Cracking the Sleep Code

Chin Straps for Snoring: A Cure or a Danger?

If you snore it doesn't necessarily mean that you have sleep apnea...but it does mean that you could have sleep apnea. Snoring occurs in the back of the throat where the soft palate collapses thus restricting air flow.  How much and how often it collapses is how the diagnosis is made.  If a snorers mouth remains closed forcing them to only breathe through their nose--- the soft palate will still collapse from the air coming in through the nose.  The only treatments that could keep the throat open is pressurized air (CPAP machine), moving the jaw forward (dental mouthpiece) or surgery.

The chin straps that companies are advertising as "snore cure" will only make a difference reducing the sound of the snoring. There is still oxygen deprivation because the 'snore originates' in the back of the throat--- not in your mouth. Obviously the nasal air passage is smaller than the throat air passage... so personally I would want to make sure that my mouth was wide open if my soft palate was prone to collapse during sleeping. 

There are several companies that claim to cure snoring by using a chin strap to keep your mouth closed. 

Sleep Deprived? What's Keeping you From Sleeping?

I can't stand not being able to fall back asleep.  It is my number one pet peeve. I call it maintenance insomnia.  I found that it takes some investigation but you can cure this problem. It' s so important to find out what could be waking you up. If you wake up and can't get back to sleep then it's time to eliminate the things that are responsible for waking you and robbing you of your precious sleep.  I mean let's face it, if we wouldn't wake up in the first place then we wouldn't need to deal with getting back to sleep.  Here are some things to look at...

1. Are there noises in your house that could be awakening you?  Those creeks and squeaks in a house need to be eliminated.  Get a fan or sound machine for add white noise or wear ear plugs.

2. Do you wake up with one side of your nose clogged?  That's annoying isn't it?  If it's consistent then go to a Ear Nose and Throat doc and find out what's causing the problem.  It could be enlarged turbinates or a deviated septum that's causing your nose to close off.  Believe it or not this could be the sole cause of your insomnia.  If you're awakened from the discomfort of your nose it doesn't take long to form a habit of not getting back to sleep.  For that matter anything that wakes you up consistently can turn into insomnia. 

3. A Hormone imbalance can be another culprit.  This pertains to mostly women and can become a real health problem.  Starting as early as mid thirties women can start to have  perimenopause symptoms that can greatly affect their sleep.

4. Of course there is always your snoring or a snoring partner.  If your snoring is waking you it's most likely because your snoring is restricting your airway--- it might be time for a sleep study to check for obstructive sleep apnea.  If it's your partner snoring then encourage them to seek treatment or move to another room.  Don't worry about the "stigma" of sleeping apart. You won't be much of a partner if you don't get your sleep.   

5. There's always the more obvious causes...caffeine, alcohol and too much to drink creates frequent awakenings, lighter stages of sleep and bathroom trips. 

Whatever is responsible for waking you... the anxiety from not getting back to sleep can drive us batty.  That's why it's important to keep a sleep journal---just a short recap of what happened the night before so you can find out why you are having these problems and then fix them for good.

What's your 'wake up' culprit?  Or is it trying to fall asleep that plagues you? Your story or suggestions are wanted.

Do You Snore? Your health could be in danger

I wanted to share an article from sleepeducation.com that tells a story that is all too common.  In my field of work I have heard many similar stories such as this man's. My hope is that through community awareness about the dangers of sleep apnea and keeping stories like these circulating that it will expedite the action taken by the sleep apnea sufferer.

John had known all his life that he snored. Both his dad and his college roommate did too, so he figured it wasn’t a big deal. It became a big deal to his wife, Marie, after they got married. His snoring was so loud that it was keeping her up at night. She constantly complained about it, but John thought she just had to get used to it.

Are You a Professional Snorer? Seek Help... Before It's Too Late

Snoring can be dangerous. The adage "When I die I want to go in my sleep"...can be too real for someone who has sleep apnea. Obviously nobody wants to die prematurely from a sleep disorder yet I've seen too many cases where that could of been prevented.

If you have been a snorer for years there is a good chance that you have periods of cessation of breath.  It's a good idea to get it checked out if you are tired during the day or have been told that you stop breathing.  Overtime those seconds or minutes that you're lacking in oxygen are hard on your heart.

Snoring with a deadly pause puts you at high risk for arrhythmia's, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure and hypertension.  Do you know for sure that your snoring doesn't contain that... pause?

This video says it all...

Have Sleep Problems? The Top 6 Sleep Sites That Will Get You Back to Dreaming

http://www.sleepdisordersguide.com/blog/
The latest news on therapies and treatments of all sleep disorders

http://sleepingwelltonight.blogspot.com/: Great information on insomnia, sleep apnea and how reducing stress can help with these and other sleep disorders

http://www.sleepapneafacts.info/sleepapneablog/
Extensive information on the latest treatments for sleep apnea and snoring

http://blog.cpap.co.uk/: Everything you need to know about sleep apnea, sleep lab visits and CPAP treatments

http://sleepdoctor.blogspot.com/: Dr. Michael Rack, a sleep specialist, shares his knowledge on the descriptions and latest treatments for every kind of sleep disorder

http://always-sleepy.blogspot.com/ : One man's funny and fascinating journey with narcolepsy

Are You Just a Snorer...Or Could You Have a Breathing Disorder?

I was just going to do "sleep Apnea" week.  But the 'week' is turning into a month.  There is so much to cover with this sleep disorder I've decided to continue this series for another week.

Todays article is about diagnosing your sleep apnea.  Are you sure you're just a snorer??  There are ways to tell if you are at risk for obstructive sleep apnea even before going in for an overnight sleep study. It's important to point out that there are different treatments for snoring and sleep apnea.  A lot of the over the counter 'snore fixes' can be dangerous to a person who has sleep apnea.  The last thing you want to do is mask the disorder or delay diagnosis because you just want a quick fix for the snoring.  If you are at a point where you want to do something about your snoring then your first action should be a physician visit.

Is it time to find out if your snoring has transformed into sleep apnea?

Could you have sleep apnea?! Watch Rosie O'Donells interview and get all the sleep apnea scoop

Have you been to the sleep lab yet?  Chances are you are considering it if you have found this post. Whether you have been or have not this video is for you.  Rosie O'Donell does a great job with this interview covering the whole sleep apnea scoop.  Michael Brues is a well known sleep specialist that explains what sleep apnea is, how it can effect you and the different treatment options.  This video is one of my favorites because it shows an alternative option to the typical CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mask which is the first line of treatment when it comes to sleep apnea.

There is life after sleep apnea...when you get all of your 'sleep stages' back you will be amazed at what you were missing!

  Let me know if this interview motivated you to get help.

Sleep Deprivation Affects Everyone... Even Pastors: Turn Off Your Cell Phone in Church!

Insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, a snoring partner...they all rob us of something we so desperately need!  What would life be like if every night we hit the pillow, we would sleep straight through for the next 7 hours?  I do know, after being in the sleep business and struggling with disruptive sleep myself, that we would be different people.

These are some differences that I think would take place...

1. More patience, with everything and everyone.

2. More time in the day..meaning you wouldn't be
    cat napping or making up for lack of sleeping the
    late morning.

3. less divorces, period.

4. More energy...resulting in more exercise and
    more weight loss

5. Less driving accidents and driving accident deaths

6. Less health risks associated with sleep disorder breathing,
    i.e.---highblood pressure, arrhythmia's, congestive heart
    failure and permanent cessation of breath during sleep.

7.  Higher employment retention

Again, these are only some of the things that would change in our lives.  This doesn't include the enormous chain reaction.  There are so many "normal" people affected by the sleep deprived people.

I can definitely identify with this man in the video.  Proper cell phone etiquette craves community awareness just as much as the risks associated with snoring and sleep apnea.  But I think we'll have less chance of "cracking" if we can get the sleep that we need...

What do you think?

How Dangerous is Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Do you or your spouse suffer from a possible sleep disorder.  If you or someone you know snores and suffers from fatigue during the day...I implore you to take it seriously.  You're not just hurting yourself if you have sleep apnea.  If your productivity and patience are being affected then you are no doubt having a negative impact on someone else. 

Do any of these people describe you?

1.  A person who sleeps next to a snorer and has witnessed their disruptive breathing?

2.  A person who snores and is used to being tired during the day---you just  haven't gotten around to going to see a Doctor to ask for a sleep study.

3.  A person who has been diagnosed with sleep apnea but can't tolerate wearing the CPAP---there hasn't been time to trial other masks or discuss and move forward with other treatment options.

If you are tired when you're behind the wheel you could kill yourself or someone else. There is very little difference between being excessively tired behind the wheel and being drunk behind the wheel. Untreated sleep apnea can put excessive strain on the heart but there are also risks that are not health related.  All of these car accidents were as a result of fatigue...don't be another statistic.

What Happens at a Sleep Study? Watch this Sleep Lab Experience

Are you finally going to make that trip to the sleep lab?  Good for you!  This is the beginning of your cure. Can you even imagine feeling energetic and motivated during the day?  Well it's closer than you think. Todays sleep apnea tip is about what a sleep study entails. Sleep labs have come a long way in the last 10 years...they now have the look and feel of home. 

I thought you would benefit more by watching the sleep lab experience as opposed to just reading about it.

If you have been to the sleep lab please comment and tell us your story...we'd love to hear.