If you’re wondering whether caffeine is solely responsible for the fact that you’re dealing with a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, then the answer is no! Remember that with this issue, your throat muscles and tissues are collapsing, which blocks your ability to breathe. This is not something to which caffeine, a stimulant, contributes (but could, of course, become encouraged by relaxants, such as alcohol, pain medication, etc.). However, our Livonia, MI team reminds you that caffeine may certainly make it more difficult for you to enjoy successful sleep and sleep apnea treatment. Become clearer in regard to what we mean!
Caffeine May Make It Difficult To Fall Asleep
On a very simple, basic level, we remind you that if you are drinking caffeine, it may make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. Never mind trying to use sleep apnea treatment to be able to stay asleep! If you can’t even fall asleep, you’re already working against nightly rest. So, keep this in mind as you’re making choices for yourself throughout the day in terms of your beverage selections and even your food choices too! (Remember, things like chocolate bars often contain some amount of caffeine).
Consider Changing The Hours You Drink It
In some cases, it’s perfectly fine that you’re consuming caffeine. Your problem, however, has to do with the times you’re consuming it. You may want to continue moving your last cup of tea or coffee back, for instance, until you find your cut off. For some, stopping caffeine by four in the afternoon is significant. For others, anything past a cup of coffee at breakfast is too much. You may need to take some time to play around with it until you figure out what works for you, so you can get back to focusing on your sleep apnea treatment success!
Try Cutting It Out Altogether
You might not necessarily be too excited about this particular detail but sometimes, patients are simply too sensitive to caffeine to consume it at all. If you find that even a half a cup of half-caff coffee in the morning still seems to have an effect on your ability to fall asleep at night, you may need to cut it out altogether to see if there’s an impact. If there is, you have your answer!
Consider Lifestyle Changes For Sleep Improvement
Remember that when you are interested in regaining comfortable, successful nightly sleep that’s healthy, it’s important to take a comprehensive approach to sleep treatment. We are here to help with your entire journey! James Stewart, DDS, and our team serve patients from Livonia, MI and the surrounding communities. To schedule a consultation, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.
