If you recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea, then you are growing to understand what that implies and how to live with it. Everyone’s goal as soon as they get into bed at night is to receive a restful night’s sleep, but for some, that’s just not as easy to do. In today’s article, we will discuss four realities of living life with sleep apnea.

1. LIFESTYLE CHANGES

There are a few different ways to treat sleep apnea and how you can do so by changing certain aspects of your lifestyle. Aspects include positional therapy, diet, and exercise, smoking, alcohol, and drug use. This could include positional therapy, sleeping in the supine position, or on your back, allows your tongue and throat muscles to relax easier. This allows for opened up airways while you sleep making breathing much easier. If weight is what is triggering your sleep apnea, weight loss will decrease the fatty tissue built up in the throat and ate and increased airflow. Regular exercise and an improved diet is the best way to achieve weight loss results.

2. THE MACHINE/MASK

One of the most difficult parts of your treatment is to get used to and get comfortable with sleeping with your sleep back on. It’s important that you receive a mask that’s most suitable to your face and fits just the way it needs to. Over time you will gradually learn tips and tricks that work best in regards to sleeping with your mask on.

3. TRAVELING WITH SLEEP APNEA

Don’t let sleep apnea stop you from traveling if that’s something you like to do. There are travel-specific therapy machines on the market today and more versatile accessories that won’t hinder travel plans for the future. When traveling consider packing your machine as a carry-on, bring your prescription with you, and check with your airline about onboard use of electrical outlets.

4. YOU ARE NOT ALONE

You never have to feel alone when it comes to your sleep apnea, as more and more doctors and patients are beginning to become aware of this disorder, how common and frequent it’s getting diagnosed as becoming more and more. If you have questions about sleep apnea or would like a referral from one of our dental professionals, feel free to contact us at Sweetwater Dental Studio in Sugar Land, TX!