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Experts estimate that half of chronic snorers over 40 have
episodes of obstructive apnea, when flabby soft tissues at the
base of the tongue and throat block all air flow. For the person
with apnea, its as if someone sticks a giant cork in his throat
as many as 300 times a night. Some people stop breathing for as
long as a minute, and each year many apnea sufferers die of
cardiac arrest in the night.
You can tell if your mate or close family member has sleep apnea
by their irregular snoring. There are lots of sharp snorts and
gasps. It is labored, at times explosive, and in severe cases
its just as bad no matter what the sleeping position.
To confirm whether a person has apnea requires an overnight
sleep study, performed at a sleep disorder clinic. Called
polysomnography, a sleep study records heartbeat, along with
eye, chest, and leg movements while the snoozing patient is
hooked up to a series of electrodes. Most health plans require a
sleep study, showing apnea or another underlying medical
condition, before theyll cover costs of surgery and other
treatments for snoring.
Untreated, apnea can contribute to high blood pressure,
enlargement of the heart, and increased risk of stroke. And
because their sleep is so tormented, apnea sufferers are
perpetually fatigued. An estimated 20% have had car accidents as
a result of falling asleep at the wheel. All in all, experts
say, 20 million Americans have apnea but do not know it.
If you or your mates snoring is fairly low in the Richter scale
and is not causing any clear or present danger to your marriage,
surgery should only be considered as a last resort. You should
first consider some of the nonsurgical alternatives.
Develop a daily exercise regimen and stick to it. By firming up,
youll cut down on fatty throat deposits, which can contribute to
snoring.
Sleep on your side or stomach instead of your back, the position
in which the tongue is most likely to slide toward the throat
and block air flow. If you have trouble staying off your back,
try sewing a tennis ball into the back pocket of your pajama
bottoms.
Try wearing a jaw-retainer. This customer-fitted device, which
resembles dental bite plates, is designed to keep the airway
open by holding the entire lower jaw forward. Its helpful in
about a third of patients, particularly those with small lower
jaws, deep palates, or short necks.
Tilt your bed, using bricks or wood block, so that the head is
raised about four inches. If your snoring is aggravated by
congestion or the position of the tongue, this helps keep
airways open.
Use a decongestant pill or spray if you have allergies or a
cold, or try nasal dilator strips that fit across the bridge of
the nose like a bandaid, pulling the nasal passages up and open.
You can purchase these in packages of ten and if you cant find
them stocked in your local drug store, ask your pharmacist about
ordering some for you.
Avoid alcohol and tranquilizers within four hours of bedtime and
sleeping pills altogether; all three tend to relax the muscles
of the soft palate, thus causing so much noise and commotion.
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