Life Essentials Magazine February 2018

3
EAT A HEALTHY DIET
Eating right can keep you healthy
and well rested. Most people would find it
surprising to know that your diet can be
a factor in managing sleep apnea. Studies
have shown that people that eat poor
quality food have worse apnea than those
who are overweight but eat healthier.
4
HAVE YOURSELF CHECKED
If you suspect sleep apnea to be the
cause of your nighttime woes, arrange to
have a sleep test with your family physician.
A sleep test will let you know if you
have the disorder, and if so, how severe
your sleep apnea is. If you do have sleep
apnea, you need to start treatment right
away, even if your case isn’t that severe.
Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition to
have. If you see any signs, get yourself an
opinion right away. Once you have been
diagnosed, your next step will be a sleep
specialist, who may administer a sleeping
test using a small monitor to determine
the extent of your condition.
5
TAKE YOUR MEDICAL ID WITH YOU
If you suffer from sleep apnea and
you use a CPAP, carry your medical ID.
If you ever need medical attention in an
emergency, it is critical that healthcare
providers know that you have this condition
and use that machine. The ID should
mention that you have sleep apnea, you
use a CPAP, and your CPAP should be set
to a particular pressure level.
26 | February 2018