A Snor-Chestra of Song
Tired of the Christmas carols? Sick of holiday songs and jingling bells?Well, as you pack up those holiday decorations, I suggest you check this out: a group of musicians got together and created a montage of snorers from around the United Kingdom to the tune of, well, let’s just say a very odd sounding “Silent Night.”
Now that’s not what I call a “silent” night!
My hope for all those snorers (and their bed partners) out there is that you find relief in 2010. Here are my top five tips for curbing snoring and getting that proverbial silent night:
• Lose the excess weight. The heavier you are, the higher your risk for sleeping disorders and, you guessed it, snoring. People who have thick necks are more likely to experience OSA due to the extra fat they have at the back of their throats, which can be an underlying cause to the blocked airway.
• Speak with your doctor to discuss testing to rule out an underlying condition such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
• Avoid alcohol within a few hours of bedtime. Alcohol can not only interrupt sound sleep, but also stimulate (and exacerbate) snoring.
• Get moving. Studies also have shown that OSA, which causes a lot of unwanted snoring, decreases among people who begin exercise programs, regardless of the amount of weight loss.
• Don’t become sleep deprived. If you fall asleep before your head hits the pillow and begin sawing away, you’re most likely sleep deprived. Getting into a routine that honors your body’s need for quality sleep every single night can work wonders on achieving a silent night. To that end, practice good sleep hygiene.
Approximately 90 million American adults snore, and of those, 37 million snore on a regular basis. It’s a problem among all ages and both genders, but it seems to affect men more than women, and it can worsen with age. If you sleep with a snoring bed partner, you can lose up to an hour of quality sleep a night. Let’s see if we can all get to a true Silent Night by the time we’re singing that song again next year.
Remember, true silent nights make for good nights.
Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD
The Sleep DoctorTM
www.thesleepdoctor.com
