Confused About Sleep Apnea? Read Here For Answers You Need.

Everyone who has sleep apnea can let you know about how hurtful it is to live with. Having the right knowledge is the key to treating sleep apnea. Using this article’s tips you can figure out how to alleviate your sleep apnea problems.

A reason that a lot of people have problems with sleep apnea is due to excessive weight. In this case, a person suffering from sleep apnea needs to lose this excess weight. Diet and exercise can do wonders to treat this condition. Research has proven that reducing the number of carbohydrates one consumes throughout the day helps people in losing weight.

Do you smoke or drink? Quit these terrible habits. These substances influence your airways. Smoking swells up your airways, while drinking depresses your nervous system and muscles into excess relaxation. This can both cause and exacerbate sleep apnea. If you are unable to completely eliminate these habits, try to at least refrain from them in the hours directly before bed.

Avoid drinking alcohol very often. Alcohol causes your muscles to relax. While this might often be a desirable side effect of drinking, it can also cause sleep apnea. If you must drink, keep it to just a few, and stop drinking well before bedtime. This will keep your throat muscles from relaxing excessively. If you feel like you have to drink, try to not do it prior to going to bed.

A good physical exam, and a look at your family history, can quite often easily determine sleep apnea’s presence. A sleep study can also shed some light on your sleep problems. Your primary physician may find that the best course of action is to send you to see a sleep specialist. These doctors have the specialized expertise necessary to diagnose and treat many sleep disorders including sleep apnea.

Your physician might ask you to start and maintain a sleep log to get a better grasp on your diagnosis. All hours slept or spent awake should be recorded. Ask your partner to keep track of your snoring, movements, and whether you stop breathing at night. These pieces of information are key to helping your doctor diagnose your sleep disorder.

The introduction to this article stressed that not treating sleep apnea can lead to severe health consequences. Be sure to research the subject of sleep apnea thoroughly before going to your doctor for a diagnosis. Studying these tips and using them in your life can help you better protect your health.