Sleep Well Clinic - all about SNORING in NZ


	Snoring and Health Weight gain Chronic fatigue arising from the disturbed sleep associated with snoring can stimulate appetite which leads to weight gain which in turn can make the snoring more problematic. Treatment of the snoring can break the cycle and assist sustainable weight loss through reduced appetite and increased energy for exercise. More-on-weight-gain... Frequent toileting at night Sleep disturbance throughout the night can prevent a person from producing the hormone that normally slows down urine production. People with problematic snoring are therefore more likely to need to go to the toilet during the night. Treatment of problematic snoring allows the hormone to be produced normally during uninterrupted deep sleep, so the bladder slows down for the night as it should. More-on-toileting... Reduced Sexual Function Chronic fatigue arising from problematic snoring or obstructive sleep apnoea can cause loss of libido, which in some cases can develop into impotence. Treatment of the snoring will often restore both desire and function straight away. More-on-sexual function...

What happens when I Snore? Effects of Snoring

When a person goes to sleep, the muscles in the body relax, including the muscles that hold the airway open when awake. In some people, the airway is narrow enough that the normal suction of breathing in causes the airway to vibrate.
It is the vibrating airway that causes the noise of snoring. With some people, the noise can be loud enough to be heard throughout the entire house.

I can't hear myself, so why should I care?

Snoring can have a significant impact on relationships. Tired people tend to be more irritable and short-tempered than people who have regular healthy sleep.
People who share a bed with a snorer can become frustrated with having their own sleep disturbed. A medical study in Sweden investigating wives of snoring men found the wives suffered symptoms of sleep disturbance such as poor short term memory and difficulty concentrating on tasks.

More-on-wives-of-snorers-study...
Airway nerves responding to the vibration of the muscles during snoring can send a signal to the brain that the snoring is actually the beginning of choking. The brain goes on alert, which results in poorer quality sleep and daytime tiredness.
The same process that causes sleep disturbance can have other related health problems (see sidebar Snoring and Health).
Sleep Apnoea Some people snore so badly the airway is sucked shut over and over throughout the night. This can happen hundreds of times a night, and is known as Obstructive Sleep Apneoa. Because sleep apnoea is so common and you can't tell easily if someone is just snoring or if they have sleep apnoea, you should always perorm a sleep test to check for apnoea before treating snoring.

More-on-sleep-apnoea...

What can I do to stop snoring?

Surgical techniques. If there are anatomical features such as large tonsils crowding the airway, and no evidence of apnoea from a sleep test, a variety of surgical techniques might help reduce the noise of snoring for a time.
- Pros: No need for on-going management
- Cons: Lower success than MAS or CPAP and not recommended for sleep apnoea
Mandibular Splints. Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS) are mouthguard-like devices that are adjusted to pull the bottom jaw forward during sleep so that the airway becomes more open. There are several designs available, but not all are the same. It is important for long-term safety that a MAS is fitted and monitored by a qualified practitioner. The Sleep Well Clinic prefers using Dr Greg Reynolds' SomnoSplint for long-term snoring management.
- Pros: Small and portable and can help with snoring and mild sleep apnoea
- Cons: Lower success than CPAP and not recommended for moderate sleep apnoea
  
  More-on-SomnoSplint...
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. Originally developed for more severe sleep apnoea, modern Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy has increasingly been used for mild sleep apnoea and more recently, snoring. CPAP uses a bedside device and nasal mask to deliver a small increase in airway pressure to stop airway vibration and associated noise of snoring. The Sleep Well Clinic have a clinical support team of therapists who help people try CPAP for a few weeks to guage the benefits of the therapy before making a long-term decision.
- Pros: 100% guaranteed elimination of snoring and/or any severity of sleep apnoea
- Cons: Less portable than MAS or surgery
  
  More-on-CPAP...

Material available on this website relating to sleep disorders should not be considered individual medical advice. Symptoms relating to sleep disorders should be brought to the attention of a doctor as soon as possible.