No matter who you are or what you go through in a day, you need a restful night’s sleep to function properly! Sleep apnea can cause such continuous interruption of sleep that life becomes impossible. Consider the following tips that can help you get control of your sleep apnea and get a better night’s sleep.
If you are obese, start a weight loss program. Although it might not be the main cause, being overweight makes sleep apnea worse. Consequently, it is therefore possible that losing just twenty-five pounds could result in a dramatic improvement of your sleep apnea symptoms if you are currently suffering from obesity.
If you have sleep apnea and cannot break the habit of sleeping on your back, try sleeping in a t-shirt with two tennis balls sewn into the back. Making this sleep shirt is a simple project to do at home, and it can help to break you of sleeping on your back. Every time you try to roll over on your back in your sleep, the tennis balls will remind you to roll back onto your side.
It is important to use your CPAP machine if instructed to by your doctor. You should use it for the full night, but if you cannot, try to get at least 4 hours with the machine. Unfortunately, adjusting to this device while sleeping can be hard for some people. A minimum of four hours per night is needed, if your CPAP machine is going to help you. If you are having difficulty adjusting to it at first, try to make sure you at least use your CPAP four hours each time you sleep.
If you feel tired every day, you may have sleep apnea. Some of the common signs of sleep apnea include, chronic snoring, pauses in breathing, daytime sleepiness, and choking or gasping during sleep. If your partner notices that you have these symptoms while you are sleeping, you should go to a doctor for an assessment of your condition.
It is best to have your sleep apnea diagnosed and treated by a doctor. If left untreated, you won’t be getting the needed rest you need, which will leave you feeling tired and unable to concentrate the next day, and may even lead to serious health problems down the road.
Sleep Apnea patients using a CPAP machine may find that a humidifier is their best friend. The continuous passage of air from the machine can dry out sensitive nasal membranes, creating discomfort. A room humidifier, placed near the machine, often provides the humidification needed for comfortable sleep. If that isn’t sufficient, machines with integrated humidification chambers are available and allow the patient to customize the amount of moisture they receive.
If you have sleep apnea and were just prescribed a CPAP, keep trying different masks until you find the one that fits you just right. Some masks may not be the right size or shape for your face. If your CPAP mask is leaking air into your eyes all night or rubbing the skin on your forehead raw, ask your sleep center to prescribe a different mask for you.
Make a sleep schedule and keep to it. By sleeping at regular intervals and times, your body gets used to a pattern and takes advantage of it. If you are not getting quality sleep on a regular basis, your sleep apnea may worsen. Make sure to go to bed at a similar time every day and try to sleep a fixed amount of hours.
Quality sleep is important to your health and ability to accomplish nearly everything you’ve got going in life. Hopefully this article has provided you with some very useful information you can put to good use, beginning tonight. Take charge of your life by getting control over sleep apnea and putting it to bed, once and for all.
