losing 20 or more pounds. Symptoms may even diminish completely, so you now have yet another reason to get your weight down to a healthier number!

 

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.

 

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.

 

Avoid relying on sleeping pills. Relaxed throat muscles (caused by alcohol consumption as well as sleep medication) can contribute to an increase in sleep apnea. Taking sleeping pills can have a negative impact on other health conditions that those with sleep apnea may experience. Think about asking your physician about ways you can get to sleep that will not affect your apnea.

 

Do not let sleep apnea ruin your relationship. If your partner has difficulties sleeping next to you because of your snoring or other symptoms linked to sleep apnea, communicate about the problem. be understanding and consider sleeping apart or getting a CPAP machine to reduce your snoring and other symptoms.

 

Lower your risk for sleep apnea. Some sleep apnea risk factors cannot be changed, like genetic or hereditary reasons. Some other risk factors should be changed, such as drinking too much, smoking or weighing too much.

 

If you think that you may have sleep apnea, set up a video of yourself as you sleep. Just be sure that the video recorder has sound capability. When you wake up, look at the video, and if it seems like something other than snoring is going on, it may be time to go to the doctor.

 

Sleep apnea is a serious problem, but entirely treatable. Use what you've just learned to lessen the discomfort you are feeling. If this advice did not relieve your sleep apnea, talk with your doctor about other options.