Cure your snoring problem

Snoring and Pregnancy

2009-11-02T13:30:00.003-08:00

Snoring during pregnancy is fairly common, Almost a quarter of healthy pregnant women were reportedly snoring frequently based on a survey, while many others said they snored occasionally. However, just 4 per cent of comparably healthy, non-pregnant women of the same age admitted to snoring on a regular basis.

Increased hormone levels, particularly estrogen, can cause tissue to become more puffy and swollen. Tissues that line the nasal passages and throat are no exception and this can lead to nasal congestion and even a runny nose. This swelling and congestion is probably worsened by the increase in circulating blood volume during gestation. Another well-documented risk factor for snoring is weight gain, but this is, of course, characteristic of any normal pregnancy.

Snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). So while gestational snoring maybe just that, it could also be a symptom of this far more serious condition. Furthermore, heavy snoring and obstructive sleep apnea during pregnancy have been linked to gestational hypertension (high blood pressure during pregnancy) and pre eclampsia (a condition characterized by high blood pressure, protein in the urine and swelling of the ankles, hands or face), both potentially dangerous conditions.

Pregnant women concerned about their snoring should seek qualified medical advice to determine whether further investigations are necessary. For the vast majority of women, snoring is no more than a temporary nuisance that will most likely disappear once the baby arrives.

Snoring Museum

2009-11-02T13:30:00.001-08:00

The Schnarch Museum in Alfeld, a small town in Lower Saxony, Germany, is utterly devoted to snoring (schnarch is German for snoring) and the various methods used to combat snoring throughout history. Physician and researcher Dr Joseph Alexander Wirth collected a range of snoring remedies and kept them in his basement. The collector later decided to share them with the public by opening the Museum of Snoring. Now the museum boasts some 400 snoring remedies and devices.

Examples include an “ear suppository” which is placed into the ear to prevent the snorer turning onto his side. There is a display case showing prosthetic devices for the oral cavity, which are designed to pull the jaw forward by force. There are nasal pins designed to stretch the nostrils, thereby allowing the snorer more oxygen. There is also a 100 year old “anti-snoring mask” with leather straps that wrapped around the chin so that the mouth remained closed. One of the more barbaric therapies is a device that delivers electric shocks when you snore. On a lighter note, there is a whole collection of stories and caricatures devoted to snoring, as well as various dolls and fabric animals that snore when squeezed.

Snoring Experience

2009-11-02T13:10:00.003-08:00

.I was thinking about how the Army tolerates soldiers that snore. Most people comment on how they dealt with those that snore, or how it didn’t bother them when they were so sleep deprived. One sailor spoke of having to sleep with noisy jets taking off above him, so people snoring was the least of his worries. Others spoke of being in combat situations where you are too alert to even sleep, let alone snore.

While this certainly made for interesting reading, I was thinking more about the impact of snoring on covert operations that rely on stealth. During the American War of Independence, a cannonball was sewn to the inner side of the snoring soldiers' uniforms. This stopped them turning over onto their backs and disturbing fellow soldiers. More recently, the Chinese army have announced an all out ban on chronic snoring. Also among the new recruitment guidelines, introduced to "affirm the military's high standards", will be a ban on tattoos and drugs. Urine tests to detect traces of drugs will be introduced, acknowledging that the people's vanguard is no longer as immune as it was once thought to be to the hedonistic influences that afflict youth elsewhere. Weeding out the chronic snorers will surely be a laborious process, as many don’t even realise they snore.

Snoring Experience

2009-11-02T13:10:00.001-08:00

My doctor told me it was imperative that I lose weight as this was causing my obstructive sleep apnea. My weight had been an ongoing problem for years and I think the doctor was resorting to scare tactics. Later that week, I received a CPAP machine from the sleep clinic. Someone came out to show me how to set it up and after a few nights of perseverance, I felt better. I was having more restful nights and felt more energetic during the day. I consider myself lucky that I did not have health complications due to my ignorance about this very serious condition.....

Snoring Experience

2009-11-02T12:50:00.001-08:00

My husband's snoring sounded like a motorbike. It started out as a mild problem as I could get him to turn on his side if I gently kicked him! However, as time went on his snoring seemed to get louder and louder.

Eventually it got to the point that we could no longer sleep together. I remember trying to get our newborn off to sleep one night. Every time we were almost there my husband kept nodding off and began the snoring immediately. I got quite angry and he left the room. I felt really bad as he had been working shifts and was sleep deprived. He couldn’t keep his eyes open and when he drifted off he had me shouting at him. He felt obliged to leave the room, as he was the one snoring. This was a classic case of snoring straining people’s relationships.

Our family doctor referred us to a head and neck surgeon for a palatectomy - a surgical procedure to the roof of the mouth and uvula. The surgery worked. The snoring stopped and we were able to enjoy some restful nights, at least for a while. Now, with every breath he growls even louder than when he used to snore! It drives me mad and makes me want to scream. Marital harmony is now achieved with the use of quality earplugs and a lot of tolerance. I love my husband dearly, but if I could change one thing it would be the wretched snoring

Snoring Celebrities

2009-11-02T12:49:00.001-08:00

Winston Churchill was known to be loud snorer. His rotund figure coupled with those fat ‘trademark’ cigars and a fair amount of alcohol certainly made him a good candidate. Despite these unhealthy habits Churchill still lived to be ninety.

The somewhat overweight Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt reached truly anti social volumes with his snoring. In January 1919 he died in his sleep aged just sixty. Doctors attributed his death to several possible causes including coronary embolism and inflammatory rheumatism. But his weight and his snoring were considered significant factors.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt suffered high blood pressure (hypertension) and sleep apnea. He enjoyed a smoke in the day and would snore at night.

Queen Victoria became vastly overweight as she aged. At one stage she needed a 46 inch (about 117cm) waist size for garments. She was also known to snore.

Courtney Cox claims that her husband David Arquette snores terribly.

Rosanne Barr’s snoring can drive her husband Ben Thomas to sleep in the other room.

Celebrity Snoring - Limo

'Tinsel town’ insiders claim that Elizabeth Taylor makes an awful noise with her snoring.

Scottish comedian Billy Connolly uses CPAP for his obstructive sleep apnea and talks (jokes) openly about his snoring.

Why do people snore?

2009-11-02T12:29:00.003-08:00

Vibrations of soft tissues located at the back of our throats cause the noisy, annoying sounds of snoring that sometimes prevent non-snorers from getting their ZZZZs.

The palate, uvula and tonsils are the tissue structures that flap against each other when someone has too much tissue at the back of their mouth or when an obstruction is blocking the air passageway to the back of the throat.

People with snoring problems tend to have one of the following conditions:

* Poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat
* Excessive bulkiness of throat tissue
* Long soft palate and/or uvula tissue in the back of the mouth
* Obstructed nasal airways

Snoring can be a serious medical problem because it disturbs sleeping patterns and deprives the snorer of necessary rest.
Did you know?

* 20% of the population experiences snoring problems.
* Males and obese people have more problems with snoring.
* Snoring tends to be louder when a person sleeps on their back.
* There are more than 300 devices registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to help cure snoring.

Richard Gere uses a sleep device to prevent snoring

2009-11-02T12:29:00.001-08:00

Washington, Sept 15(ANI): Hollywood actor, Richard Gere, is using a bizarre sleep device in order to keep him from snoring.

The actor had checked into a New York "sleep clinic" for his snoring problem, and got a revolutionary headgear as a solution.

"This is a device that fits in your mouth... It forces (your jaw) open and forward, so that your throat stays open, and it's horrific." Contactmusic quoted him, as saying.

The star said that the headgear reminds him of the horrific torture devices that were used in a disturbing cult movie, 'A Clockwork Orange'.

"I haven't slept in six months because I have this thing in," he said.

But Gere's efforts have provided a huge relief to his sleep-deprived wife, Carey Lowell.

"It got to the point where she wasn't getting any sleep... so I actually told her one day, `Look, I'm gonna go to the sleep clinic,' he said.

"And she started crying because she was so happy that I was gonna do something about this," he added. (ANI)

Sleep Walking in Detail

2009-07-24T02:42:00.000-07:00

Sleepwalking Overview

Sleepwalking has been described in medical literature dating before Hippocrates (460 BC-370 BC). In Shakespeare's tragic play, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth's famous sleepwalking scene ("out, damned spot") is ascribed to her guilt and resulting insanity as a consequence of her involvement in the murder of her father-in-law.

Sleepwalking is characterized by complex behavior (walking) accomplished while asleep. Occasionally nonsensical talking may occur while sleepwalking. The person's eyes are commonly open but have a characteristic glassy "look right through you" character. This activity most commonly occurs during middle childhood and young adolescence. Approximately 15% of children between 4-12 years of age will experience sleepwalking. Generally sleepwalking behaviors are resolved by late adolescence; however, approximately 10% of all sleepwalkers begin their behavior as teens. A genetic tendency has been noted.

There are five stages of sleep. Stages 1, 2, 3, and 4 are characterized as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is the sleep cycle associated with dreaming as well as surges of important hormones essential for proper growth and metabolism. Each sleep cycle (stages 1,2,3,4, and REM) lasts about 90-100 minutes and repeats throughout the night. Thus the average person experiences 4-5 complete sleep cycles per night. Sleepwalking characteristically occurs during the first or second sleep cycle during stages 3 and 4. Due to the short time frame involved, sleepwalking tends not to occur during naps. Upon waking, the sleepwalker has no memory of his behaviors.

Sleepwalking Causes

Genetic factors

Sleepwalking occurs more frequently in identical twins, and is 10 times more likely to occur if a first-degree relative has a history of sleepwalking.

Environmental factors

Sleep deprivation, chaotic sleep schedules, fever, stress, magnesium deficiency, and alcohol intoxication can trigger sleepwalking.

Drugs, for example, sedative/hypnotics (drugs that promote sleep), neuroleptics (drugs used to treat psychosis), minor tranquilizers (drugs that produce a calming effect), stimulants (drugs that increase activity), and antihistamines (drugs used to treat symptoms of allergy) can cause sleepwalking.

Physiologic factors

* The length and depth of slow wave sleep, which is greater in young children, may be a factor in the increased frequency of sleepwalking in children.

* Conditions, such as pregnancy and menstruation, are known to increase the frequency of sleepwalking.

Associated medical conditions

* Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)

* Fever

* Gastroesophageal reflux (food or liquid regurgitating from the stomach into the food tube or esophagus)

* Nighttime asthma

* Nighttime seizures (convulsions)

* Obstructive sleep apnea (a condition in which breathing stops temporarily while sleeping)

* Psychiatric disorders, for example, posttraumatic stress disorder, panic attack, or dissociative states (for example, multiple personality disorder)

Sleepwalking Symptoms

* Episodes range from quiet walking about the room to agitated running or attempts to "escape." Patients may appear clumsy and dazed in their behaviors.

* Typically, the eyes are open with a glassy, staring appearance as the person quietly roams the house. They do not, however, walk with their arms extended in front of them as is inaccurately depicted in movies.

* On questioning, responses are slow with simple thoughts, contain non-sense phraseology, or are absent. If the person is returned to bed without awakening, the person usually does not remember the event.

* Older children, who may awaken more easily at the end of an episode, often are embarrassed by the behavior (especially if it was inappropriate). In lieu of walking, some children perform repeated behaviors (for example, straightening their pajamas). Bedwetting may also occur.

* Sleepwalking is not associated with previous sleep problems, sleeping alone in a room or with others, achluophobia (fear of the dark), or anger outbursts.

* Some studies suggest that children who sleepwalk may have been more restless sleepers when aged 4-5 years, and more restless with more frequent awakenings during the first year of life.

When to Seek Medical Care for SleepWalking

For children and adults, sleepwalking is usually a sign of lack of sleep, intense emotional problems, stress, or fever. As these conditions resolve, sleepwalking incidences disappear.

In most cases, no treatment is necessary because sleepwalking rarely indicates any serious underlying medical or psychiatric problem.

In most children, sleepwalking disappears at puberty. However, it can occasionally persist into adulthood or may even begin in adulthood.

Consult a sleep specialist if the person is having frequent episodes, injuring himself or herself, or showing violent behavior.

Differential Diagnosis

Sleepwalking, night terrors, and confusional arousals are all common non-REM sleep disorders that tend to overlap in some of their symptoms. Approximately 15%-20% of young children through mid adolescence will experience some or all of these behaviors.

* Night terrors: Like sleepwalking, night terrors tend to occur during the first half of a night's sleep, often within 30-90 minutes from falling asleep. Also, like sleepwalking, night terrors occur during stage 3 and 4 sleep. However, unlike sleepwalking, an individual with night terrors will portray a sudden and often agitated arousal that may appear to parents as violent and terrified behaviors. Night terrors often start during the toddler years with a peak incidence between 5–7 years of age. During these times, evidence of a surge in autonomic nervous system activity is evident. Accelerated heart and respiratory rates, dilated pupils, and sweating are characteristic. Triggers for night terrors may include sleep deprivation, stress, or medications (stimulants, sedatives, antihistamines, etc.). Unlike sleepwalking, episodes of night terrors may recur for several weeks in a row, abate completely, and later return.

* Confusional arousals: Similar to night terrors, confusional arousals are characterized by a sudden and violent arousal from sleep with behaviors described as agitated and semi-purposeful in pattern. Speech is generally coherent (unlike in sleepwalking). A distinguishing point between night terrors and confusional arousals is the lack of autonomic nervous system phenomena in the latter. Confusional arousals tend to occur during the first half of a night's sleep (during stages 3 and 4). They are characteristically short-lived, lasting only 5 - 30 minutes in duration. Affected individuals typically have no memory of the event.

* Nocturnal seizures: Several important differential points help delineate the above three sleep behaviors from seizure activity that occurs at night. Seizures by their nature are very brief, lasting often only a few minutes. In addition, seizure events likely to be confused with the above are characterized by a series of repeated, stereotypical, and frequent behaviors occurring in clusters. Importantly, seizures more commonly occur in the second half of the night's sleep. Patients often with have post-ictal (post-seizure) issues including headache, extreme grogginess, being hard to arouse, as well as incontinence of urine and stool. To assist in establishing a correct diagnosis a neurologist may perform a video-EEG study to help clarify the issue.

Sleepwalking Treatment

Self-Care at Home

The following measures can be taken by a person who has a sleepwalking disorder:

* Get adequate sleep.

* Meditate or do relaxation exercises.

* Avoid any kind of stimuli (auditory or visual) prior to bedtime.

* Keep a safe sleeping environment free of harmful or sharp objects.

* Sleep in a bedroom on the ground floor if possible. To prevent a fall, avoid bunk beds.

* Lock the doors and windows.

* Remove obstacles in the room. Tripping over toys or objects is a potential hazard.

* Cover glass windows with heavy drapes.

* Place an alarm or bell on the bedroom door and if necessary, on any windows.

Medical Treatment

If sleepwalking is caused by underlying medical conditions, for example, gastroesophageal reflux, obstructive sleep apnea, periodic leg movements (restless legs syndrome), or seizures, the underlying medical condition should be treated.

Medications for the treatment of sleepwalking disorder may be necessary in the following situations:

* The possibility of injury is real.

* Continued behaviors are causing significant family disruption or excessive daytime sleepiness.

* Other measures have proven to be inadequate.

Medications

Benzodiazepines, such as estazolam (ProSom), or tricyclic antidepressants, such as trazodone (Desyrel), have been shown to be useful. Clonazepam (Klonopin) in low doses before bedtime and continued for 3-6 weeks is also usually effective.

Medication can often be discontinued after 3-5 weeks without recurrence of symptoms. Occasionally, the frequency of episodes increases briefly after discontinuing the medication.

Other Therapy

Relaxation techniques, mental imagery, and anticipatory awakenings are preferred for long-term treatment of persons with sleepwalking disorder.

* Relaxation and mental imagery should be undertaken only with the help of an experienced behavioral therapist or hypnotist.

* Anticipatory awakenings consist of waking the child or person approximately 15-20 minutes before the usual time of an event, and then keeping him awake through the time during which the episodes usually occur.

Prevention

* Limit stress

* Avoid alcohol intake

* Avoid sleep deprivation

Outlook

The outlook for resolution of the disorder is excellent.

* Sleepwalking is not a serious disorder, although children can be injured by objects or falls during sleepwalking.

* Although disruptive and frightening for parents over the short term, sleepwalking is not associated with long-term complications.

* Prolonged disturbed sleep may be associated with school and behavioral issues.

Sleep Walking Dog

2009-07-24T02:40:00.000-07:00

Sleep Walking Dog

Sleep Apnea

2009-07-24T02:37:00.000-07:00

Sleep Apnea

Brief pauses of breathing during sleep. Often associated with loud snoring, snorting and gasping for breath. Sleep apnea can result in daytime sleepiness, depression, and cardiovascular problems.

Sleep apnea is believed to affect at least 1out of every 200 Americans, 70 to 90 percent of them men, mostly middle-aged, and usually overweight. But the condition can afflict both men or women at any age.

People with this disorder actually may stop breathing while asleep-even hundreds of times--without being aware of the problem. During an apnea attack, the snorer may seem to gasp for breath, and the oxygen level in the blood may become abnormally low. In severe cases, a sleep apnea victim may actually spend more time not breathing than breathing and may be at risk for death.

In the most common form of the condition, obstructive apnea (also called upper airway apnea), air stops flowing through the nose and mouth, but throat and abdominal breathing efforts are uninterrupted. The snoring that results is produced when the upper rear of the mouth (the soft palate and the cone-shaped tissue--the uvula--that descends from it) relaxes and vibrates as air passes in and out. This sets up an air current between the palate and the base of the tongue, resulting in snoring. Typically, the individual will wake up, emit a vigorous snort or grunt while gasping for air, then immediately fall back to sleep, only to repeat the cycle.

In another form of the disorder, central apnea, both oral breathing and throat and abdominal breathing efforts are simultaneously interrupted. In a third type of apnea, mixed apnea, a brief period of central apnea is followed by a longer period of obstructive apnea.

Sleep apnea can be recognized by a number of symptoms. As mentioned, loud and intermittent snoring is one warning signal. The person who has sleep apnea may experience a choking sensation, early-morning headaches, or extreme daytime sleepiness, as well. Excessive body movements, snorting or gasping for breath during sleep. Since sleeping pills may be harmful for people with sleep apnea, they should not be taken if the condition is suspected.

Many people with such conditions as obesity, deviated nasal septum, polyps, enlarged tonsils, large adenoids, or a host of other problems may be particularly likely to develop sleep apnea. Doctors can reliably diagnose the disorder only by monitoring oxygen intake, breathing, and other physical functions while the patient is sleeping.

In mild cases, sleep apnea often responds to medication. Or, in the case of overweight middle-aged males, losing weight may lessen the problem. Another procedure, known as continuous positive air pressure, involves the use of a machine that blows air into the hose during the night, opening the air passages in the throat. Patients will severe sleep apnea may require surgery. One procedure widens the throat. In another, a tracheostomy, which is used in very severe cases, a small hole is made at the base of the neck, below and in front of the Adam's apple. At night, a valve on a hollow tube in the hole is opened so that air can flow directly to the lungs, bypassing the sleep induced upper airway blockage. During the day, the valve is closed, allowing the patient to breathe and speak normally.

All about Insomnia

2009-07-24T02:35:00.000-07:00

Insomnia

Insomnia, the most common sleep complaint, is the feeling that you have not slept well or long enough. It occurs in many different forms. Most often it is characterized by difficulty falling asleep (taking more than 30 to 45 minutes), awakening frequently during the night, or waking up early and being unable to get back to sleep.

With rare exceptions, insomnia is a symptom of a problem, and not the problem itself. Good sleep is a sign of health. Poor sleep is often a sign of some malfunctioning and may signal either minor or serious medical or psychiatric disorders. Insomnia can begin at any age. And, it can last for a few days (transient insomnia), a few weeks (short-term insomnia), or indefinitely (long-term insomnia).

Transient insomnia may be triggered by stress-- a hospitalization for surgery, a final exam, a cold, headache, toothache, bruised muscles, backache, indigestion, or itchy rash. It can also be caused by jet travel that involves rapid time-zone change.

Short-term insomnia, lasting up to 3 weeks, may result from anxiety, nervousness, and physical and mental tension. Typical are worries about money, the death of a loved one, marital problems, divorce, looking for or losing a job, weight loss, excessive concern about health, or plain boredom, social isolation, or physical confinement.

Long-lasting distress over lack of sleep is sometimes caused by the environment, such as living near an airport or on a noisy street. Working a night shift can also cause problems: sleeping during the day may be difficult on weekdays, especially when the person sleeps at night on weekends. But more often, long-term insomnia stems from such medical conditions as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, chronic sinusitis, epilepsy, or ulcers. Long-term impaired sleep can also be brought on by chronic drug or alcohol use, as well as by excessive use of beverages containing caffeine and abuse of sleeping pills.

Many patients with long-term insomnia may be suffering from an underlying psychiatric condition, such as depression or schizophrenia. Depression, in particular, is often accompanied by sleep problems (which usually disappear when the depression is treated). People with phobias, anxiety, obsessions, or compulsions are often awakened by their fears and worries, sometimes by nightmares and feelings of sadness, conflict, and guilt.

Insomnia is a complex problem, not given to simple solutions. Most experts agree that treatment should start with assessing and correcting sleep hygiene and habits.

Exercise
Regular exercise tends to benefit sleep, but not right at bedtime. Vigorous exercise, especially just before sleep, can cause arousal and delay sleep. You cannot force sleep on a given night by exercising excessively during the day. Exercise in the morning also has little beneficial effect on sleep. The best time to exercise is in the afternoon or early evening. But, even then, it probably won't help you sleep unless you exercise on a regular schedule.

Trying Too Hard
Trouble falling asleep, the most common form of sleep disturbance, may be brought on simply by going to bed too early. Sleep cannot be forced. You should not go to sleep until you are sleepy. If you turn in too early--even if you do fall asleep--you could experience a disturbed night's rest or could wake early without feeling refreshed. If you go to bed when you feel sleepy but find that you can't fall asleep, don't stay in bed brooding about being awake. It is best to get out of bed. Leave the bedroom. Read, sew, watch TV, take a warm bath, or find some other way to relax before slipping between the sheets once more.

Naps
Laboratory tests have shown that daytime naps disrupt normal nighttime sleep. Although many people feel like napping between 2 and 4 p.m. (siesta time), most sleep better if they don't nap during the day. Naps should not be used as a substitute for poor sleep at night. However, there are exceptions to this general rule. Many older people, in particular, do. sleep better at night when they take daytime naps. But if you are a napper who sleeps poorly at night, your nighttime sleep might improve if you skip the naps.

Bedtime Snacks
If hunger keeps you awake, a light snack might help you sleep, unless it causes problems with digestion. Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine-containing coffee, tea, and cola. For those who. can tolerate milk, that old, time-tested remedy may work best.

Smoking At Bedtime
Nicotine stimulates the nervous system and can interfere with sleep. In one sleep laboratory study, smokers experienced greater difficulty than nonsmokers. Sleep patterns also improved significantly among chronic smokers when they abstained from smoking.

Alcohol
The effect of alcohol is deceiving. It may induce sleep, but chances are it will be a fragmented sleep. The sleeper will probably wake up in the middle of the night when the alcohol's relaxing effect wears off.

Regular Bedtime
The best way to sleep better is to keep a regular schedule for sleeping. Go to bed at about the same time every night, but only when you are tired. Set your alarm clock to awaken you about the same time every morning--including weekends and regardless of the amount of sleep you have had. If you have a poor night's sleep, don't linger in bed or oversleep the next day. If you awaken before it is time to rise, get out of bed and start your day. Most insomniacs stay in bed too long and get up too late in the morning. By establishing a regular wakeup time, you help solidify the biological rhythms that establish your periods of peak efficiency during the 24-hour day.

Sleeping Pills: A Temporary Solution
All brands of prescribed sleeping pills are hypnotics--that is, drugs that depress the central nervous system and put users to sleep. A variety of hypnotics are now on the market, including barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and several classes of drugs generally referred to as the nonbarbiturates/nonbenzodiazepines.

The benzodiazepines are very toxic when taken in combination with alcohol. Benzodiazepine drugs sometimes can aid sleep for up to 30 days. The benzodiazepines are not all alike, though. Some work faster than others, some produce effects that last longer, and some are eliminated from the body sooner.

When taken for a brief period and under a doctor's guidance, prescription sleeping pills may help you sleep better. But insomnia cannot be corrected with pills. At best, sleeping pills have only limited usefulness. They provide a temporary solution to insomnia. Thus, only when a person's health, safety, and well-being are threatened should drugs be sleep-promoting considered and then only after the doctor takes a medical history and does a physical examination. He or she might identify conditions that should not be treated with sleeping pills and weigh other risks drug treatment.

Although temporarily helpful, sleep promoting medications can eventually cause disturbed sleep, side effects, a sleep "hangover" during the day, and dependence on the drug. Further more, once the drugs are stopped, sleep problems return, at least temporarily, and may be even more severe than they were before the medication was first taken.

Sleeping pills can be fatal when taken in combination with alcohol or other drugs. Even when not fatal, combining drugs and alcohol can be perilous to driving and the use of other machinery. Long-acting sleeping pills, by themselves, may also impair driving performance the day after they are taken. People who are taking sleeping pills should never drink for a couple of days afterward.

Anxiety, Depression, And Sleep

In a recent national survey, 47 percent of those reporting severe insomnia reported a high level of emotional distress. Psychological factors, such as fears, phobias, and compulsions, can so occupy the mind that sleep is delayed, disturbed, or shortened. Chronically tense people are frequently so restless, hyperactive, and apprehensive that they expect not to sleep when they go to bed.

In depressed people, an overwhelming feeling of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt can be associated with abnormal sleep patterns. Often, the depressed person awakens early and cannot return to sleep. Yet, sometimes, just the opposite is true. Some depressed people find relief in sleeping, denying or escaping from the problems of living by sleeping. The loss of a sense of purpose in life may be associated with an overwhelming urge to sleep, a constant feeling of tiredness, or nighttime sleep marked by an irregular sleep/wake pattern.

Many depressed people complain of insomnia without recognizing they are depressed. If you have lost interest in activities you used to enjoy, or if you have feelings of hopelessness or suicidal thoughts, you may be one of them. You should discuss the problem with your physician, who may recommend psychiatric consultation. While the complaint may be insomnia, the underlying depression, not the insomnia, must be treated. Antidepressant medications and/or psychotherapy can produce remarkable improvement, both in mood and sleep patterns.

What is Narcolepsy or Sleep Attacks

2009-07-24T02:33:00.000-07:00

Narcolepsy or Sleep Attacks

A sleepy feeling during the day could be caused by insufficient, inadequate, or fragmented sleep, by insomnia, or by boredom, social isolation, physical confinement, or depression. But, if you continually experience excessive daily daytime sleepiness--sometimes expressed as tiredness, lack of energy, and/or irresistible sleepiness--you could be suffering from another little-known, chronic sleep disorder called narcolepsy.

According to the American Narcolepsy Association, 1 out of every 100 Americans is afflicted with this disorder. Yet, between 50 and 80 percent of them remain undiagnosed. People with narcolepsy suffer from sleep apnea more often than the general population, although apnea is not a core feature of the disorder.

During a narcoleptic attack, the person may find it physically impossible to stay awake and sleeps for periods ranging from a few seconds to a half hour. An attack can occur while watching TV, reading, or listening to a lecture. More surprising, these sudden attacks of sleep can also strike while walking, eating, riding a bike, or carrying on a conversation.

Usually, narcolepsy starts in the early teen years, but it can strike anyone at any age. At first, the symptoms are rather mild. Gradually, over a period of years, they increase in severity.

Narcolepsy With Cataplexy

Besides the presence of excessive sleepiness, which usually is the first symptom noted, the person suffering from narcolepsy may experience a sudden weakness of the muscles called cataplexy. A cataplectic attack is usually triggered by such emotions as laughter, anger, elation, or surprise. It may be experienced as partial muscle weakness lasting a few seconds or as almost complete loss of muscle control lasting for 1 to 2 minutes. During this period, the victim may be in a state of nearly total physical collapse, unable to move or speak, but still conscious and at least/ partially aware of activity in the immediate environment.

Sometimes, narcolepsy is misdiagnosed as epilepsy. But while epilepsy is often accompanied by loss of bladder and bowel control and tongue biting, narcolepsy is not. More often, the symptoms of narcolepsy are attributed to laziness, malingering, or psychiatric disorder. Job and home life usually suffer when narcolepsy goes untreated.

Narcolepsy, believed to be caused by a defect in the central nervous system, has no known cure. However, after proper diagnosis, the disorder can be effectively managed with drugs.

People who have narcolepsy but don't know it represent a serious safety hazard to themselves and others when they drive. They may doze off while waiting for a traffic signal to change, or they may drive to destination and be completely unable to recall how they got there. At least one in every 500 drivers is estimated to be suffering from narcolepsy.

Tragically, many of the drivers may not survive to be diagnosed or counted among the sufferers. Yet, narcolepsy is a major traffic safety problem with a low-cost and easy solution: proper diagnosis and medical care. Diagnosed patients who understand their symptoms appear to be very safe drivers, and their driving can be coordinated with the use of medication.

What is Sleep Walking

2009-07-24T02:28:00.000-07:00

Sleep Walking

Is a Sleep Disorder characterized by walking or other activity while seemingly still asleep. Sleepwalking (Somnambulism) is a series of complex behaviors that are initiated during slow wave sleep and result in walking during sleep. Sleepwalking is a rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder occurring in the dream stage of sleep. During this phase, the body releases a chemical that paralyzes the body. However, those who sleepwalk do not have this chemical trigger, hence the behavior.

Symptoms and Features:

Ambulation (walking or moving about) that occurs during sleep. The onset typically occurs in pre-pubertal children.
amnesia following an episode
polysomnographic monitoring demonstrates the onset of an episode during stage 3 or 4 sleep
other medical and psychiatric disorders can be present but do not account for the symptom
the ambulation is not due to other sleep disorders such as REM sleep behavior disorder or sleep terrors.
Fatigue (which is not the same as drowsiness),
stress and
anxiety

The normal sleep cycle involves distinct stages from light drowsiness to deep sleep. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a different type of sleep, in which the eyes move rapidly and vivid dreaming is most common. During a night, there will be several cycles of non-REM and REM sleep. Sleep walking (somnambulism) most often occurs during deep non-REM sleep (stage 3 or stage 4 sleep) early in the night. It can occur during REM sleep near morning.

In children, the cause is usually unknown but may also be related to fatigue, prior sleep loss, or anxiety. In adults, sleep walking is usually associated with a disorder of the mind but may also be seen with reactions to drugs and/or medications and alcohol, and medical conditions such as partial complex seizures. In the elderly, sleep walking may be a symptom of an organic brain syndrome or REM behavior disorders.

The sleep walking activity may include simply sitting up and appearing awake while actually asleep, getting up and walking around, or complex activities such as moving furniture, going to the bathroom, dressing and undressing, and similar activities. Some people even drive a car while actually asleep. The episode can be very brief (a few seconds or minutes) or can last for 30 minutes or longer.

One common misconception is that a sleep walker should not be awakened. It is not dangerous to awaken a sleep walker, although it is common for the person to be confused or disoriented for a short time on awakening. Another misconception is that a person cannot be injured when sleep walking. Actually, injuries caused by such things as tripping and loss of balance are common for sleep walkers.

Sleep walking occurs at any age, but it occurs most often in children aged 6 to 12 years old. It may occur in younger children, in adults, or in the elderly, and it appears to run in families. Sleepwalking (somnambulism) is fairly common, especially among children. An estimated 15 percent of all children between the ages of 5 and 12 have walked in their sleep at least once, and most outgrow the disorder. Typically, the child (or adult) sleepwalker sits up, gets out of bed, and moves about in an uncoordinated manner. Less frequently, the sleepwalker may dress, open doors, eat, or go to the bathroom without incident and usually will avoid obstacles. But sleepwalkers don't always make their rounds in safety. They sometimes hurt themselves, stumbling against furniture and losing their balance, going through windows, or falling down stairs.

In children, sleepwalking is not believed to be influenced by psychological factors.
In adults, it could indicate a personality disturbance.

Usually, it is enough for parents of sleepwalkers to provide their children with emotional support. They should also lock windows and doors and make sure the child does not sleep near stairways and potentially dangerous objects. For severe cases, a doctor may prescribe drugs.

Medical reports show that about 18% of the population are prone to sleepwalking. It is more common in children than in adolescents and adults. Boys are more likely to sleepwalk than girls. The highest prevalence of sleepwalking was 16.7% at age 11 to 12 years of age. Sleepwalking can have a genetic tendency. If a child begins to sleepwalk at the age of 9, it often lasts into adulthood.

For some, the episodes of sleepwalking occur less than once per month and do not result in harm to the patient or others. Others experience episodes more than once per month, but not nightly, and do not result in harm to the patient or others. In its most severe form, the episodes occur almost nightly or are associated with physical injury. The sleepwalker may feel embarrassment, shame, guilt, anxiety and confusion when they are told about their sleepwalking behavior.

Amnesia is another danger that usually follows a sleepwalking episode. Sleepwalkers usually remember little to nothing. But there are times sleepwalkers have a vague memory of an episode where they think they were being burned, buried alive, caught under a roof or trying to escape a dangerous situation. Sleepwalking primarily occurs in young children and is more prevalent in boys than girls.

Sleepwalking episodes can range from sitting up in bed to walking, and can even lead to frantic attempts to escape as if threatened or fleeing. During an episode, a sleepwalker exhibits behaviors such as sitting up with glassy eyes, picking at the blankets, making body movements and walking around the house. Sleepwalkers may also urinate, defecate or avoid looking at another person who attempts to communicate with them. Exiting through a window is not an uncommon practice, either.

Homicide or suicide during sleepwalking has rarely been reported when a person has tried to awaken a sleepwalker.

Sleepwalking can be treated with drugs, but hypnosis has also proven to be successful on a short-term basis.

An important component in dealing with this disorder is to make the environment as safe as possible, such as having sleepwalker's bedroom on the ground floor, removing hazardous items from the house, locking windows and placing an alarm on the bedroom door.

It is very important that if the sleepwalker exits the house, or is having frequent episodes and injuries are occurring -- DO NOT delay, it is time to seek professional help.

In a few instances, sleepwalking can result in violent behavior. It is very important that a chronic sleepwalker seek professional help.

Treatment:
There are some things a sleepwalker can do:

Make sure you get plenty of rest; being overtired can trigger a sleepwalking episode.
Develop a calming bedtime ritual. Some people meditate or do relaxation exercises; stress can be another trigger for sleepwalking.
Remove anything from the bedroom that could be hazardous or harmful.
The sleepwalker's bedroom should be on the ground floor of the house. The possibility of the patient opening windows or doors should be eliminated.

An assessment of the sleepwalker should include a careful review of the current medication so that modifications can be made if necessary.

Hypnosis has been found to be helpful for both children and adults.

An accurate psychiatric evaluation could help to decide the need for psychiatric intervention.

Benzodiazepines have been proven to be useful in the treatment of this disorder. A small dose of diazepam or lorazepam eliminates the episodes or considerably reduces them.

A Look at the Serious Health Effects of Having Sleep Apnea

2009-07-21T17:25:00.001-07:00

Sleep apnea is not a disorder to be taken lightly nor is it something that will go away on its own with time. In fact sleep apnea is classified as being a “progressive disease” which means that just like cancer, diabetes and heart disease it gets worse with time. There is a lot of debate in the medical community about the effect that sleep apnea has on other medical problems. There is a definite connection between sleep apnea and these physical conditions- high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure, pulmonary hypertension and stroke.

More and more research is looking into why the above conditions are related to problems erupting in the upper airways of a person suffering from sleep apnea. It is well known that being overweight, smoking and abusing alcohol plays a role in sleep apnea and in turn leads to a greater chance of developing heart disease and hypertension. However it is not clear while some people who do not have any of these problems regarding their lifestyle still develop sleep apnea.

When there is a cessation of breathing during a sleep apnea episode the bloodstream shows higher levels of carbon dioxide while oxygen levels decrease. As a result of this, a series of chemical and physical events takes place in the body that then increases the risk of other problems arising in the body.

In individuals who suffer from sleep apnea and who are overweight, experts have discovered that they have high levels of immune factors known as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). High levels of both of these factors can cause serious inflammation in the body which can lead to cell damage, especially in the arteries. In one particular study it was shown that people with elevated levels of TNF-alpha suffered from shortness of breath, excessive tiredness and a “weak heart-pumping action.” However it must be said that to date no “clear causal relationship” between obstructive sleep apnea and heart disease has been scientifically established.

Many studies have been conducted to look at high blood pressure and sleep apnea. A link has been found between the two. To give an example, a study done in 2000 examined patients over a four year period and showed that the more apnea episodes they experienced in the first year, the greater risk was posed for them to develop hypertension by the third or fourth year. Even in those who snored or experienced mild sleep apnea there was a “weak but still higher than normal association with high blood pressure.”

In the past the connection between sleep apnea and hypertension was believed to be strongly linked to obesity. However recent studies are pointing to other findings, which is that hypertension is particularly high in individuals who suffer from sleep apnea no matter what their weight is.

Blood pressure affects sleep apnea because it fluctuates tremendously during repeated sleep apnea episodes. These fluctuations are also related to changes in the form of sudden surges that take place in the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system “controls involuntary muscles, importantly those in the blood vessels and heart.” It is strongly believed that as time passes, these fluctuations could play a significant role in the development of permanent long-term hypertension.

Why is Snoring Noisy

2009-07-21T17:05:00.003-07:00

Snoring is the noise made by air struggling to pass through a blocked or obstructed airway. Often the airway is blocked by flabby, relaxed tissue in the throat and there are a number of exercises that can be incorporated into a daily regime that will work to strengthen the muscles and tissues of the neck, jaw and throat to reduce or even cure the problem.

By exercising the parts of the body involved in the physical process of breathing you will make them stronger, more toned and less likely to interfere with the passage of air through the airways. This should improve your problem with snoring.

Any professional singer will know how important it is to practice exercises every day that are designed to keep the airways clear. Singers will work to exercise their tongues, their jaws and their throats – they want to develop strong muscles in these areas in order that they can perform.

As snoring occurs when airways become obstructed or blocked, it makes sense that snorers should consider exercising in the same way as a professional singer to keep their airways and associated muscles and tissue strong and open. Who knows, they may even find that they begin to win the local karaoke competitions as an added bonus.

Following are a number of very specific exercises that can be tried at home –

In a very controlled manner, slowly open and close your mouth to its full extent. Make sure your lips meet when closing.
Pucker up as if to blow a kiss and hold for 5 seconds before relaxing.
Practice smiling, make it big, generous and exaggerated. Once again hold the position for 5 seconds before relaxing.
Press your lips tightly together and hold for 5 seconds before relaxing.
Press your lips firmly and then pretend to sip a drink making a sipping noise.
Stick your tongue right out. Keep it straight and horizontal, don’t allow any drooping.
With your tongue sticking right out move it from side to side making it reach each corner of your lips.
Practice reaching for your chin with the tip of your tongue.
Practice reaching for the tip of your nose with your tongue.
Hold a spoon against your sticking out tongue and exert pressure as if to push the tongue back into the mouth. Resist the pressure with the tongue – push back against the spoon.
Say ‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma’ as quickly as possible being sure to pronounce both letters.
Say ‘‘La-La-La-La’ as quickly as possible being sure to pronounce both letters.
Say ‘Ka-Ka-Ka-Ka’ as quickly as possible being sure to pronounce both letters.
Say ‘Kala-Kala-Kala-Kala’ as quickly as possible being sure to pronounce both letters.
Say or sing all of the vowel sounds (A-E-I-O-U) as loudly as you can.

Overcome your snoring problem once and for all – get those muscles of the throat jaw and neck firmed and toned and stop the flabbiness blocking your airways.

Do Headache Sufferers Snore More?

2009-07-21T17:05:00.001-07:00

Studies are beginning to tell us that there is a connection between chronic headache sufferers and snorers. Is the connection in their triggers perhaps? We are all aware of the fact that certain foods, drinks and other things ones does can all but guarantee a person prone to snoring a symphony for the night. These include drinking milk before bed, having a late large meal, consuming alcohol and having any diary foods late into the evening. The same is true of headache sufferers. They too have foods, drinks and actions that are known to bring on a thumping in their temples that will send them to a dark quiet room until the headache subsides. These often include red wine, chocolate and anything with caffeine in it.

Recently it has come to the attention of physicians and researchers alike that people who suffer from daily headaches are at least twice as likely as those who have headaches only once in a while to also be snorers. A study was done to compare people who suffered the temple pounding pain of headaches a minimum of fifteen times a month and a control group of people who only had infrequent headache problems. These people experienced less than one hundred and four headaches a year but more than two. The results showed that twenty four percent of those who averaged a headache very other day were chronic snorers. The control group averaged fourteen percent nightly snorers.

Once question this raises is if you control the headaches do you control the snoring or is the process the other way around. Must you control the snoring to help banish the headaches. It has all the signs of a vicious circle. Headache sufferers take pain medications to curb their head pain. The problem is that pain relievers are known to increase the possibility that a person will snore. Snoring has serious effects on how a person sleeps. Snoring can wake up the snorer multiple times during the night and so cause a poor night’s rest. This lack of sleep can then cause headaches. One other consideration is that those who have difficulty sleeping may hold on to carbon dioxide at night and this can also be a trigger for those who experience headaches.

One thought currently in the field of sleep research is to conduct further studies that can determine the relationship between snoring and headaches. Are the headaches caused by the snoring noise the person is making? This could explain the morning headaches. Another possibility is that the snoring could be caused by some type of constriction relating to the neck that occurred during a headache. This may lead to the person snoring. The only way to study this properly will be to have the subjects go through major lifestyle changes while keeping a diary that will note headaches and snoring episodes. Only time and more research will tell what the answer truly is, but until then there seems to be no doubt these two afflictions are related.

The Apnoea Hypopnoea Index

2009-07-21T16:45:00.003-07:00

Sleep apnea is a problem not only for those people who suffer from it, but also those who live in close range. This is because it can be characterised by extremely loud snoring and accompanying snorts which ultimately cause anger and distress to those people who can’t sleep themselves because of the noise being made by the unfortunate snorer.

So what is sleep apnea or OSA

Sleep apnea is a distressing condition that many people suffer from though they may well be unaware of the fact. Basically the person goes to sleep, but the muscles in the upper part of the airway become very flabby and start to fall in on themselves. The person then cannot breathe properly and can actually stop breathing for a number of seconds before his brain kicks him into action by reminding him that he had better wake up or else. The person wakes up usually with a loud snore or snort which can be distressing for both him and his partner or even those who are within hearing range.

As this may happen quite a number of times during the night, the sufferer tends not to have a completed sleep pattern. This means he is drowsy and tired the next day, and a vicious cycle is set into motion.

The symptoms from Sleep apnea can range from being minor to quite relentless. If it is felt the problem should be controlled, there is an index which can be used to determine the severity of the problem. This is called the Apnoea/hypopnoea index and it is used to decide the severity of the problem. Hypopnoea is the reduction of airflow which is passing through the airways, and the index calculates the number of apnea attacks with the number of hypopnoeas per hour of sleep. A scale is then used to determine the severity of the problem.

The Apnoea hypopnoea scale

An AHI of fewer than 10 suggests the problems being shown by the person who is snoring and snorting is not liable to have any clinical underlying problems. This is a good thing, because the person (or his family) can then start to think of other methods to stop the terrible din.

If the AHI is above 10, it is indicative of underlying problems, and it is suggested these are investigated further. These further investigations can include a specialist sleep study where the sufferer has to spend a night in hospital whilst special equipment is used to monitor the quality and type of sleep the person is getting. If it is found that he is being deprived of oxygen, it poses problems of Adult sudden death syndrome and also cardiac and stroke problems.
One way of combating sleep apnea is for the person who is suffering from the problem to wear an oxygen mask whilst asleep which will assist him with breathing.

Sleep apnea is no fun either for the people who suffer from it or their families who have to listen to the noise they make whilst asleep.

Differentiating Snoring From Sleep Apnea

2009-07-21T16:25:00.003-07:00

While snoring is treated as a laughable condition by the general public, few realize the dangers that they may face if they have a serious snoring condition. When a snoring problem degenerates, it can turn into sleep apnea, a terrible sleep disorder that can cause numerous bad health effects. If you are a snorer, it’s important to find out whether or not you may have sleep apnea, as it is a treatable condition that, if left untreated, can be very damaging to your health. There are a few simple questions to ask yourself when you think you may have sleep apnea. Do you snore on a regular basis? If so, you are more likely to be afflicted with apnea. If your snoring wakes you or your partner up at night, the chance that you have sleep apnea is quite prevalent. One of the main warning signs for a case of apnea is waking up in the middle of the night, choking or gasping for air. This is due to the fact that apnea occurs when blockage in the air way occurs to such an extent that it causes you to actually stop breathing for periods of ten seconds or longer. A person with apnea can wake up a number of times throughout the evening, causing them to have a lack of good sleep and leading to irritability and an inability to concentrate when the morning comes. Severe cases of sleep apnea can result in the afflicted person waking up as many as 100 times per night. People afflicted with sleep apnea also often wake up with headaches due to a lack of oxygen, which is another symptom to consider. Rapid weight gain, memory loss, depression, changes in personality and a short attention span are other symptoms to watch for.

If these conditions sound all too familiar, you may want to look into the possibility that you have sleep apnea. One way to determine whether or not you may have apnea is to record yourself breathing while you sleep with a tape recorder. If you note frequent breathing cessations, you should consider going to a hospital for a polysomnography test. A polysomnography test consists of an overnight study in which your sleep is monitored, so that a proper diagnosis for apnea can be determined. It is a harmless test, and it is often covered by insurance carriers. Another method for pre-diagnosing sleep apnea in the household is to keep a sleep diary. Sleep diaries should be made by your bed partner, and they should consist of a notebook, pen, and flashlight. When your bed partner wakes up in the middle of the night, they should note some factors in your sleeping. They should record whether or not you are snoring, how loud your snoring is, whether you are asleep or not, and whether or not you are having trouble breathing. This simple notebook can really help you to see the extent of your problem. Sleep apnea, if untreated, can lead to an increased risk of heart problems and an increased stroke. That’s why it’s important to diagnose your problem today.

How to Reduce Your Risk For Sleep Apnea

2009-07-21T16:25:00.001-07:00

Sleep apnea is a terrible sleep disorder which can have some very negative effects on your health and your quality of life. Sleep apnea can strike at any age, and it is a degenerative condition that will become more serious over time if left untreated. There are some things that you can do to lower your risk of sleep apnea; if you are high in risk factors, you may be setting yourself up for a terrible sleep disorder. In the following article, we’ll be discussing the various methods that people use to keep their risk factor for sleep apnea down.

Keeping in shape is of utmost importance. One of the main causes of sleep apnea is an excess of fatty tissue in the neck caused by being obese. This tissue can weigh down on the esophagus, causing an obstruction of the air way and consequently a case of sleep apnea. One way of diagnosing your need for fitness is to measure the circumference of your neck. If you find your neck to be in excess of 17 inches, a significant risk of contracting sleep apnea is present.
Using depressants such as alcohol or sleeping pills definitely weighs into a person’s chance of contracting sleep apnea. Alcohol and sleeping pills cause the muscles of the body to relax; this behavior includes the muscles found in the throat, and when they are relaxed, an air way obstruction can occur. For that reason, if you must drink, it is important to have your last beverage at least 4 hours before you go to bed. This gives your body a chance to process the alcohol in your system, leading to a lessened chance of snoring and apnea when bed time comes.
Smoking is another reason that people may contract sleep apnea. A person that commonly smokes usually has an increased amount of inflammation in the throat. Also, fluid retention in the upper air way is increased by a smoking habit. Both of these factors can add up to serious obstruction of the air way.
Some people that have sleep apnea only experience the problem when they are lying on their backs at night. To remedy this problem, a simple home project can be assembled to keep you sleeping on your side. Put a tennis ball on the inside of a regular sock, and pin it to the back of your pajama pants. When you roll onto your back in your sleep, you will be uncomfortable due to the tennis ball, and you will unconsciously correct yourself, causing you to roll back onto your side.

These are just some of the things to do when trying to avoid a sleep apnea condition. There are many other factors that weigh into sleep apnea, and some, such as a narrow air way or old age, are unpreventable. For that reason, it is important to get a proper diagnosis if you suspect that you may have sleep apnea. Speak to a health care professional to get a proper opinion.

A Brief Look at Nasal Surgery and Upper Airway Surgery

2009-07-21T16:05:00.001-07:00

Sometimes surgery is a viable option when all else fails. The specific goal of surgery is to “enlarge the airway and prevent snoring and airway collapse.” Surgery is “site-specific”, meaning that it pinpoints a particular area of the airway and makes it bigger. Nasal surgery poses as great a risk to health as any operation does, with the biggest concern being anesthesia. The greatest advantage of nasal surgery is that it often provides a permanent solution for the sleep apnea problem.

Statistics Surrounding Sleep Apnea

2009-07-21T15:45:00.003-07:00

Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects breathing during sleep. Apnea comes from a Greek word that stands for “want of breath.” Sleep apnea is a chronic health problem and is also a progressive condition which means it can potentially worsen over time. These cessations of breathing can last anywhere from a minimum of ten to thirty seconds and upwards to as much as four hundred per night in those with severe sleep apnea. Some individual are so plagued by the condition that they are awakened every thirty seconds a nigh with another apnea episode. Sleep apnea is still greatly misunderstood by the medical community although research is ongoing. There are a great many individuals who are unaware that they even suffer from sleep apnea. Sometimes it takes a spouse, family member or close friend to bring the problem to the individual’s attention. Sleep apnea is a serious health problem that can be life threatening if left undiagnosed and untreated.

It is estimated that anywhere from twelve to twenty million American citizens suffer from sleep apnea in varying degrees. There are three kinds of sleep apnea- obstructive, central and mixed, of which obstructive sleep apnea is the most widespread by far. Obstructive sleep apnea can be mild, moderate or severe. It can easily go from mild to moderate or moderate to severe. Sleep apnea is not “age-specific” and affects individuals of every age, including children. Both men and women develop sleep apnea although it is more common in men then women, especially middle-aged men who are overweight. Part of this is believed to be due to the fact that men have a thicker neck circumference than women.

Breaking sleep apnea down even further by gender approximately twenty-four percent of men suffer from the sleep disorder while the percentage for women is nine percent. Women who have not entered menopause yet are less likely to suffer from sleep apnea than are women who are presently experiencing menopause or women who have already gone through it. However after menopause women are approximately as likely as men to develop sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of all sleep disorders. It is estimated that half of the patients who suffer from sleep apnea also suffer from loud, habitual snoring and are overweight. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, approximately 38,000 deaths occur on an annual basis that relate to cardiovascular problems that in one way or another are connected to sleep apnea. These problems include high blood pressure, hypertension and stroke, among others. An estimated six million American residents suffer from sleep apnea that is moderate to severe and may necessitate a late night visit to the e=emergency room. Unfortunately a great many people do not, as previously mentioned, even realize that they suffer from sleep apnea. This number is somewhere around 500,000 individuals.

Of the men and women that suffer from sleep apnea, approximately four percent of men and two percent of women meet what is deemed as the “diagnostic criteria” for the sleep disorder, which averages an estimated ten bouts of apnea (or apneic events or episodes) in the course of an hour while they sleep.

Top 5 Major Reasons and Causes for Snoring

2009-07-20T07:04:00.000-07:00

1. Alcohol – Alcohol is one of the 5 top most causes to snoring.Alcohol relaxes your throat and neck muscles which results in snoring. Snoring occurs because the relaxed muscles cause obstacle in breathing.Therefore, A regular drinker is more likely to snore.
Check for yourself,do not drink and then see, whether that night you have a snoring problem or not. If not, then snoring in your case is caused by alcohol. So stop alcohol consumption or consume in moderation.
2. Sleeping on Your Back – Sleeping on your back may be another cause of snoring. Snoring occurs when you sleep on your back. To get rid of snoring because of this cause, you have to train yourself to sleep on your side.
You can use a tennis ball to train yourself. Take a tennis ball in a sock and just pin it at the back of your pajamas. This will not let you sleep on your back. Slowly, you will develop the habit of not sleeping on your back.
3. Overweight – Are you overweight? Then this may be another cause of snoring. Fats get deposited at your neck and throat area, which cause problems in breathing. As your airways are blocked, you tend to snore.
Loose some extra pounds. This way, you will loose some fats deposited at your neck area. This will help you to get rid of snoring. For reducing weight you can visit
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4. Sleeping pills – Sleeping pill is another main cause of snoring. They act like alcohol. They relax the throat and neck muscles. Then these relaxed muscles cause snoring by blocking the airways.
So if possible do not take sleeping pills, when you are suffering from snoring. Talk to your doctor and find out what else you can use.
5. Allergies – Allergies may be another top cause of snoring. Allergies may cause nasal blockage which may lead to snoring. Your body cannot get the needed air. As the air vessels are blocked so your body may show result in the form of snoring.
Again for allergies, antihistamines are used. They cause relaxation of the muscles, which is another cause of snoring. So, in case of nasal blockage, you can use anti congestions instead of histamines.

Good news for those with Central Sleep Apnea

2009-07-18T10:01:00.003-07:00

Central sleep apnea is a problem that is relatively uncommon. While obstructive sleep apnea occurs often, central sleep apnea is rarely diagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnea can be very damaging to the body, causing an obstruction of the airway that forces a person to wake up repeatedly throughout the night and leading to a host of problems. Central sleep apnea is a problem that is not as commonly addressed. It’s a rare condition in which the brain is unable to properly signal the body to let it know when to breathe while sleeping. Many people who are affected by central sleep apnea also have a minor case of obstructive sleep apnea. Clinically, central sleep apnea is diagnosed when 10 or more apneas occur during an hour due to central causes and less than 5 apneas occur in the hour with an obstructive cause.

Central sleep apnea is a problem that cannot be as easily solved as obstructive sleep apnea. While obstructive sleep apnea sufferers may simply change the position in which they sleep or get a continuous positive airway pressure (or CPAP for short) machine to curb their problem, there are not many options available for those with central sleep apnea. Luckily, doctors have been researching possible medications to help treat the program, and they may have experienced a breakthrough. Ambien is a sedative drug that can prove to be of definite merit to those suffering from central sleep apnea. While there are many more studies to be done, the results of a study conducted by Syed Quadri, M.D. of Henry Ford hospital regarding the drug are quite promising. After giving central sleep apnea sufferers Ambien for 6 weeks, apnea episodes were shown to be significantly decreased. The drug was administered 30 minutes before bedtime at a dose of 10 milligrams. A polysomnographic exam was conducted at the beginning of the trial and at the end of the trial. 20 patients completed the study, and the results were astounding. The average occurrence of any apnea events, whether obstructive or central, fell from 30 per hour to 13 per hour, representing a statistically significant change. Central apneas fell from an average of 26 episodes per hour to merely 7!

While the study represents a marked improvement in our understanding of central sleep apnea, there is still much to be learned. If the drug truly ends up being of merit to apnea sufferers, it represents a hypnotic, sleep-inducing drug that the patient will need to be dependant on. The safety of Ambien on a long-term dosage has not been accurately determined yet, so it’s important not to jump the gun on this study. More studies are being conducted to note the effects of Ambien long term, as well as studies constructed to help understand what hypnotic drugs do in those with apnea. So, while Ambien may not be a cure for central sleep apnea, it definitely represents a milestone in the fight for understanding this mysterious disease. Hopefully, our knowledge will only continue to grow.

Surgery Choices for the Sleep Apnea Patient

2009-07-18T10:01:00.001-07:00

Surgery is usually sought out as a last resort for patients suffering from severe obstructive sleep apnea. Surgery for sleep apnea in adults most often takes into account the tongue, throat, neck and/or the nose. There are times when more than one surgical procedure is combined for optimum results.

The most commonly undertaken surgical procedure for sleep apnea is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. This is also known in its abbreviated form as UPPP (or “UP3”). In some cases, sleep apnea takes place because of too much tissue in the area of either the soft palate or the uvula (which is the “tissue that hangs from the middle of the back of the roof of the mouth”). In a standard UPPP operation, the airway is made larger by the process of opening the airway at the soft palate. In other cases, a section of the soft palate known as the uvula and tissue from the sides of the mouth is taken out and this may or may not include the tonsils. An oscillating blade is used to perform UPPP surgery. Closely following on the heels of UPPP is laser-assisted uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (or LAUP). This type is exactly like UPPP only it takes place with a laser instead of a blade.

A tonsillectomy and/or an adenoidectomy are undertaken if a patient has either tonsils or adenoids that are infected and/or excessively large and are obstructing the airway while they sleep at night. In this situation either the tonsils or the adenoids or both are surgically removed. This is often an option undertaken for young sleep apnea sufferers. When it comes to adult patients sometimes this operation is performed on its own or else it is done along with a LAUP or UPPP operation.

A tracheostomy is the final surgery that physicians recommend for patients as it can not only be risky health wise but it can give rise to other health problems. However this extreme form of surgery is very successful at ridding a person of sleep apnea. In this case the doctor makes a hole in the patient’s trachea (or windpipe) and then a tracheotomy tube is placed in the hole to allow air to freely flow through, thereby allowing the patient to breathe properly.

Mandibular advancement or mandibular myotomy is a way to reposition a patient’s tongue in order to keep it from causing problems with breathing. When it comes to this type of surgery, “the jawbone is broken, moved forward and fixed temporarily to move the chin and tongue away from the back of the throat.” Generally this guarantees that the tongue is brought anyway from six to ten millimeters forward. Another form of surgical advancement, known as hyoid advancement is when a bone that is found in the neck known as the hyoid bone is moved or “advanced” forward in order to properly open the airway in the neck region.

In some people their tongue is so large that it obstructs breathing and encourages sleep apnea to occur. There is a surgical procedure known as a radiofrequency ablation of the tongue that can improve this situation. A radiofrequency probe is applied to the back of the throat area over the course of five treatments. The heat from the probe works to shrink the overall volume of the tongue thus making air obstruction less likely.

Having a Tracheostomy to Help Sleep Apnea

2009-07-18T09:41:00.003-07:00

A tracheostomy is a conventional form of surgery that is only performed today as a last resort for patients who have found that nothing else helps them and/or if their sleep apnea is serious enough to be deemed life threatening. Although this surgery has a high success rate (some doctors go as far as to say that it is one hundred percent effective) it involves an incision in the throat that is approximately the size of a quarter. And can give rise to any number of other health problems, some medical in nature while others are psychological. A tracheostomy is a very straightforward type of operation. Basically put, “the surgeon makes an opening through the neck into the windpipe and inserts a tube.” The opening, which is a permanent one coupled with the tube allows for the easy flow of air in and out of the windpipe (or trachea) Let’s take a closer look.

The tracheostomy tube allows air to flow in and out of the patient’s lungs and eliminates sleep apnea episodes. During the daytime hours a valve allows the tube to remain shut making it possible for the individual to both breathe and talk as naturally as possible. At night when the individual is sleeping the valve is wide opening allowing for air to flow into the throat but bypass the blockage and then find its way into the lungs.

Not everyone who undergoes a tracheostomy needs the same amount of time to recover. In other words some people require more time than others. When sleep apnea is brought about by the upper airway being blocked, a tracheostomy almost always is a successful operation. However keep in mind that this form of surgery is a kind of treatment that is often undertaken after all else has failed to work.

There are a number of risks associated with having a tracheostomy. First of all scar tissue sometimes forms where the hole is made in the throat and this can make a difference in the appearance of the neck. Sometimes a patient who has a tracheostomy has a chance of developing an infection at the sight of the operation (symptoms include swelling, redness and drainage of fluid) and bleeding is often a complication. Some patients have problems with their speech, some immediately following the surgery but find it improves with healing while others notice a permanent alteration in speech patterns. There is also a greater chance that a variety of lung infections will develop in patients who undergo a tracheostomy. Finally psychological and emotional problems such as depression and a lack of self-esteem can evolve as a result of this surgery.

Some people are very self-conscious about their appearance after having a tracheostomy as it is more obvious in some people than it is in others. People who are overweight or obese often suffer more long-term consequences due to fatty tissue on the neck that can block the hole in the throat. It is important to be impeccable with your hygiene habits after having a tracheostomy as keeping the area of the neck where the tube was inserted clean and free of debris is extremely important.

New Implant Introduced for Sleep Apnea Sufferers

2009-07-18T09:41:00.001-07:00

If you are a person that suffers from sleep apnea, you probably know how cumbersome it can be to use a CPAP machine to aid your breathing while you sleep. While it is a better alternative than the harmful effects of not treating your obstructive sleep apnea, it is hardly a full solution to the problem. Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea are prone to many negative health effects including a lack of concentration, grogginess, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Nearly 18 million Americans are afflicted with this disorder, with a full 1 out of 20 males and 1 out of 30 females living with the problem. To that end, biologists and doctors have been toiling endlessly to work towards a better type of treatment for the sufferers of this tragic condition. Luckily, there has been a medical breakthrough in the form of a tiny new implant which may be of great merit to those with a sleep apnea condition.

The implant procedure that is creating quite a buzz in the medical community is known as the pillar procedure, and it involves small implants that are placed within the soft palate. The implants and the scar tissue that is created by the surgical procedure helps to provide a level of support to the soft palate so that it is not as easily collapsible. This can cause the airway of those with obstructive sleep apnea to be more open, allowing the patient to breathe more properly throughout the evening. The soft palate of those who have the pillar procedure tends to stay in place, as opposed to falling back which commonly occurs in those with the disorder. Studies show that a full two thirds of all mild obstructive sleep apnea sufferers can benefit from the treatment, and it has been approved by the FDA. The surgery is an outpatient procedure, and it has been performed with a very reasonable success rate by doctors for the past four years. The implant takes roughly thirty minutes to install, and three small implants are placed throughout the palate.

While the long-term benefits of this surgery are not yet realized, it shows much promise in helping those with a mild case of apnea to reduce their problem. The implants in the palate do not pose much of a problem to the patients, as they cannot be felt after being implanted. Also, if the implants prove to be of little success, they can be easily removed via another surgery. While not a complete solution to the problem caused by obstructive sleep apnea, these implants represent a new hope for those who have a mild form of the condition. As with any serious medical procedure, it’s important to get a proper opinion from your trusted health care professional. Also, if you feel unsure whether or not your condition merits the treatment, a second opinion is advised. For those who wish to learn more about the Pillar procedure, you can contact Cynthia Harding, the Public Relations Director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at cynthia.harding@cshs.org.

Introducing the Pillar Procedure The Latest Treatment for Sleep Apnea

2009-07-05T18:48:00.001-07:00

A breakthrough therapy has emerged from the company Restore Medical that will give sleep apnea patients yet another option for relief from their symptoms. The initial results are promising. This procedure is doing well in comparison with more conventional treatment options such as the surgical laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Up to now the most popular form of treatment, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), this may begin changing in the near future as patients begin switching to the Pillar Procedure. Although an effective form of treatment, many patients dislike wearing a mask while they sleep. Still others experience noise problems due to the machine, feelings of claustrophobia and the leakage of air.

The Pillar Procedure is gaining in popularity because it is not as invasive as some of the other surgical procedures and it doesn’t take up too much of a patient and doctor’s time (on average it requires one quick visit to the physician’s office). The Pillar Procedure has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its willingness to treat both cases of snoring as well as sleep apnea and it is also clinically proven. In tests done utilizing the Pillar Procedure approximately eighty percent of sufferers noted a positive improvement in their nightly sleep apnea patterns. Many noted that episodes were dramatically decreased.

One reason for sleep apnea is that the “soft palate vibrates during snoring and can block the airway.” When it comes to the Pillar Procedure three tiny inserts are placed into the soft palate to offer a sufficient amount of support. The inserts are not visible to the human eye and they do not cause problems either with speech or with swallowing. These reasons alone make the Pillar Procedure a viable option.

The Pillar Procedure deals with the soft palate and calls for the injection of three tiny woven inserts into the soft palate that are geared at decreasing the vibrations that bring about snoring as well as prevent the soft palate from interfering with, or blocking the flow of air. Structural support is encouraged by way of the inserts and over time they blend into the natural tissue structure for continued support. At the time of the procedure the patient’s soft palate is given a local anesthetic to numb it and then the doctor goes ahead with implanting the inserts by way of a special medical tool. In some cases a mild painkiller will be prescribed to the patient for use if there is discomfort after the anesthetic wears off. This procedure does not even have to be done at the hospital; it can be done right in the doctor’s office.

The material that the Pillar inserts consist of has been used in other implantable medical devices for an excess of fifty years. Most patients report little if any discomfort and there is a short recuperation period. Many people return to their regular eating habits as well as their regular activities very quickly, some as soon as the same day or the day preceding the procedure.

The risks involved with the Pillar Procedure are very minimal. In fact only one percent of those treated with this method ever suffer any adverse effects. As well if so desired, the procedure can be reversed. It is important to be aware that the effectiveness of the procedure depends on a number of factors which include the size of a patient’s tonsils, their tongue position and their body mass.

Portrait of the Average Person who Suffers from Sleep Apnea

2009-07-05T18:28:00.003-07:00

It is estimated that anywhere from eighteen to twenty-five million individuals suffer from the disorder of sleep apnea however a surprising less than a million of these individuals are aware of it. This is a health concern that affects more men than women, and more middle aged to older men then younger men. Women of menopausal age are more likely to develop it than are younger women and after going through menopause, the incidence of sleep apnea among women becomes approximately equal to that of men. However some studies suggest that sleep apnea is under diagnosed in females. Research has shown that approximately between nine and twenty-four percent of males suffer from apnea or hypopnea and on average, four to fifteen percent of women. However be aware that sleep apnea has been found in people of all age groups, including children.

Sleep apnea is believed to affect anywhere from 1.6 to 3.4 percent of young children. It is hypothesized by experts that “sleep disorder breathing” can be found in eleven percent of children in the general population. One specific study yielded the result that while the incidence of sleep apnea rises with age, the many health problems that accompany it tend to become less severe. For example it was shown that those before the age of forty-five have more serious health consequences than those who are older.

Studies have shown that those who live in rural areas tend to suffer more incidences of sleep apnea than those who live in urban areas. However those who live in cities tend to suffer from insomnia and disturbed sleep more often. This is believed to be related to stress. Of all races in the United States those who are African American tend to have a higher likelihood of developing this sleep disorder as opposed to other ethnic groups.

Being overweight can pose a risk for developing sleep apnea especially for those who have an accumulation of fat in their abdominal areas (these people are often thought to be “apple shaped”). This is as true for adults as it is for children and teenagers. Sometimes even losing ten pounds or less can have a positive effect. It is important to point out that not everyone who experiences “sleep-disordered breathing” is overweight. This is especially the case when it comes to women and children.

There are a few physical characteristics that also seem to predispose an individual to be more likely to develop sleep apnea. For example having a larger neck may play a role. This may also partially explain why men are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than women. The risk is greatest for men who have a neck circumference of seventeen inches or more and for women who have a neck measurement of sixteen inches or higher.

Other physical characteristics that play a role include having a narrow upper jaw; having an overbite; having a chin that recedes, having a long lower portion of your face; having a large thick tongue and having a long, stiff soft palate.

Factors You Cannot Change in Regard to Sleep Apnea

2009-07-05T18:28:00.001-07:00

There are certain factors that may make a person more or less likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Many of these factors are beyond a person’s control. Coupled with such things as excess pounds, smoking, drinking and a generally unhealthy lifestyle, it is even more likely that down the road you could become a patient of sleep apnea. Let’s take a look at factors you cannot change in regard to sleep apnea.

Age is one factor. More people thirty years and older experience sleep apnea with the highest occurrences being in men over the age of forty.

Sleep apnea is far more common in men than it is in women. It is believed that on average twelve to twenty million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, ranging from mild to moderate to severe. Breaking this down into gender, approximately twenty-four percent of men in the general population have it while only nine percent of women do. Premenopausal women are less likely to suffer from sleep apnea then menopausal or post menopausal women and for reasons unclear to researchers, the occurrence of the sleep disorder is more evenly matched among the sexes after women are finished with menopause. Many studies have been done looking at the gender gap in relation to sleep apnea. Some studies point to the fact that it is two to three times more widespread in males than in females. However research studies done in sleep clinics across the country have shown results that men are five to six times more likely to experience this health problem.

Genetics plays a role in this disorder, however how large a role is unknown. If there is a family history of sleep apnea, whether it be males or females you are more likely to develop it at some point in your lifetime. There seems to be a genetic predisposition towards sleep apnea while people who have family history are less likely to become afflicted by it.

Race also plays a role according to researchers. Those of African American ethnicity as well as Hispanics and Pacific Islanders are more likely to develop the problem than are Caucasians. However that does not mean that Caucasians never develop it at all but it is in reduced rates in relation to other races. Black people tend to develop sleep apnea earlier in their lives than do Caucasian individuals.

Any medical condition that interferes with the breathing process can contribute to the onset of sleep apnea. In particular deformities to do with the spine such as scoliosis can cause problems and may bring it on.

Health conditions such as Down syndrome or Marfan’s syndrome that contribute to abnormalities of the head and face known as craniofacial problems can greatly increase a person’s chances of developing sleep apnea.

As mentioned earlier, menopause seems to play a role in developing sleep apnea. Women going through menopause are more likely to develop it than are younger women and the occurrence rates in the sexes are more evenly matched after menopause comes to an end.

How Can I Help Myself with Sleep Apnea?

2009-07-05T18:08:00.001-07:00

After being diagnosed with sleep apnea many patients wonder if there are any ways that they can help themselves health wise in regards to their condition. While there is presently no cure for sleep apnea there are ways to help decrease the incidence and severity of symptoms. It is wise though to first sit down and talk with your doctor or healthcare provider to learn everything about your condition and to discuss treatment methods. Ask your doctor what are the best ways you can help to improve your medical situation. Keep in mind that it is essential to follow your doctor’s instructions and to use these suggestions in conjunction with the prescribed treatment, whether it be CPAP, surgery, etc.

Many individuals consider these “self-help remedies” to be lifestyle changes. Be aware that these changes can also improve other medical conditions and are beneficial in improving an individual’s overall health and well being.

Weight is one important aspect that makes a difference in sleep apnea. If you are overweight or obsess lose the weight. Even losing a few pounds can make a difference in sleep apnea symptoms. An excessive amount of weight on the body can make sleep apnea worse in two different ways. First of all those who are overweight tend to have thicker necks and more fatty tissue in their neck area. Too much fat in this area can obstruct the airway and make collapse more likely. The other contributing factor is too much weight in the abdominal area makes it more likely for the muscles that control breathing to work insufficiently. Breathing muscles that don’t work to their optimum best can make breathing during nighttime sleep tremendously more difficult.

Some people find it a struggle to lose weight and prefer to attempt to lose weight or go on a special weight loss plan after they have commenced their sleep apnea treatment. This is perfectly fine. The important thing is to lose excess weight if it is necessary. If you are of a normal weight then you have nothing to worry about in this area!

Smoking makes sleep apnea a great deal worse as it contributes to a “decreased lung capacity.” As well smoking causes throat muscles to relax excessively thereby making it possible for the airway to become obstructed. Many people believe that nicotine patches are one of the best ways to help quit smoking.

Alcohol consumption should be decreased in general and should never be consumed three to four hours before bedtime. Drinking alcohol serves to depress the reflexes of breathing and by so doing, causes a case of sleep apnea to get worse. Besides alcohol, it is a wise to avoid sleeping pills, tranquilizers and other medications, prescription or otherwise, that can interfere in any way with normal breathing patterns.

When you suffer allergies, throat infections or colds these can all cause narrowed airway passages and congestion in the sinuses and nose. The viruses and bacteria that cause these health problems can make sleep apnea worse. As well medication taken for these conditions can encourage sleep apnea episodes. Speak to your doctor before taking meds for any condition that could potentially bother your breathing.

A Look at Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

2009-07-05T18:07:00.001-07:00

In some patients suffering from sleep apnea, there is too much tissue in the uvula or the soft palate. The uvula is “the soft finger-like tissue that hangs down from the roof of the mouth into the throat” while the soft palate is “part of the roof of the mouth.” In this case a surgical procedure known as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is sometimes undertaken. This form of surgery can prove beneficial to some patients but not others. The case of the airway obstruction plays a big role in deciding what type of treatment and/or surgery is required. Also known as UPPP this surgery involves the removal of the tonsils as well as parts of the uvula and soft palate. In some cases excess tissue from the throat such as the adenoids and tonsils must be removed as well. There are also cases where a patient’s tongue is so big that it causes breathing problems and therefore a small portion of it must be taken out. This procedure alone is known as an uvulopalatopharyngoglossoplasty.

After undergoing UPPP the patient might still find it necessary to require continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This is simply a breathing apparatus resembling a mask that is worn over the face at night to allow a patient an easier time breathing and to discourage the airways from closing up during sleep time. There might be some discomfort after this kind of surgery is dome however there are some types of pain medication that patients are not advised to take because of the role they play in relaxing the muscles of the throat. These forms of medicine could serve to narrow breathing passages and therefore bring on an apneic event (or sleep apnea episode).

UPPP surgery is generally done for those whom the doctor has diagnosed has having sleep apnea due to too much tissue in their mouth, throat or nose that restricts the flow of air. As well those patients who either cannot use or do not want to use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are encouraged to consider uvulopalatopharyngoplasty as a viable option for their health condition. Also those patients who have been using CPAP for a considerable length of time but do not notice any great improvement might do well to consider UPPP surgery. Finally those who suffer from severe sleep apnea but do not want to proceed with a tracheostomy to help them might want to consider this surgical alternative. Adults more often undergo this form of surgery than do children. For children who experience sleep apnea their adenoids and tonsils are often removed although this form of surgery is not done as often as it was in past generations.

UPPP carries with it a certain amount of risks or complications. Sometimes there is damage done to neighboring tissues and blood vessels, which can lead to other health concerns. As well some medications taken for pain can lead to sleep apnea episodes and a general feeling of not having had enough sleep. Often times patients will experience swelling, pain, some bleeding and sometimes infections do arise. Speech is not always the same after a UPPP procedure. Many patients notice a nasal quality to their voice after having the surgery. Finally the airway for both the nose and the throat can become narrowed after this surgery takes place.

Should I Undergo Surgery to Treat My Obstructive Sleep Apnea or Not?

2009-07-05T17:47:00.001-07:00

Trying to decide whether or not you should consider undergoing surgery as a means of treating your sleep apnea is a big decision and one that should not be taken lightly. It is important to keep in mind that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious disorder that can give rise to other serious health problems such as high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, heart failure, coronary artery disease, pulmonary hypertension (or high blood pressure in the lungs) and a higher incidence of stroke. It can also lead to excessive tiredness during the daytime, inattention, problems with memory, depression, as well family and work related problems.

Before making a final decision about surgery it is important to take a number of key points into consideration. First of all one of the most effective treatments for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and it is a very successful treatment option for many patients. You should try using CPAP first before considering surgery. In fact most doctors and sleep experts will insist upon it. If you have a blockage in your throat that cannot be reversed with any other form of treatment you might consider surgery as a viable option to correct the problem. This would be true in the case of a patient who had tonsils that were very big.

Those who find themselves at a terribly high risk for developing other health related complications from sleep apnea might also make a good candidate for surgery. Some types of surgery for sleep apnea, such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) require that the patient still use continuous positive airway pressure afterwards. Research has shown that only forty to sixty percent off patients who have UPPP surgery notice an improvement in their sleep apnea symptoms. A tracheostomy is often a “last resort” surgery for patients with severe sleep apnea who find nothing else has worked. This form of surgery has a very success rate but also has its share off physical and psychological complications. Some people suffer infections while others become very self-conscious about the appearance of their throat and their speech patterns. After exhausting other treatment options and surgery seems to be the right course of action for you to take, then consider less drastic forms of surgery that don’t wreck havoc with your appearance.

To return to a look at CPAP, it really is a worthwhile treatment option to take into account. Continuous positive airway pressure is especially beneficial in decreasing the amount of fatigue a patient feels during the daytime, in particular for those who suffer from sleep apnea that is classified as moderate to severe. Research studies into CPAP have found that it plays a role in improving blood pressure levels both during the daytime and at night during sleep. However studies also show that CPAP is not as helpful for those who only suffer a mild case of it. In that case lifestyle changes such as losing weight and quitting smoking should be the first to be undertaken. Patients who choose to go the CPAP route must schedule visits with their doctor often in order to have adjustments made.

Self Help Remedies and Traditional Treatments for Sleep Apnea

2009-07-05T17:27:00.003-07:00

Once diagnosed with a mild case of sleep apnea there are certain lifestyle changes you can make to help improve your condition and especially to do your best to make sure that it will not worsen over time. These are often thought of as being self-help remedies and they may be relevant for some patients but not others. As well they can be beneficial sometimes when used alone or in conjunction with other treatments.

If you need to lose weight doing so will help your sleep apnea. An excess of weight causes a build up of fatty tissue in the tongue, neck and soft palate areas, which can contribute to airway obstruction. Dropping pounds can decrease the amount of fatty tissue as well as allow for more breathing room.

Alcohol and a variety of medications such as sedatives, tranquilizers and sleeping pills can cause sleep apnea to get worse due to the fact that they all cause the throat to relax too much, thereby constricting airflow. If you must drink alcohol make sure you are finished at least three to four hours before you turn in for the night. Smoking can also aggravate the problem, as smoking tends to swell nasal passages, thereby making a case of sleep apnea worse. Avoid using sleeping pills to get a good night’s sleep and if you do smoke, kick the habit for your health’s sake.

How you position yourself in your bed while you sleep makes a difference when it comes to sleep apnea. It is a smart idea to elevate the top of your bed, such as by placing a telephone book between the mattress and the base, as this helps keep your airways open and clear. Train yourself to sleep on your side instead of on your back, which can be detrimental to your sleep condition.

Being overtired on a regular basis can lead to chronic insomnia and this will not help sleep apnea at all. In fact constantly being “wiped out” can contribute to a worsening of the condition. Aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night and try to go to bed every night around the same time. The same holds true for when you awaken in the morning. Consistency goes a long way in helping to establish a routine that you will learn to stick with.

Traditionally one of the most widespread treatments for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This is also a very successful treatment for many people. CPAP is “an air compressor that blows air through a corrugated tube attached to a mask that is placed over your nose.” The mask remains in place by way of elastic straps that attach behind the head. How it works is the air from the machine makes its way into the nose and from there it flows down into the throat and the lungs. This action makes it possible for the airways to remain open and clear. Another form of CPAP is known as biPAP (or bilevel positive airway pressure). This device controls the amount of air that is brought into and taken out of the lungs. For example, for inhaling there is a higher level of pressure and for exhaling there is a lower level of pressure. This option is particularly good for those who cannot cope with the “high constant air pressure” that characterizes CPAP.

An Overview of the Various Forms of Lower Airway Surgery

2009-07-05T17:07:00.003-07:00

Lower airway surgery is undertaken by doctors to both increase the size of the airway to allow for proper breathing as well as to prevent the worry that the airway might suddenly collapse. It also goes a long way in preventing snoring in sleep apnea patients. As the name implies, lower airway surgery is meant to “narrow the lower part of the airway, located behind the back of the tongue.” Let’s take a look at the various types of lower airway surgery.

There is a muscle known as the genioglossus muscle that connects from the back portion of the tongue to a place on the back of the chin. A lower airway surgery known as genioglossus advancement takes place in order to move the tongue forward in the mouth to make more space behind the tongue allowing for air to circulate easily. This operation must be done in a hospital under general anesthesia and is performed by way of an incision being made inside the lower lip of the patient.

Sitting slightly above the Adam’s apple in the throat is a boned shaped like the letter “C” known as the hyoid bone. This bone connects to muscles at the edges of the lower throat as well as to the back of the tongue. Sometimes an operation known as hyoid advancement is performed on a sleep apnea patient to make the space behind the tongue more accommodating for airflow. With this surgerical procedure an incision is made in the hyoid bone and then it is brought forward and the doctor attaches it to either the jawbone or the Adam’s apple.

Sometimes the cause of air obstruction is a tongue that is too big. Doctors may decide to make the tongue smaller by taking out a small part of the center of it, in a V-shape formation. This surgery is known as midline glossectomy. When even more of the tongue is removed including side parts it is called a lingualplasty. If they are inflamed or enlarged, the lingua tonsils may be gotten rid of by way of a laser. The lingual tonsils are defined as the “tonsil-like tissue on the back part of the tongue.” Very often doctors will also perform a temporary tracheostomy because swelling from any one of these surgeries could cause breathing problems in the patient.

Some doctors choose to move both the lower and upper jawbones forward as well as the teeth of the patient. By pulling the “soft tissue structures” forward this allows more room for the tongue to rest in and can decrease air obstruction concerns. The portions of the jawbone that are brought forward must then be held where they remain by way of titanium screws and metal plates. This surgery is known as bimaxillary advancement (or the more scientific name is lafort 1 maxillary osteotomy with bilateral sagittal split mandibular osteotomy) and is usually performed on patients who have a jaw that is very small or else those who have not found relief from their sleep apnea symptoms from other forms of “soft tissue surgeries.” This surgery must take place in a hospital under general anesthesia. Often a patient will need to go to an orthodontist for realignment of their teeth after the surgery. This surgery will affect a patient’s facial appearance. How much change will be noted depends on how much work needed to be done to move the jawbone forward during surgery.

What Exactly is Sleep Apnea?

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In as basic terms as possible sleep apnea is “the cessation of breathing during sleep.” Those who study sleep apnea break it down into three categories- central, obstructive and mixed sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (abbreviated to OSA) is the most widespread form while central sleep apnea is not terribly common. Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of the other two types but its treatment is much the same as OSA.

How Do You Know if You Are Suffering from Sleep Apnea?

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Not everyone who suffers from sleep apnea is aware of it. Sometimes it takes the person you share a bed with to bring it to your attention. The most common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud, habitual snoring, periods throughout the night when your breathing stops for anywhere from a ten second period to a minute or even more, excessive daytime sleepiness, problems concentrating throughout the day and waking up in the morning feeling as if you had not slept at all.

Dental Appliances that can be of Benefit to Sleep Apnea Sufferers

2009-07-05T16:47:00.001-07:00

Dental appliances or devices can be helpful when it comes to some patients of sleep apnea but not others. In the past doctors were wary of prescribing this treatment option to their patients due to lack of sufficient testing and research to determine their effectiveness. Dental device research is making inroads as a group of researchers hailing from the University of New South Wales in Australia have tested the devices on subjects to determine their overall effectiveness. The results concluded from these studies were that two thirds of the individuals tested showed a vast improvement in symptoms and their sleep apnea episodes dropped from an average of twenty-five per night to four or five and even in some people, less.

Although continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is one of the most widespread forms of treatment for sleep apnea, many patients find the machines uncomfortable and unsettling. Many people use them for a short time and then give up using them or only use them for an hour or two a night without noticing an improvement in their symptoms. Still others find the claustrophobic aspect of the mask to be more than they can bear. For these reasons many sleep apnea patients choose to opt for another form of treatment and that is where the dental appliances come in.

Originally these dental devices were meant to decrease the incidence of snoring of which they did an excellent job however with time and improvement in their design they have come to be used as a type of treatment for those who suffer from mild to moderate forms of sleep apnea. Less rarely are they used by those who suffer from severe sleep apnea, as they tend to be less effective for this group of people.

There are a variety of dental devices available for the patient to choose from. Two of the most popular include the splint and the mandibular advancement device (MAD). The splint keep the tongue in a particular position and by so doing, allows the air passage to remain open and clear. The mandibular advancement device (MAD) looks a lot like the sports mouth guards that athletes wear for protection. This apparatus forces the lower jaw in a backward direction and this makes it possible for there to be plenty of room for air to flow in and out.

More and more doctors are prescribing dental devices for their sleep apnea patients today than ever before as more is known about how they work to treat the sleep disorder. Most patients report positive results with the use of dental devices although more studies need to be done to determine if they have any significant health benefits for sufferers. MAD in particular has been found to have plenty of benefits. First of all for those who sleep lying on their backs and experience mild to moderate sleep apnea it has been found to decrease the incidence of apnea episodes considerably. Secondly, it may play a role in improving the flow of air into and out of the lungs, although this is less the case with those who suffer from severe sleep apnea. Thirdly, it seems to have a positive effect on getting a good night’s sleep. Finally in one particular study done, eighty-eight percent of the test subjects described their MAD as being extremely effective in decreasing apnea symptoms.

A Question and Answer Session Regarding CPAP Machines and Masks

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Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a form of therapy for sleep apnea that allows for a steady stream of air to flow back and forth from the lungs in order to make it possible for “uninterrupted breathing and unobstructed airways during sleep.” This is done by way of a CPAP machine and a mask worn over the face. The CPAP blows steady constant pressure all through the night. Let’s look at some common questions that CPAP users have regarding the equipment.

Now that I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, what next?
The first thing you must do is invest in the best CPAP equipment that you can. In particular this means finds a mask that fits comfortably and then wearing it faithfully every night for optimum results. The next thing you should do is reassure yourself that you are not alone with your sleep apnea problems by getting in touch with either an online or a real time community of likeminded individuals. One option if you wish to communicate via the Internet is www.cpaptalk.com. It is essential to replace the disposable parts of the CPAP equipment as applicable. For example filters should be changed every two to three months and masks approximately every six months. Often the consequence of not replacing equipment as required is sinus problems and nasal congestion.

What maintenance is necessary in regard to CPAP machines?
There is not a great deal of maintenance involved. You need to keep the machine as clean as possible and as discussed in the above question, replace the filter on average every two to three months.

What comes with the CPAP machine when it is delivered?
Besides the actual CPAP machine you will receive a special hose to attach it to the mask (which on average is anywhere from four to six feet long), an instruction manual and a case for transporting it. The CPAP mask is a separate item that must be purchased on its own.

Can I mix and match brands in regards to the CPAP machine and masks?
If you want to use different brands you might want to check with the manufacturers of both but for the most part most brands of machines and masks are compatible. However sometimes APAP machines cannot be used in conjunction with all CPAP masks. When in doubt, take the time to fond out!

If I need to change the pressure setting on the CPAP machine how do I go about it?
It is a patient’s doctor who usually makes this decision and once he or she has ordered a pressure change it can be done in one of two ways. First of all the majority of sleep clinics or sleep laboratories will send a technician out to change it for little if any cost to the patient. Secondly, a patient can purchase what is known as a manometer which is a very small and accurate device that will allow you to make the pressure setting change as is necessary.

What is a nasal mask?
A nasal mask is an excellent mask for those who are just beginning CPAP therapy. It fits comfortably around the nose and is held there by way of special headgear or straps.

What is a full-face mask?
As the name implies, the full-face mask covers more of the face then the nasal mask, as it takes in the mouth as well. This type also makes use of straps or headgear and is the best choice for those who prefer to breathe through their mouths instead of their noses.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Sleep Apnea

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Sleep apnea is a serious medical problem and should never be brushed aside as being nothing more than an annoyance. An estimated twelve to eighteen million individuals in the United States suffer from sleep apnea. This works out to be approximately four percent of men and two percent of women, most of whom are middle aged and overweight. Sleep apnea affects children as well but is less rare than it is in adults. It is believed that sleep apnea is almost as widespread across the nation as is other serious diseases such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

OSA comes about as a result of repeated episodes of airway obstruction during sleep. Men and women who are considered to be what is known as the “diagnostic criteria for OSA” means that they have on average ten bouts of sleep apnea occurrences (or what is often called apneic events) in the course of one hour’s time.

You should get in touch with your physician right away if either yourself or your spouse or sleeping partner experiences loud, habitual snoring followed by excessive sleepiness during the day coupled with a lack of concentration and memory. If you make note of the alarming fact that your spouse experiences cessation of breathing during the night or other symptoms such as gasping or choking then it is time to schedule a visit to the doctor’s office. If you have the recurring tendency to fall asleep throughout the day and/or at inappropriate periods of time, for example while you are working, eating or even driving then the condition is serious enough to warrant medical attention. The latter can prove deadly for yourself and others.

Since sleep apnea can occur in children as well it is important to pay attention to your child’s sleeping habits. Does he or she have a problem with breathing throughout the night? Does he snore or sleep less than soundly? Does he wake up many times in the night and feel tired during the day? If yes then your child may very likely be suffering from sleep apnea and medical intervention is necessary.

Sometimes what is known, as “watchful waiting” is needed. What this means is that you play a game of “wait-and-see.” If for whatever reason your symptoms improve on their own then that’s good news and nothing further is needed. However if your symptoms worsen you will need to seek out your doctor and he or she can help map out the best treatment for your condition. If you snore then watchful waiting might be exactly what you need especially if you don’t find yourself extremely tired or drowsy throughout the daytime. Snoring is not always a sign of sleep apnea as snoring sometimes exists on its own. Immediate medical intervention as opposed to watchful waiting is what the doctor ordered if you snore often and heavily, if you experience restless bouts throughout the night, if you stop breathing during intervals throughout the night and if you find yourself feeling unrefreshed when you wake and groggy during the workday.

Natural Remedies to Reduce Snoring

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Anyone who snores, or has to share a bed with a snorer will know just how debilitating this condition can be. Night after night of disturbed sleep can generate physical and emotional health problems, putting unbearable stresses and strains on relationships.

Can Exercise Cure Snoring?

2009-07-05T15:46:00.003-07:00

While snoring is commonly joked about as a harmless little annoyance, it can be no further from the truth. Snoring is a blockage of the air ways that our body uses to get oxygen to perform the vital functions it needs to operate. This can be very harmful for the snorer, especially if the air ways become completely blocked, causing a sleep disorder known as sleep apnoea. Snores are a warning sign from our bodies saying that they may not be getting all the oxygen they need. For that reason, snores will wake up those with sleep apnoea. The body cannot get enough oxygen so it does its best to alert you.

Sleep apnoea is characterized by the following symptoms: long interruptions of breathing (commonly more than 10 seconds, caused by the blockage of the air ways), frequently waking from sleep (although the sufferer may not realize that they are), light sleeping that is not conducive to fulfilling your body’s need for sleep, and lower blood oxygen levels. These lower blood oxygen levels cause the heart to have to work harder, pumping more rapidly and causing a rise in blood pressure. As a result, the sufferer often experiences a poor night’s sleep underlined by drowsiness during the day and a lack of concentration. Irritability also is a common trait among those with sleep apnoea, and this can affect personal relationships as well as your work ethic. In addition to these problems, people with untreated sleep apnoea face higher risks of heart attacks and strokes.

Now that you can see that snoring is no laughing matter, it is important to know some of the behaviours which help to keep snoring to a minimum. If you are overweight, the fatty tissues in your throat may be helping the problem, so it is important to get into shape and improve your eating habits. Trying to establish regular sleeping patterns that persist through the week and the weekend can also be helpful to beating snoring. On a daily basis, it is important to avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, and anti-histamines for a good period of time before you go to bed. These substances relax your throat muscles, causing them to buckle and increasing the snoring problem. Sleeping on your side is also a commonly used solution, since many snorers are known to only snore while sleeping on their back. An easy fix for getting used to sleeping on your side would be to sew an object such as a tennis ball into the back of your bed time shirt. This makes it uncomfortable for you to sleep on your back, so you will naturally favour sleeping on your side.

If you feel that the sleep apnoea symptoms described above might apply to you, it is crucial to speak to a health care professional. They can perform a process known as polysomnography, which can diagnose your problem and let you know exactly what is wrong with your sleep. It is a harmless process which is covered by most insurance carriers.

Snoring Tips- Snoring Be Gone.com

Tip 1 – The best tip I can give to snorers is that being fit, lean and toned helps reduce your snoring, so dedicate 10 minutes a day to work on your muscle tone in your upper body, go for a 30 minute walk between dinner and bed time, and cut down on your fast food intake.

Tip 2 – If you are not overweight but snoring is still a problem for you, try some of the cheap devices that open up your nostrils. If your airway gets restricted in any way then that is what triggers the snoring. The more you can do to widen the passage the better for whoever has to listen to you sleep.

Tip 3 – How you sleep makes a difference to your snoring. Sleeping on your stomach or your side is usually better than sleeping on your back. This does not apply to kids though. Kids that snore should try to sleep on the side, with one hand under the cheek and one behind their back. This will open up the airways and is the best position to sleep in for snorers.

Tip 4 – Some decongestant inhalers work well to keep nasal passageways open and these are available over the counter. Even a simple saline nasal spray will work to keep the mucous membranes moist and unclogged, thereby reducing vibrational noise

Tip 5 – Nasal strips can be purchased which are applied externally to the nose and act to widen the nasal passages. These are even being utilised by sportsmen to promote respiratory efficiency. An alternative device that works on the same principles is a nasal dilator that consists of a plastic or metal coil that is inserted into the nostrils before sleep and acts to keep the nasal passages open during sleep. These two devices both seem to cut down on the vibratory noise that many snorers emit.

Tip 6 – There are numerous anti-snoring devices on the market. One device to discourage snorers from adopting a sleeping on their back position is the snore ball. Whilst there are gadgets available for purchase this can also be readily improvised from materials available in the home. A small ball is lodged in a pocket sewn into the back of the snorer’s night attire and this makes it uncomfortable for them to sleep whilst lying on their backs.

Tip 7 – If snoring is something that was only recently noticed, you should speak to a doctor about it. Especially if you are a smoker or have been a smoker. Snoring that have a relatively sudden onset can be a sign of something far more sinister. Look out for other symptoms like earache, loss of hearing, a constantly runny nose from one nostril, nose bleeds painful swallowing or repetitive sinus infections.

Top Devices that Help to Stop Snoring

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There are many devices on the market today that claim to help snoring. However, their benefit is of some contention, and it’s good to know exactly what you’re getting into before you buy a product to aid your snoring problem.

One type of device offered to aid snoring is a mouthpiece. These help to perform such tasks as keeping the lower jaw from falling back, keeping the airway open, and preventing the tongue from relaxing to the point where it touches the soft tissue at the back of the throat. These mouthpieces are commonly offered in two different varieties – open-mouthed and closed-mouthed, depending on the way you most often sleep in the evening. These are generally moderate in cost and have been shown to have some affectability. Be sure to check into the specific brand of mouthpiece you plan on buying through consumer reviews before committing to a purchase. Also, know that what works wonders for one person may do absolutely nothing for another. Snoring is a diverse condition that can be caused by a host of factors.

Another type of device used to stop snoring is the nasal strip. These strips are commonly low in cost and feature an adhesive that goes across the bridge of the nose, stretching the nostrils and forcing them open. This helps to clear the airway for those who suffer nasal congestion that may be causing their snoring. These are typically moderately helpful when trying to stop snoring.

One type of device that you can make in the home that tends to help a lot of snorers out is quite simple. If you are a snorer who only experiences the problem while you lay on your back, then it’s just a matter of simply putting a tennis ball in a sock and then pinning the sock to the back of your pajama pants. This causes you to be discomforted when you roll onto your back, as you would be laying on the tennis ball. Therefore, your body will naturally assume the position of lying on its side while you are asleep.

Throat sprays are another type of product that is being marketed to help snorers. Containing such nutrients as vitamin B-6, C, and E, as well as various oils, throat spray companies claim the spray helps to lubricate the uvula and the throat, hopefully eliminating some of the contact made between the two and helping a snoring problem.

One final type of product that is offered on the snore-stopping market would be specialized pillows. Since some snoring is caused by the angle of your neck while you sleep, these pillows promise to keep your air way at less of a sharp angle to help necessitate proper breathing.

All of these products work in their own different ways, and not all of them can be used to help the same types of snoring. It is important to know what factors affect your snoring, so that you can make a sound decision on which of the products would be the most helpful. Know before you buy!

Natural Remedies to Reduce Snoring

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Obesity and Snoring

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One of the many factors that can contribute to a snoring condition is obesity. When your body starts to become overweight, fat deposits begin to sprout up in various areas of the body, and the neck is no exception. Excess fatty tissues in the throat area is a sure-fire cause of snoring problems and one of the most common reasons for why a person snores. It also complicates normal, everyday breathing, which can be a problem unto itself.

Fortunately, there is a way to stop the snoring problems associated with obesity – proper weight loss and exercise. In addition to causing the fatty deposits in the throat areas, obese people tend to get lose muscle tone, even in areas such as the throat. This can be a big factor when it comes to clear breathing, and a problem in this department can clearly cause a snoring problem. The only way to remedy a snoring condition caused by being overweight is to lose the weight, and keep in shape.

While many people believe that snoring is merely an inconvenience, causing a little noise, there could be no statement further from the truth. Snoring is your body’s way of crying out for the air that it needs to perform basic functions. The actual snoring sound is your body trying to force air through the obstructions that are stopping you from breathing properly. It can cause sore throats and headaches, and a feeling of dry mouth in the morning.

In addition, snoring can interrupt important sleeping that your body needs. It is a precursor to sleep apnoea, a serious sleep disorder. Sleep apnoea is a temporary stoppage of breathing due to airway blockage like snoring, except more serious. Sleep apnoea sufferers may wake up in the middle of the night, gasping for air. This affects the person’s sleep patterns, causing them to be tired, irritable, and unable to concentrate during the daytime.

Sleep apnoea is a debilitating condition; as you age, the apnoea gets worse and worse. Also, snoring has been linked to some very serious health problems, including high blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks. For these reasons, it is of utmost importance for you to take care of your snoring problem as quickly as possible. In addition to the damage that snoring does to yourself, snoring also affects who you sleep with.

Various studies have been conducted regarding spousal arousal syndrome, the name given to the problem of a snoring spouse waking up their partner. Spousal arousal syndrome can account for up to 1 hour of sleep lost per night for the non-snorer, as well as being woken up by the snores as often as 21 times per hour. If obesity is the cause of your snoring issue, it should be clear to you now that snoring is no simple matter. A proper diet and exercise can purge all these problems and consequences from your life and the lives of those you love. Do what you need to do to fix the problems facing your life.

Remedies and Cures for Snoring

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Snoring is a problem that affects a vast cross-section of the population. However, snoring happens to us for various reasons, and the cause of your snoring has a lot to do with what kind of remedies and cures you can use.

If you are the type of snorer that only snores when they are sleeping on their back, then the simplest solution is to use a home remedy for making yourself sleep on your side. One way to do it is to put a tennis ball in a sock, and then pin the sock to the back of your pyjama pants. This way, when you roll onto your back while unconscious, the uncomfortable tennis ball will make your body want to turn back on its side. Another way of fixing the problem would be to simply sew an object into the back of your bed-time shirt so that you won’t roll onto it.

When you think about your snoring problem, does it only affect you after a night out drinking? If so, you’ve got your solution right there. Drinking relaxes the throat muscles, which can cause them to rub up against the uvula and the palate, creating the snoring problem. If you can’t avoid drinking altogether, then do your best to have your last drink at least 4 hours before you hit the sack. Another important thing to note about bedtime and drugs would be not to have sleeping pills or antihistamines before bed if you have a snoring problem. These pills could be the cause of the problem. They behave the same as alcohol in the way that they make the muscles of the throat relax.

Are you overweight? Obese people tend to snore a lot because of buildups of fatty tissues in the neck. This weighs down and constricts the air way, causing obstruction problems and leading to snoring. The only way to help this issue is to lose weight.

There are many devices that claim to help snoring, but their efficiency is of some question. Some companies offer mouthpieces that set the jaw in a proper position and prevent the tongue from rolling back into the airway while asleep. Throat sprays are offered which claim to lubricate the uvula and the throat, causing less friction and therefore, less snoring. Manufacturers also sell pillows made of special material to help keep your airway at as straight of an angle as possible as opposed to the sharp angles caused by using tough pillows. Finally, simple breathing strips are for sale that help to pull open the nostrils, allowing room for air to get through.

All of the store-offered remedies are to be purchased at your own discretion, so be sure to do your research before buying a product. Check out consumer reviews, online articles, and entities such as the Better Business Bureau to make sure that the product you wish to purchase is safe and effective. Also, remember that what works for some doesn’t for others, and there is no one cure for snoring. Different individuals require different treatments.

Self Help for Snorers

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The cause of snoring will vary from person to person as will the frequency and volume of the snore. One thing is for sure though – snoring can be a huge problem for the snorer and everyone else living in the same household.

Ironically, many people do not question the fact that they or a partner snores. If they lived next door to neighbours who made the same amount of noise every night you can bet that they would have a great deal to say, but because the noise and disturbance is generated by snoring, it is accepted as a fact of life.

There is no doubt that snoring can place enormous strain on relationships with the sleepless partner becoming more irritable and resentful as night after night they are denied the sleep they need. In fact, snoring need not be tolerated. It need not be endured and a good night’s sleep should be available to everyone.

The first step in reducing or stopping snoring is to get a medical check up to ensure there is no potentially serious medical condition underlying the complaint.

Having established that, the next step is to take a critical look at yourself and your lifestyle. Are you truly an ideal weight for your height? If not, it could simply be the excess weight that is causing the snoring. Lose the weight and you will lose your snore.

Have you ever had an allergic reaction to anything? Have you ever had hayfever, asthma or eczema? If so, there may be some kind of allergic response that is causing inflammation of your mucous membranes which in turn will lead to snoring. Ask your partner if your snoring is worse some times than others and see if you can find a link perhaps between a time of year or a food stuff and your snoring.

Mucous will restrict airways and dairy products can be very mucous forming. It is worth eliminating milk and cheese from your diet for a month to see if your snoring improves.

Sleep on your back rather than your front, especially if you have a lot of excess weight around your neck.

Exercise will improve your oxygen uptake levels, increase your metabolism, help reduce any excess weight you carry and generally make you feel better. If you don’t believe me try it for a month and see if I’m not right!

If you are still snoring after trying all of the above you may like to consider being tested for Candida overgrowth. This naturally occurring fungus can run wild inside and outside the body. It thrives in warm moist conditions – so mucous membranes are ideal. You may like to experiment with the anti-Candida diet to see if your snoring improves – it simply requires you to avoid anything containing yeast or that has fermented or has any association with mould or fungi. This means you eliminate bread, alcohol, cheese, mushrooms and fruit.

Still snoring? Well surgery remains an option –although this can be expensive, is very painful and does not have a 100% success rate. The other option of course, is ear plugs.

Sleep and Snoring

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Can Exercise Cure Snoring?

2009-07-05T13:06:00.001-07:00

Smoking Can Make you Snore

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With all the many habits that a person can have one of the most detrimental is cigarette smoking. Aside from its cancer causing elements, the smell it leaves in your hair and on your clothes, the fact it yellows your fingers and teeth, it is also a major contributing factor in snoring. So, with all these health and lifestyle disadvantages why do people continue to smoke? Maybe it’s no different than eating chocolate or dinking coffee, it just has many more potential side effects.

If you are a smoker you will have a very high possibility of being a snorer as well. Smoking affects the airways and sinuses causing swelling in the membranes of the nose and the tissues of the throat. It also damages the small vessels of the lungs by blocking them. The nicotine itself also can cause sleep disruptions that can increase the nightly snoring.

Researchers in Europe studied smokers and snoring within a large group of people from twenty five to fifty four years old. They used a study group of fifteen thousand people from five different countries to see what, if any, correlation there is between people who snore and people who smoke. The results were quite informative though not in the least surprising. To understand what they were trying to prove one must first understand better what causes snoring. The air flows along the passageway between the nose and the mouth. Then it vibrates off of the uvula and the rear part of the soft palate. That’s how the noise of a snore is made. Those who snore at least three times a week in a deafening manner are called habitual snorers.

Of the study group twenty four percent of the smokers and twenty percent of past smokers snored compared to fourteen percent of non-smokers who did not. Interestingly the more a person smoked the louder they snored. Second hand smoke also posed a problem. Twenty percent of people who lived with a smoker also snored. The study also noted that more men smoked cigarettes, but it’s the female smokers who seem more likely to snore. The key question is still what does smoking do that makes a person more likely to snore? The feeling is that it irritates the airway. But, other experts believe that the body’s nightly nicotine withdrawal causes disturbances in the person’s sleep patterns, and obstructions in the upper airway. As well, people who smoke tend to be more likely to drink alcohol. Alcohol is a snoring trigger and so the two in combination are definitely going to cause you to snore.

Knowing that smoking is so bad for your health and now realizing that it also increases the chances you’ll snore, and potentially have other sleep disturbances, isn’t it worth reconsidering this bad habit? After all quitting smoking may give you a quiet uninterrupted night of peaceful sleep. Which can make your days better, improve your relationship and maybe even add years to your life, all while stopping your snoring.

Snoring and the Family

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Snoring affects your family in ways that you may be unfamiliar with. While snoring can be a problem that affects your health personally, few know about the trauma it can cause to their bedmate. Also, few know that heredity can help to determine whether or not a person snores! These associations can be of interest to families, and should be studied and discussed.

In April of 2006, the medical journal CHEST featured a study by some researchers at Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital Medical Center relating to family history and their snoring habits. The results showed that those children of parents, who snore, are three times as probable to snore themselves. In further detail, the study also found that snoring in these children was often associated with the presence of an allergic sensitization, a condition also known as Atopy. The study involved 681 children that were an average age of 12. The study found that children with at least one parent who snored more than three times a week were also three times more likely to snore themselves.

It was also found that children with Atopy were two times more likely to snore at least three times per week then children who tested negative for allergic sensitization. This is an important study to take note of as children who are frequent snorers can often exhibit behavioral problems, cognitive deficits, and metabolic as well as cardiovascular problems. This has been taken so seriously, that the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended every child be tested for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. (Partial or complete upper airway obstruction during a child’s sleep characterizes this disorder, and snoring is often one of the warning signs). In addition to the findings regarding heredity and snoring, some associations were made in the study about racial effects on snoring. For instance it was found that African American children were found much more likely to have problems with snoring.

Although snoring may be an inheritable condition, that doesn’t mean that there is nothing you can do. There are many ways to fix the problem of snoring, and they relate to the various reasons for which you may snore. Lifestyle changes, health, or oral appliances can be helpful to solving your problem. The first step is to figure out exactly what is making you snore.

As far as your snoring affecting life with your bed mate, there are some very serious consequences. People with heavy snoring patterns can cause their partner to lose as much as 1 full hour of sleep per evening, while waking them up as many as 21 times an hour! This sleep disruption can cause some very serious problems with concentration and irritability. Known as spousal arousal syndrome, this issue is a reason to work towards solving your snoring problem, if not for yourself. According to a recent survey, 80% of snoring couples sleep apart. This shows that snoring can have numerous negative effects on your relationship, especially your sex life. If your spouse is a snorer, it is important that you address the problem so that the two of you can face it head-on, eliminating the need for such drastic moves as sleeping separately.

Home Remedies for Snoring

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Would you like to learn how to aid your snoring problem with simple remedies found around the house? If so, you’re in luck. There are many solutions to snoring offered that require little to no purchasing.

One method of helping snoring at home would be to do soft palate exercises. These help to strengthen the muscles in your throat that contribute to snoring when they are lax. Many have claimed that this approach is a favorable one, and it couldn’t hurt to try. Since a weak soft palate is a common cause for snoring, you can exercise this part of your throat by doing the following workout:
Put the tip of your tongue on your palate. Then, do your best to suck hard on the back of your tongue. When done correctly, you should feel the muscles in your palate straining and tightening. Experiment a little bit, finding the best way to tighten and release your palate’s muscles; once you get the hang of it, you’ll be toning up your palate in no time!

Other advice offered for home remedies includes a solution for those who only snore when they sleep on their back: to stop sleeping on your back! This can be accomplished with little trouble by taking a tennis ball and putting it in a sock. Then, pin the sock to the back of your pajama pants. This will make it uncomfortable for you to lay on your back, causing you to naturally fall asleep on your side. Another similar method advocates sewing objects into the back of your sleeping shirts so that you can’t sleep on your back without discomfort.

Many practices that aid a snoring problem are simply to behave in certain ways; don’t drink alcohol before bed, as this relaxes the throat muscles so much that they can come into contact with the other parts of your throat, causing an obstruction. Also, avoid eating dairy products before bed, as the mucus buildup caused can sometimes clog your throat. If you use a lot of pillows, it might be a good idea to take a few away. The more pillows you sleep on, the sharper of an angle your air way has to conform to. This can cause obstruction, leading to heavy snoring. These home remedies and advice are only a few helpful tips on what you can do; it’s important to know exactly what you’re dealing with so that you can treat the problem correctly.

While taking home remedies, it’s important to know that not every problem can be solved in the home. If your snoring issue is accented by waking up sweating, gasping for air or choking, as well as feeling generally tired in the daytime, there is a chance that you have sleep apnea, a harmful disorder that requires serious attention. If these symptoms sound like what you are facing, it is important to talk to a health care professional and get a polysomnography test. This can determine if you have apnea, which can cause such problems as irregular heartbeats and strokes if left unchecked.

Can Snoring Be Dangerous?

2009-07-01T15:17:00.001-07:00

Snoring is always portrayed as a harmless, silly trait for a person to have. However, few know that there are many hidden dangers in what can seem to be an innocent snore. Snoring is your body’s method of letting you know that it is having trouble getting the oxygen it needs to carry out its basic functions. Also, snoring can mask a greater problem known as obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when a snoring condition gets so bad that total blockage occurs in the airway. When this happens, the person is unable to get oxygen, and the body is unable to get any in for over 10 seconds. This can cause the person to wake up in the middle of the night a sweat, wake up gasping for air, or wake up choking. People with sleep apnea often wake up the next morning with sore throats or headaches. This is due to the lack of oxygen that your body is getting. On top of that, the numerous times you wake up in the middle of the night really do damage to your sleep patterns.

Sleep apnea causes a lack of REM sleep, which can result in grogginess and a lack of concentration the next day. Your body is basically not getting the required rest that it needs, because it is too busy being worried about getting oxygen. This can translate to poor performance at work or school, difficulty concentrating on simple tasks, and a general state of irritability that can cause irreparable damage to both your social life and your job.

In addition to the short-term affects of being afflicted with sleep apnea, if the syndrome is left untreated, the sufferer bears a greater risk of heart attack and stroke. Also, significant weight gain can occur during an OSA affliction. Higher blood pressure is often found in people with OSA, as well as a lower blood-oxygen level. This forces the heart to work harder, and can result in such long-term problems as an enlarged heart.

Fortunately, there are ways of helping obstructive sleep apnea. For mild sufferers, simple snoring cures such as not sleeping on your back and losing weight can help to cure sleep apnea. However, for the more moderate to severe apnea sufferers, a process known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP, can remedy the problem. It involves a nose mask that delivers air up through the nose, clearing the way for unobstructed air flow. Surgery is also a possible cure for severe sleep apnea, but is only administered after CPAP treatment fails.

So, as you can see, snoring is a problem that you shouldn’t take sitting (or laying) down. Find out if your condition meets the symptoms of sleep apnea, and even if they don’t, do your best to clear your snoring problem so that it does not debilitate into apnea.

Research the common reasons for a snoring condition, and see which of them sound like they fit you the most. Then, search out the proper treatments for these reasons.

Why Do I Snore? Top 5 Reasons

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If you’re one of the millions of people with a snoring problem, you may be wondering what exactly makes you snore. Snoring is a problem that can be caused by a host of factors, and there are many questions you need to ask yourself to help determine the cause, and possible solution to your issue.

Do you only snore when you drink alcohol?
For those who drink alcohol often, you should try to find out if the problem affects you on a sober night. Alcohol, being a depressant drug, can be the cause of a sneezing problem due to the way that it relaxes the muscles in your body. More so than regular sleeping, alcohol can cause the muscles in your throat to relax to a point where there is an airway restriction. If you only snore when drinking, your best bet for fixing the problem is to avoid drinking altogether, or to at least have your last drink more than 4 hours before you go to sleep.

Do you only snore when you lie on your back?
A large proportion of snorers only face the problem when they are lying on their back in bed. The simple solution to this problem would be to train your body towards sleeping on your side. While there are many products for sale to help this issue, they are usually variations on a tried and true method. The basic, simple, and cost effective solution would be to put a tennis ball in a sock and pin it to the back of your pajama pants. The ball will make it uncomfortable for you to sleep on your back, causing you to naturally favor sleeping on your side.

Do you have a weight problem?
Along with the other side effects of obesity, snoring can be caused due to excess weight. This is due to the fact that fat deposits begin to occur in the neck and throat area, which can get big enough to put a strain on the airway, causing restricted breathing that results in snoring. If this is the reason you are snoring, weight loss is the main way to help.

Do you use sleeping pills or anti-histamines?
If you find yourself using these products before bedtime, similar effects to those caused by alcohol can result in a snoring problem. The relaxation of throat muscles is common when taking these drugs, just as they are with alcohol.

Do you have allergies?
Allergies can often result in nasal congestion, which can make it hard for your body to get the oxygen it needs. Unfortunately, since antihistamines also cause issues, one of the best remedies for this problem is to just take a decongestant as opposed to an antihistamine.

While these are a good number of the reasons you may snore, there are also others. If you can’t seem to pin down why exactly you may be having a snoring issue, it may be helpful to speak to a health care professional about the problem. Snoring can be a serious problem, costing you valuable sleep and possibly leading to a serious condition known as sleep apnea.

Top 10 Snoring Causes

2009-07-01T14:56:00.001-07:00

Do you, or does someone you love have a snoring problem? Snoring is a relatively common occurrence with as many as 40% of all adult Americans snoring frequently. What most people fail to realize that there are many causes for snoring, and consequently, there are many different types of treatment that can be used to aid the problem.

Heredity:
One of the causes for a snoring problem can be traced to your genes. Unfortunately, our ancestors pass on a trait that may result in you inheriting a narrow throat, which can be a big problem when it comes to proper breathing.

Gaining weight:
While it’s not often talked about, many sneezing cases can be attributed to a weight gain. Excess weight causes fatty tissues to form beneath your skin, coating the body when a weight gain occurs. Fatty tissue in the neck can cause your throat to become smaller, increasing the likelihood of a snoring problem.

Sex:
Unfortunately, male humans are commonly born with narrower air passages then their female counterparts. This causes a more likely chance of snoring.

Getting older:
As we age, our throats become narrower. Around middle age, we begin losing muscle tone in our throats, with these two factors causing problems that can be the culprits when it comes to a snoring problem.

Alcohol:
Alcohol is a depressant which increases the relaxation of your body, which includes the throat and tongue muscles. With these muscles relaxed, the likelihood of snoring increases greatly.

Medications:
Certain medications, such as anti-histamines or sleeping pills, have been shown to exhibit the same issues as alchol, causing muscle relaxation the mouth and throat and promoting sneezing.

Nasal deformities:
Nasal deformities such as a deviated septum can be the cause of a snoring problem.

Smoking:
A long-term history of smoking cigarettes can be a factor in a person’s snoring.
Sleeping on your back:
A lot of people who have more moderate snoring issues only do so when sleeping on their backs. An easy adjustment for this would be to learn to sleep on your side.

Sleeping with soft pillows:
Pillow increase the angle of your neck, which can lead to airway obstruction, and coincidentally, a snoring issue.

Allergies:
When afflicted with allergies, the nasal passage can be obstructed, causing a lack of air flow and making inhalation difficult.

While these factors can contribute to snoring, they are by no means a definitive list. When trying to diagnose your snoring problem, checking through the factors above can definitely point you in the right direction with where to go to help your issue. After getting a feel for what you think might be causing your snoring, it can be helpful to speak to a health care professional and get their opinion on what is causing your snoring.

Sleep apnoea is a serious problem that can be diagnosed by a heavy amount of snoring, so it’s important to get checked for it by a health care professional if you haven’t been able to fix the problem on your own.

CPAP a Solution to Snoring

2009-07-01T14:36:00.001-07:00

Many studies have shown that those who suffer from the sleeping disorder of sleep apnea are snorers. Snoring is often one of the first, and surely the loudest, signs of this problem. People often spend years trying to determine what will help stop the nightly noise of their snoring problem. After trying position and lifestyle alterations, sometimes a more drastic step is necessary. But, before making this step it is best to see your health care provider. Tell them that you appear to have all the traits of sleep apnea. Explain that your snore like a thunderstorm, are sleepy during the day while restless at night. Ask them what they can suggest that you have not already tried. What can solve your problem?

Both snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are caused by an obstruction of the nasal passages and throat. This obstruction limits the amount of air coming in while at the same time the vibrations of the air cause the person to snore. Touted as one of the most successful, cost effective, non-surgical interventions for both snoring and apnea, CPAP is worth try. What is CPAP? It stands for Continuous Positive Air Pressure and was invented by Australian scientist Colin Sullivan in 1981. He is currently attached to the University of Australia specializing in sleep research.

If you choose this method you must be able to breathe through your nose. This won’t help people who are only mouth breathers. The device is not difficult to use. There is a pump that sits on the floor by the bed. The air passes through a plastic hose to a facemask that will by held over the nose by two straps around the head. The air then flows into the nostrils, preventing air passage obstruction and allowing for easier breathing. One must understand that this is not something simply picked up at a store, taken home and used. You must first see a doctor and get a prescription for one. Sleep studies must be undertaken and a trained sleep technician will have to decide on the correct amount of airflow and program the machine for you.

Since the first CPAP devices there have been many changes. New models are now much smaller and easier to manage than the original ones. There are travel-sized models specifically designed for airplane travel. Though you must first check with individual airlines, as some are reluctant to allow oxygen on board because of fire concerns. They need to be able to seat the user near a power outlet. Obviously this is only a concern if the flight is overseas.

When used properly CPAP results come back with an incredibly high success rate. Studies have shown if used right there is a nearly one hundred percent success rate in eliminating the thunderous roar of the sleeper’s snore. As for obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP eliminates any obstruction so this problem is also taken care of allowing the person to sleep soundly knowing that this simple device may actually be a lifesaver.

How to Deal with Snoring Problems

2009-07-01T14:16:00.003-07:00

When dealing with a snoring problem, you could be faced with one of two issues: primary snoring or the more sinister Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA. To understand the differences between these two types of snoring, you must understand exactly how the snoring process works.

Snoring occurs when there is an airway blockage restricting your ability to breathe while sleeping. In the case of a primary snorer, the snoring is the result of air struggling to be inhaled and successfully doing so. Obstructive sleep apnea, on the other hand, occurs when a primary snoring issue gets so bad that there is a full obstruction in the airway and a lack of oxygen occurs, causing the sufferer to not breathe for over 10 seconds. Just from the basic explanation of the two types of snoring, you can see that one is a moderate issue while the other is severe.

Snoring is caused by a host of different reasons. Obesity, alcohol consumption, use of sleeping pills or anti-histamines, allergies, nasal deformities, weak throat muscles, abnormal jaw structure, nasal congestion, a deviated septum, and enlarged or swollen tonsils and/or adenoids are some normal reasons for a person to snore. While being a primary snorer isn’t a huge problem, it still can have some negative effects.

For instance, when sleeping with someone, studies show that a snorer usually causes their loved one to lose roughly an hour of sleep per evening, while waking them up as often as 21 times per hour. This can result in restlessness and a lack of good sleep for the non-snorer, and is a problem known as Spousal Arousal Syndrome. This lack of quality sleep can have numerous negative effects on the health of the non-snorer. A recent study showed that approximately 80 percent of people in relationships where a person snored slept separately; Spousal Arousal Syndrome can severely affect your sex life and general relationship.

Sleep apnea, on the other hand, can have much worse effects. Snoring is generally a symptom of sleep apnea, although apnea can occur even when the person does not snore. The total loss of air flow experienced by someone with obstructive sleep apnea causes the person to wake up gasping for air, sweating, or choking. They also generally experience headaches and sore throats due to this constant struggle for air. The sleep quality of a person with sleep apnea is rarely efficient enough for the person to get a good night’s rest. This can leave them having trouble concentrating on simple tasks, being irritable, and being unable to perform well at work. Also, men may experience impotence as a side-effect of obstructive sleep apnea. Long term effects of this problem if left untreated include an increased risk for a heart attack or a stroke; also, heightened blood pressure and lower blood oxygen levels are seen. This causes the heart to work harder. If you are a snorer, and some of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea sound all too familiar to you, it is important to go to a doctor and get checked for the disorder. Your health can’t afford not to.

Snoring Causes

2009-07-01T14:16:00.001-07:00

Do you have a snoring issue that you don’t know how to solve? Knowing exactly what causes snoring is the first step in solving the problem. There are many reasons that people snore, and your problem may be due to a wide range of reasons from physical features to lifestyle choices.

How to Treat the Problem of Snoring

2009-07-01T13:56:00.003-07:00

With surveys showing that 40% of American adults snore frequently, it’s of some surprise that treatments for snoring are little known throughout the public knowledge base. The truth is, there are many things that you can do to aid problems such as snoring and sleep apnoea. One of the first things you should know about snoring is the factors that promote snoring. Snoring troubles can often be attributed to such factors as weight gain, alcohol usage, and the anatomy of a person’s jaw.

While there are many ways to treat snoring, there are also many snake-oil treatments out there that are not worth their salt when it comes to results. To treat the problems you have with snoring, you must first diagnose the reasons for your personal troubles. One commonly effective way to prevent snoring is losing weight. Since most cases of snoring are related to weight gain, then the act of simply trimming the pounds back off can be a healthy remedy to the problem.

In many cases of snoring, the problem occurs only when the person sleeps on their back. If you decide that this could be the reason for your snoring problem, one of the simplest remedies would be to simply keep yourself off your back while you sleep. While it may be tough to get used to sleeping on your side, one common way to get your body into the habit is to put a tennis ball in a sock and pin the sock to the back of your pyjama pants. This makes it uncomfortable to sleep on your back, so you will naturally fall asleep on your side.

If you happen to be one of the unlucky snorers who snore no matter WHAT position they may be sleeping in, fret not! There is still an answer to your problems. For these advanced cases of snoring, you can buy mouthpieces which reposition your tongue or jaw while you sleep, stopping the problem. If over-the-counter mouthpieces fail to solve your problem, dentists can specially fit you with a unique oral appliance which repositions your tongue or jaw exactly the way you need it to.

In the direst cases of snoring, where none of the above treatments can solve the problem, surgery may be necessary to correct your issue. If the problem involves a child, removing the tonsils and the adenoids is the proper surgical procedure for ending the snoring. In adults, however, there are a host of surgeries which might be used to correct the problem.

If your snoring problem is intense enough to get to the surgery stage, it is important that you have your doctor screen you to test for sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea is an issue where your body is not getting enough oxygen due to improper breathing during sleep, and snoring can be an “alarm” to get your body attentive to the problem, waking you up. For this reason, it is important to check for apnoea, so that you aren’t cancelling out your body’s warning system – snoring.

Non-Surgical Snoring Solutions

2009-07-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

There are so many different possibilities when it comes to snoring solutions. The question is what is the right for you to try. Or maybe you’ve exhausted all the main line ones and wanting to avoid surgery you are prepared to look at some solutions you didn’t previously. Its probably better if you first make certain that the basics have been given a chance. Since the most likely thing to make you snore is being overweight check to see if this is an issue you need to deal with if the answer is no then its time to try other methods.

Aromatherapy is one easy alternative to use. Marjoram is a very successful snore cure. It is able to still the vibrations of the tissues by working on the lining of the throat. All you do is open a couple of jars of marjoram and lavender, another useful essential oil, and put them around the bed two hours before sleep is desired. The scents will fill the room with an inviting smell that will encourage sleep, assist with breathing while eliminating nightly snoring.

Relaxation therapy is also a very good source of snoring combating. Sometimes snoring can be caused by stress and so what you need is to be relaxed before trying to sleep. There are several good programs worth trying like Tai Chi, Yoga, or massage.

Magnetic therapy has had some positive results for snorers. It is believed that by using magnetic therapy you can stimulate the nerves in the nose, opening them and so removing the obstruction that has been causing the snoring. Magnets would be put all over the body, not just the nose, to stimulate the entire wellbeing of the body as well as specifically the nerves. This therapy also helps weight loss, which itself assists in ending snoring. Some people have gone so far as to wear a magnetic nose ring claiming to have successfully kept open the nasal airways by this method.

Hypnosis is another method worth trying. This is not as successful as some other methods as one does not snore voluntarily the way a person decides to smoke. But, again this solution could help with weight lose and that helps with eliminating or at least reducing snoring.

Before bed many people like a glass of hot milk. This is not a good idea as the milk only adds to the amount of mucus in the throat and so makes the constriction of the airway worse. But, if you miss that warm feeling before bed that it would be okay to make yourself a different warm drink. Warm water with a little honey will not only taste good but the honey will coat the trachea. Try combining apple cider vinegar, honey and warm water, this too will taste good and is known as a strong anti-snoring remedy. Or try herbal teas. Just don’t over do it as what you are aiming for is things that help clear the airways not put you to sleep.

Snoring : A Serious Problem

2009-06-30T03:44:00.000-07:00

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