Sleeping Near a Snorer: Tips to Get a Better Rest

Do you sleep near to someone who snores?

About 40% of adult men and 24% of adult women are habitual snorers - so there are high odds that you experience snoring in some way in your day-to-day life¹. If this is the case, your sleep can be significantly impacted. In a study evaluating how one’s snoring impacts the sleep quality of their partner, researchers found that the elimination of snoring was associated with the partner’s improved sleep quality².

It may be difficult for some to have a conversation with their partner, family member, or roommate about their habitual snoring. Here are some methods that you can easily use in your bedtime routine to combat the disruption of snoring:

•      Going to bed first

This tip ensures that you are in a deep sleep far before the snoring begins, so you do not have to fall asleep to the sound, which can be a source of insomnia for many. Even when you feel like you can fall asleep, snoring still impacts sleep quality, as the sound keeps you slightly awake, and not getting the deepest sleep you can get³.   

•      Wear ear plugs

Ear plugs are a comfortable way to drown out the noise while still having the ability to hear necessary noises like alarms or a baby’s cry.   

Along with ear plugs and an early bedtime, you can try methods that drown out the noise of snoring to make a more comfortable sleeping environment. These include:

•      White noise makers

White noise is designed to both soothe you to sleep and remain consistent to drown out sudden changes in noise like snoring. A study done testing white noise concluded that white noise is a recommended method for masking environmental noises and improving sleep⁴. There are several highly rated (and free) white noise apps such as White Noise Lite and TMSOFT.

 

•      Sound masking systems

These systems share the similar approach to playing white noise as they mask common indoor and outdoor noises for a better sleep. An example is Nightingale Smart Sleep System, which plugs into an outlet and runs on a scheduled timeframe.

•      Suggest a snoring solution

Although the above suggestions work well for masking the sound of snoring, they do not combat the snoring itself. Getting down to the cause of the snoring and trying to prevent it will be the most beneficial way to fall asleep close to someone who snores. Offering to try a minimally invasive and comfortable snoring mouthpiece such as the Good Morning Snore Solution may save you and the snorer in your life many restless nights!

“A wonderful product and a true life saver. I bought this because my snoring was bothering my wife. However, I think it has also addressed a lurking apnea issue as I feel so much more rested the next morning after wearing the device. So I now wear it even on business trips when sleeping alone.” – Kevin, GMSS customer

Along with all the other benefits that come along with reducing snoring, ensuring a quiet and sound sleep environment for others is just another added plus to finding a snoring solution that works!

 

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References

1 http://sleepeducation.org/essentials-in-sleep/snoring/overview-and-facts

2 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025619611639918

3 https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/hear/how-noise-affects-your-sleep

4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4923834/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/sleeping-near-a-snorer-tips-to-get-a-better-rest

Are Your Headaches Caused by Sleep Apnea?

Occasional headaches are normal, but frequent and severe headaches often suggest something is going wrong, and could be related to the quality of sleep you are getting. For those who deal with sleep apnea, painful headaches can be a reality. Studies have should that 10-15% of those with obstructive sleep apnea deal with headaches¹. In terms of the general population, these types of headaches are estimated to affect 1-2% of people, and more specifically, 2-8% of the middle aged population².

Multiple studies have correlated the prevalence of sleep apnea with cluster headaches, migraines, and chronic daily headaches, which tend to occur in the mornings³. Cluster headaches are very common, and researchers have found that approximately 80% of those with sleep apnea suffer from cluster headaches. These tend to come in groups and be quite intense in nature. Other sleep-related headaches often occur above the eyebrows, present a dull pain, last a couple hours after waking up from sleep, and can occur daily⁴.

Scientists make sense of the relationships between sleep and headaches by considering the crucial role that proper sleep plays in an individual’s overall wellness. Poor sleep is noted to increase the odds for headache and mood change as the brain needs ample time to rest and restore in the night for proper functioning during the day. An ideal amount of sleep also decreases pain intensity and increases mood, so if you are suffering from a headache, a lack of sleep will make it even worse⁵.

Studies have shown that getting a proper amount of sleep helps substantially with sleep apnea headaches. In particular, those who were given solutions that opened their airways to increase their ability to breathe properly throughout the night saw improvements in headaches as they awoke by 80% compared to those who recorded minimal improvement⁶.

Although our mouthpiece has not been tested in a scientific setting in terms of its correlation to reducing headaches, it is a proven anti-snoring device that may help reduce the cause of obstruction-related headaches.

 As always, check with your doctor to see if this is recommended for your situation.

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References 

 1 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1586/14737175.2013.840422?journalCode=iern20

2http://web.b.ebscohost.com.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=f7f92acb-504c-4794-bc6c-4e75a3d10e8d%40sessionmgr102&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVybCxjb29raWUsdWlkJnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=112929465&db=a9h

3 https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/104/12/1087/1544801

4http://www.mysleepapneamd.com/blog/headaches-can-caused-sleep-apnea-curing-sleep-apnea-headaches

5https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/sleep/

6https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1105630

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/are-your-headaches-caused-by-sleep-apnea

When to Consider Snoring Surgery

Why do people get surgery for snoring? 

“Surgery also has a role in those with snoring, sleep‐disordered breathing and mild OSA and for patients who have failed using CPAP and other non‐surgical appliances.” This tends to be a last resort for those who experience snoring, but is appealing as a potential permanent solution who have tried many options that have not been effective [1].   

A surgical solution is also only considered for those with a surgically correctable abnormality, and other methods have been used without success. [2]

There are many different types of surgeries that aim to combat snoring, so we won’t get into them all, but discussing the options with a doctor is the best source for information on these options. Below are some general statistics based on studies on the most common types of snoring surgeries performed.

 

Facts to consider

• Some surgeries to combat snoring or obstructed breathing can be performed in one stage, and others “require multiple procedures to complete the treatment” [3].
• Like any surgery, they also have side effects and there are always risks and chances of it not resulting as intended.

A study based on the responses of 193 patients who underwent surgery to aid heavy snoring yielded these results [4]:

• 26% of patients reported postoperative infections
• 76% scored postoperative pain as moderate or severe
• 37% perceived an improvement in their sleep quality
• 24% reported no improvement in their sleep quality
• 43% reported an initial improvement that was not sustained for 2 years
• In hindsight, only 47% would have undergone the surgery

 

Alternatives

• As a first-line of treatment, doctors highly recommend behavioural modifications to relieve snoring that is not related to sleep apnea [3].
• Trying alternatives before considering surgery can have many benefits, as they are [5]:
• • Less invasive
  • Cost effective
  • More comfortable
  • Have less side effects
  • Are safer
  • Are not permanent

Also, if you do end up going for a consultation for surgery that will help resolve your snoring, a doctor will recommend trying other solutions beforehand, so if you have tried many before, this would help them assess why they haven't been working for you.

One of the alternatives health professionals tend to recommend is something less invasive, such as a nightly mouthpiece which prevent breathing obstructions that cause snoring. A recommended, tested and science-based mouthpiece like Good Morning Snore Solution has helped many avoid surgery and sleep well by using a gentle and safe approach.

“Such a great alternative for me to a CPAP machine, or a dental appliance, both of which I've tried. Easy to use, easy to travel with, so simple in design!” -Margaret R, after trying Good Morning Snore Solution.

Sources

1 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/coa.12245

2 https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/868770-overview

3 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011502911001477

4 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1097/01.mlg.0000180178.12972.81

5 https://www.healthline.com/health/surgery-for-snoring#Takeaway

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/when-to-consider-snoring-surgery