Sound Sleep Guide

Archive for July, 2008

It is a fact that men are more likely to snore than women. Studies show that as many as 40 per cent of men snore while the numbers are at 30 per cent for women. Also, among snorers, about a fourth of them will be habitual noise makers. Men snore for reasons that depend on their lifestyle though certain physical reasons can also cause the problem. The trouble with snoring is that anyone within a reasonably close distance will be affected by the loud sounds, and it can also adversely affect the snorer as well.

Can Ruin a Relationship or Lead to More Dangerous Ailments

When you snore and do not do anything about it, you are putting yourself at risk of ruining a relationship as well as put yourself in danger of getting another and worse ailment in the form of sleep apnea, high blood pressure as well as risk of heart attacks. The problem with when you snore is that it leads to feeling tired and irritable during the daytime.

Snoring can also put a person at a greater risk of meeting with an accident and the long term implications are also not reassuring. When you drink alcohol or take sleeping pills, it will only worsen the snoring problem. Being overweight is also not conducive to sleeping soundly, and if you are one of those people that like to sleep on their backs, you can bet on having a night filled with snoring sounds that disturbs one and all.

There are other contributory factors that will cause a person to snore including having muscle tone of less than acceptable quality in the tongue as well as throat. With too much of tissue in the throat, you will be more than likely to snore at night, and this problem can become a serious health concern because it results in disturbed patterns of sleep and means less rest at night, which is essential to a person’s well being.

To snore is not something unique as it is believed that as many as one fifth of the population will have snored at some point of time in their lives, or another. The main and negative impact of snoring is that a person will be deprived of much needed sleep, and it will lead to poor concentration, inability to focus as well as not enough interest in sex.

The psychological as well as social implications can also be quite serious. When you snore, you are at risk of impairing your lifestyle even more severely, and unless you take steps to improve your snoring problem, you will be at risk of marital disruptions and disharmony.

Many people in America snore all night. If a person lives alone the snoring may not be a problem because no one else can hear it. For everyone else, listening to someone else snore can keep them up all night and it can even cause others to get angry. When a person has heard someone else complain enough, they might want to quit snoring. What can a person do that will alleviate the problem and help to quit smoking?

Lose Weight

There are several things available for people to try. One of the things that can be done is to lose some weight. When people become overweight they will snore more because of the added weight on the chest and respiratory systems. Just by losing weight, people will sleep better. President Taft was over 300 pounds and would often fall asleep during important meetings. President Taft knew that his snoring and sleepiness was directly due to being overweight. After his one term as president, Taft lost weight and his fatigue as well as snoring stopped.

Cut Back on Caffeine

Another way to help quit snoring is to reduce the amount of caffeine and other stimulants that people take in during the day. Caffeine and other stimulants can keep people awake longer and allow a person to get through the day. The problem will show up in the evening. A person who has used stimulants during the day will find that they can not get to sleep until they are completely worn out. When people are tired and they push harder with the aid of stimulants, the level of physical fatigue is so high that when sleep finally comes, people may snore because of complete exhaustion.

Sleep Position

When people who snore go to the bed at night, their positioning on the bed can aid in helping to quit snoring. Make sure that the person has the pillow positioned correctly. The alignment of the spine should stay in line with the neck. Too much pillow or too little, takes the neck out of alignment as makes breathing more difficult.

Breathing Aids

Something else that helps with snoring is using breathing aids at night. Strips that open nasal passages can help to quit snoring. Using a humidifier at night in the room also helps by keeping just enough moisture to keep nasal passages from drying out. One of the most effective means to aid in the effort to quit snoring is using a C PAP machine. This is a system that uses forced air that is channeled to the person’s nose with the use of a mask that fits over the nose. It takes time to get used to it but it is highly effective.

If you are someone that snores every night, has exhausted every home remedy ever endorsed, followed old wives tales, family secrets and just about any other suggestion given to end the nightmare maybe it is time to go visit your dentist. It is quite possible that your snoring problem stems from jaw placement rather than loose tissue and an enlarged uvula.

A Dentist Can Create An Orthodontics Anti-Snoring Appliance Especially For You

The very popular orthodontics anti-snoring appliances, also known as dental appliances, are effective for many snorers that suffer from mild snoring due to jaw placement while sleeping. These oral splits bring the lower jaw forward and lift the soft palate in such a fashion that it prevents the soft throat tissues from falling against the back of the throat and blocking the airway, which is what creates the sound of the snoring. This type of oral splint is created by your dentist and can be quite expensive. The process of creating such a splint includes the formation of a mold that is then used to create the oral splint that is to be worn in the mouth at bedtime and throughout the night.

If you are looking for an inexpensive alternative to the oral splint created by your dentist, it is possible to mail order an orthodontics anti-snoring appliance replica that you fit yourself. This inexpensive version is sometimes referred to as a “boil and bite” because that is exactly how you fit it to your personal jaws. These oral splints are made of soft plastic which softens in hot water. In order to use it, you place the splint into warm water to soften the plastic, then bite into the mouthpiece and mold it to your own jaw. If after a short trial period, you discover that this method does in fact decrease your snoring, you would be wise to have a professional splint made to fit your personal jaw line, thus prevent any misshaping of your teeth or dental work done prior to the boil & bite usage.

The Orthodontics Anti-Snoring Appliance Shows Promise As A Snoring Solution

The studies supporting the use of the orthodontics anti-snoring appliance show great promise as a solution for many people that suffer with snoring. There are mild side effects that have to be taken into consideration such as dry mouth, tooth discomfort and excessive salivation but the complaints for these were few and must of course be counter weighed with the idea of restful sleep. If you decide to utilize this innovative idea to combat your problem snoring, be sure to check with your dentist first and maintain your annual visits to insure that you do not suffer any long term damage on dental work or teeth placement.