Stop My Snores

The sound of snoring is caused by air struggling to pass through your nose and throat. If they are blocked or obstructed in some way, it can lead to snoring.

One of the more common reasons for snoring is when the muscles in the neck and throat are not well toned. With some simple daily exercises, you can firm up those muscles which will often help with your snoring. Exercises are known to be one of those snoring remedies.

Ask any professional singer and they’ll tell you how important it is to do exercise daily that will help keep their air passages clear. Singers do exercises that help to tone their jaws, their tongues and their throats. Strong muscles in these areas will help them perform better.

These same type of exercises can help with a snoring problem in many cases, by helping to keep the airways clear and breathing easier.

Besides, you never know - these exercise might just help you win American Idol some day!

Here are 7 easy exercises that you can do anywhere to help tone your muscles:

1. Slowly open and close your mouth, to its fullest. Do it in a controlled way and ensure that your lips meet when your mouth is closed.

2. Pucker up as if you’re going to blow someone a kiss, then hold it for 5 seconds before relaxing.

3. Practice your smile - make it big and exaggerated. Hold it for 5 second before relaxing.

4. Press your lips together and hold them tightly for 5 seconds, then relax.

5. Press your lips together and then make a sipping noise, as if you were sipping a drink.

6. Stick your tongue out as far as you can. Keep it straight and horizontal - don’t let it droop.

7. Stick your tongue out to it’s maximum and then move it side to side - touching the corner of your lips on both sides.

Practice these exercises for a few minutes every day and you may find your snoring problem will disappear before you know it.

Posted January 2, 2009 Comments(0)

Looking for information on a sleep study for apnea? Learn as much as you can about sleep to tackle apnea or insomnia.

In most people, REM sleep occurs about every 90 minutes throughout the night (about every 60 minutes in infants). The first REM period of the night is very short, about 5 minutes, the second is about 10 minutes, and the third is about 15 minutes. The final dream of the night usually lasts 30 minutes, but sometimes lasts an hour. Everybody dreams several times each night. If you slept about six hours last night, you can be sure you had about four dreams. Most dreams are forgotten, however, unless you wake up from them.

On the other hand, NREM sleep, the non-dream sleep, comes in two variations-the most frequent type, called stage 2, and the much deeper version, called delta (or stages 3 and 4). There is some thinking during NREM, but it usually is simple and fragmented.

The Transition Phase

There also is a transition phase between waking and sleeping, when some parts of the brain are asleep while others are not. This is called stage 1.

Going to sleep is like going down a stairway. You start going down into stage 1 for half a minute to several minutes, with your thoughts drifting, but you don’t feel asleep. Then you go down the stairway some more to stage 2, and your brain starts putting out waves with characteristic patterns called spindles and K-complexes. Then, you go into deep stage 3 and 4 delta sleep.

Specialists call the time to the end of the first REM the first sleep cycle, and the time from then to the end of the second REM sleep the second cycle. There are four to six cycles per night, depending on how long you sleep. Usually, the changes between stages are gradual, with one stage blending into the next as you gradually move up and down the stairway. In the last part of the night, there usually is no deep delta sleep at all.

5 Stages Of Sleep

Stage 1, although it is called “sleep,” is almost worthless in terms of its recovery value. Researchers continue to debate the value of the other stages of sleep. Delta sleep generally appears to be the main kind that allows the body to recover. People deprived of delta often wake up with a feeling of malaise; though nothing in the body is “broken,” nothing seems to function right. Stage 2 sleep seems to be a less intense form of delta sleep and, like delta sleep, is concerned mainly with body recovery. On the other hand, REM sleep seems to be more involved with mental recovery. If you don’t have REM sleep, it’s harder to make sense out of your life.

These are very fine points still debated among sleep researchers. The important thing is not what stages of sleep you’re having, but the total amount and quality of sleep you get. It is important that you not have much stage 1 sleep and that your sleep be continuous, not fragmented with awakenings. That’s why most sleep clinicians participating in sleep study for apnea, are more concerned that you sleep well than whether the sleep is this or that particular stage.  If you are suffering from sleep deprivation then try Melatrol.  It is the number one, natural, non-addictive, sleep aid on the market today.

Posted December 9, 2008 Comments(0)

Sleep apnea is perhaps the commonest sleep disorder and affects almost 18,000,000 Americans. A sleeping disorder that is characterized by interrupted breathing while sleeping, it is also undoubtedly the most dangerous of all sleeping disorders because it starves the brain of vital oxygen and can occasionally prove to be fatal.

There are two completely distinct types of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is in effect a neurological condition where breathing is interrupted as a result of signals sent out by the brain. Obstructive sleep apnea by contrast is in essence a mechanical problem where the windpipe is blocked either by too much tissue or as a result of the unusual collapse or relaxation of the muscles around the windpipe. In both cases however the results are basically identical with numerous interruptions to normal breathing which starve the brain of oxygen and place the sufferer at greater risk from such things as hypertension, heart attack and stroke.

Unluckily, diagnosing sleep apnea can prove to be difficult as snoring, which is a common symptom and frequently results in sleep apnea being referred to as the snoring disease, is also commonly seen as a symptom of numerous medical problems. Snoring is certainly generally present with sleep apnea as the brain responds to a drop in oxygen by waking the sufferer enough to restart the breathing process and this often leads to snoring.

This repeated awakening during the night also produces a very poor quality of sleep and it is not at all uncommon for sleep apnea sufferers to get up in the morning feeling more tired than when they went to bed. This also results in feelings of sheer exhaustion during the day and a tremendous wish to sleep.

But, tiredness resulting from poor quality sleep is only part of the problem and a range of other symptoms will almost certainly be seen including morning headaches, a lack of memory and a difficulty in concentrating.

Without treatment the increasing exhaustion from sleep apnea can produce serious psychological problems beginning with simple touchiness and progressing to depression with noticeable changes in both behavior and mood.

Both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea are treatable and, as long as the problem is diagnosed early enough, this treatment is often quite easy. For example, a mild case of obstructive sleep apnea arising out of nasal congestion can normally be treated with nothing more than decongestants. Likewise, many cases of sleep apnea which are not particularly serious may be treated using a mask which is worn while sleeping and that provides air at a constant pressure to keep the airway open. Finally, in the most serious cases of sleep apnea surgery may be required and can be very effective, though it could also result in various complications and has to be approached with care.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember with sleep apnea is that as it carries with it the potentially fatal risk of respiratory failure sufferers should not be tempted to take sleeping pills or to use other forms of sleep enhancers without the approval of a doctor.

Natural sleep remedies without question provide an effective complement to medically prescribed treatments and herbs that are designed to improve the duration and quality of sleep may well be of assistance in the management of the excessive daytime sleepiness usually accompanying sleep apnea. Also, things like aromatherapy, chromatherapy and guided relaxation and meditation can help in reducing the insomnia and anxiety which accompany sleep apnea.

Posted November 11, 2008 Comments(1)

If you are one of the millions of people who frequently rotate their work shifts and are in effect working when their body needs to rest, you may find that you feel increasingly sleepy-eyed during your night shifts and unable to sleep during the day even though you may feel really tired. These symptoms of drowsiness and insomnia are a complaint termed shift work sleep disorder, that can in addition, bring on several other health related problems like frequent headaches, having difficulty concentrating and no energy. Read on for several pointers on what you can do to relieve the symptoms of SWSD.

The most obvious remedy is to try to change your work schedule to hours that are more sociable. By working at night, you are upsetting your body’s internal clock, termed the circadian rhythm, which regulates itself with the rising and setting of the sun to recognize when it is time to wake and sleep respectively. Shift work pushes your body into an abnormal state of working when it should be asleep and sleeping when it would ordinarily be awake. This is the reason that you feel sleepy during the night and then are unable to drop off during the day even though you are very tired. Consequently, if possible, it is in your best interests to have a chat with your work supervisor to see if shift changes can be made.

Here are some sleep strategies for shift workers that you may like to try. If you must work your shift, it is advisable to keep away from caffeinated beverages while you are working, and particularly right before you go to sleep. Caffeine dries out the respiratory tracts, and might work as a stimulus for a while, but will make you feel even more tired and groggy after the buzz wears off. This could cause sleep apnea syndrome in some individuals, let alone excessive snoring. So, try to drink fruit juices, or ask your physician about natural supplements you can take while you work.

Shift work sleep disorder might also mean that you are drowsy during the day, even if you use this time for rest before your shift. If you have narcolepsy, which is thought to be caused by the brains inability to adapt to normal sleep wake cycles, you may find that you are doing things without remembering, or having vivid daydreams while you are not in sleep mode. Your body may also be in a slight state of paralysis when you are trying to waken, which is an indication that shift work sleep disorder may be your problem.

Maintaining a record of your work schedules and rest patterns is normally enough information for your physician to reach a correct diagnosis. Nevertheless, for ongoing sleep problems or if an underlying sleep disorder is suspected, you may be required to maintain a sleep diary in which you keep a record of your sleeping habits. You should additionally attempt to maintain a regular sleep schedule, even on your days off or at weekends. If you believe they may be helpful, ask your physician about medications like Ritalin or Melotonin. It is crucial that you do not try and self diagnose your problem as it might be something more than a shift work sleep disorder.

Posted October 3, 2008 Comments(0)

If insomnia has been an ongoing problem for you, you might be willing to try just about anything simply to get a little sleep. However, it’s important that you do your research so you understand how various products work.

If a run of sleepless nights leads to drowsiness during the day, many people will decide to use a nonprescription treatment. Sleep aids might help at the start, but they don’t address the underlying reason for the condition.

A sleep aid should not be utilized as a fix for insomnia. It might provide some relief initially, but you still need to figure out the cause of your sleep issues. In the long run, it’s not very healthy to be dependent on a pill to get a good night’s sleep.

Quite a number of people get addicted to the medication and find they can’t sleep without it. Other people experience unpleasant side effects, or they end up with complications because of the way it interacts with their prescriptions.

Nonprescription sleep aids work against insomnia by employing an antihistamine, which is a common treatment for allergies. They not only make you sleepy, they help to ensure that you stay sleeping.However, there are those who feel drowsy the next day, which may cause disruption to normal sleep patterns. Other side effects might include memory loss, constipation, dizziness, dry mouth and blurred vision. If you become dependent on them, you will require increasingly larger doses to get the benefits.

Your physician may prescribe something more powerful, like a non-benzodiazephine. This helps you feel sleepy by stepping up the natural chemical process of your brain. If you need a sleep aid for long-term treatment of insomnia, it’s safer than taking nonprescription, short term cures, however they can also cause dependency.

Although it’s not that common anymore, if your insomnia is extreme, your doctor might give you a prescription for a tranquilizer. This slows down your nervous system and causes sleepiness. It’s a short-term answer that might leave you feeling foggy the next day.

Your physician might think that the best treatment for you is a prescription for anti-anxiety or antidepressant meds that will act as a sedative. These are a common alternative that don’t have the same risk of addiction as some other medications.

If you want to avoid the medical choices and select something more natural, you could look at an herbal remedy for your insomnia. There are herbs that have been shown to encourage a good night’s sleep, such as chamomile, which is often served up as tea.

Some other herbal remedies you could try are melatonin, SAMe and valerian, all of which are reported to be useful for treating insomnia. Be certain to use the proper dosage, because too much of even a good thing can cause undesirable results.

Posted September 29, 2008 Comments(0)

Although it has been known for some time now that children who suffer from sleep apnea generally display relatively low scores on IQ tests (typically having an average of 85 as opposed to a score of 101 for children who are not suffering from sleep apnea) one thing that we have not known until recently is that this results from chemical changes within the brain. As a result an otherwise clever child may well produce a run of the mill performance because of nothing more than a sleep disorder that, in the majority of cases, can be treated quite simply.

In a study conducted at the Hopkin’s Children’s Centre in Baltimore, 31 children between the ages of 6 and 16 (19 of whom had severe sleep apnea) were examined using a special form or magnetic resonance imager (MRI) and it was noted that the children with sleep apnea showed major changes in both the hippocampus and right frontal cortex which are sections of the brain which are associated with higher mental function and learning.

This study also showed that these children were suffering from altered levels of three brain chemicals which were indicative of brain damage. This alteration of the chemistry of the brain brought about by sleep apnea may or may not be lasting and, at this time, additional studies are needed to see whether this effect can be reversed.

However, even if reversal is possible and the chemistry of the brain and cognitive function can be normalized, kids with sleep apnea are going to suffer a loss in learning as long as they are suffering from untreated sleep apnea and will certainly not be able to wind back the clock and recapture this period of learning.

Naturally, parents should already be on the lookout for the signs of sleep apnea in their children and this study clearly demonstrates that early diagnosis and treatment of this sleeping disorder could have a substantial affect on your child’s success in life.

The signs of sleep apnea include frequent pauses in breathing during sleep which frequently result in an arousal from sleep and tossing and turning in bed. Kids may also display labored or loud breathing, snoring, gasping, coughing and, at times, bedwetting at an age when this phase should normally have passed.

Parents can also notice a child sleeping in an odd position, possible with their bottom sticking up in the air and their head tilted back in an unconscious effort to keep their airway clear.

In the majority of cases child sleep apnea can be treated by the surgical removal of the adenoids or tonsils, or by removing excess tissue from the back of the throat or nose. In addition, a continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) machine (or pediatric CPAP) can also be employed to provide the child with an airflow delivered through a mask worn during sleep to keep the airway open.

In itself child sleep apnea is debilitating for any kid and the effect of night after night of poor quality sleep are going to take their toll on your child. But, when you combine this with an impairment of your child’s IQ, it becomes imperative that you act as soon as you can to get this condition diagnosed and treated.

Posted September 19, 2008 Comments(0)