How Sleep Apnea Might Affect Your Overall Health

It's hard to stay alert and focused if you're not getting the proper amount of sleep, which can be caused by many things. If you aren't sleeping right due to sleep apnea, there are some things you can do about it. The article below has tips and ideas to help you manage this affliction.

Make sure to do some throat exercises every day to reduce any symptoms of sleep apnea. Try making silly faces and sticking out your tongue. It might seem funny, though according to some new studies, exercising your tongue and jaw on a daily basis can reduce the symptoms that you are experiencing.

If you have just been diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP, join a CPAP support group. Make sure to read the article 'What every snorer should know about CPAP devices'. It can be quite difficult to get used to sleeping with a mask on your face every night. Sitting in a room full of other people going through the same thing can be very empowering. You can learn from others who have had the same issues you are having and made adjustments to make it work.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, one of the simplest ways to improve your condition is to cut back on the amount of alcohol that you drink, especially before bedtime. Drinking alcohol causes throat muscles to relax and block off your throat, making it much more difficult to breathe.

It is important to remember to inform all your other doctors. Sleep apnea can affect your overall health and contribute to other health problems. Any doctor who is treating you needs to know that you have a sleep disorder and what you are doing to treat it.

A proven tip to reducing and preventing sleep apnea is to try sleeping on your side. You should avoid sleeping with your face up on your back. Gravity will cause the tongue and tissues in your neck fall back and block your airways. So sleep on your side for a better nights sleep.

Take a tennis or racquet ball and sew or tape it the back of your pajama top. Sleeping on your back allows your tongue to block off your throat and makes breathing much more difficult than it needs to be. Having a ball attached to your pajamas will make it feel unpleasant for you to lay on your back and will encourage you to sleep on your side.

Try your best to lay off tobacco and nicotine products. Cigarette smoke can irritate your upper airway causing it to swell up, subsequently hindering your ability to breath during the night. Quitting smoking could therefore significantly improve your sleep apnea symptoms and will also improve your body's overall health and your feelings of well-being.

Now that you've finished reading this article, you can see that there are ways to control this problem. Don't go through live deprived of the sleep you need. Practice what you've just learned, and be on your way to life that includes the rest you deserve. Soon, you will feel much better.