Learn How To Stop Snoring Without Surgery Blog

Experiencing difficulty in sleeping for any great length of time may well indicate that you suffer from a common sleep disorder.

Today more than 35 million Americans reportedly suffer from a chronic sleep disorder (sleeping difficulty that lasts for more than one month) and as many as 30 million more suffer from a shorter term or “transient” sleep disorder (sleeping difficulty that lasts for less than four weeks).

Commonly triggered by upcoming events (such as important meetings or interviews), jet lag, or a passing illness (like a cold or the flu), a mild sleep disorder presents relatively little difficulty in terms of its management and, if left to its own devices, will often pass quite quickly. This said, many simple steps can be taken to both reduce the effects of mild insomnia and to speed its passing.

A persistent sleep disorder however will rarely disappear of its own accord and may well require pro-active treatment. Prolonged sleep disorders include conditions such as chronic insomnia, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea and narcolepsy.

Difficulty in getting to sleep, staying asleep, waking through the night (and being unable to get back to sleep), or waking too early in the morning, when experienced for any length of time (and certainly for more than four or five weeks), warrants a diagnosis. You should also begin exploring natural sleep remedies that can help you get a better night’s sleep, not to mention assisting you in effectively managing your problem.

The most commonly diagnosed sleep disorder, insomnia, also represents one of the easiest problems to treat. Simple lifestyle adjustments, structured relaxation or meditation, or a variety of herbal and natural sleep remedies will often provide a cure.

Like insomnia, sleep apnea is another sleep disorder that affects millions of Americans each year. The most dangerous of all sleep disorders, sleep apnea occurs when air flow through the windpipe is temporarily obstructed during sleep, often due to the relaxation or collapse of surrounding muscles. Sleep apnea is most commonly associated with snoring, although snoring alone is not necessarily indicative of sleep apnea.

Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder marked by uncontrolled “mini sleeps” during the day (even when the sufferer otherwise appears completely alert), is sometimes confused with sleep apnea; however, these represent two very different conditions.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS), another sleep disorder that ranks as one of the most frequently diagnosed, affects more than twelve million people in the US alone each year. Unlike other common sleep disorders, restless legs syndrome combines the physical symptoms of a sleep disorder like insomnia with neural symptoms such as periodically uncontrolled limb movement and a tingling sensation in the legs and feet.

While a serious sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea, chronic narcolepsy or restless legs syndrome requires the intervention of a medical professional, there are still various ways in which you can actively manage your sleep disorder. In fact, numerous natural sleep remedies can help you get a better night’s sleep and effectively deal with your sleep disorder, without resorting to sleeping pills or artificial sleep enhancers.

These sleep remedies are too numerous to discuss them in any detail in this short article, but they include melatonin and valerian root, two natural alternatives to sleeping pills, as well as aromatherapy, color or chromatherapy and guided relaxation and meditation. Chamomile or lavender teas and infusions are also an excellent natural remedy for managing various sleep disorders.

While some persistent sleep disorders do certainly merit investigation by your doctor, chronic insomnia can, more often than not, be cured without the need for medical intervention. Understanding the underlying causes of your insomnia and then making a number of simple changes to your lifestyle or routine can make a dramatic difference to the quality of your sleep. With the added help of one or two natural sleep remedies, you can then soon say farewell to this particular sleep disorder.

Copyright © 2005 Donald Saunders

Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health related publications including: “Help Me To Sleep - A Guide To Natural Sleep Remedies”, “Jet Lag - An Alternative Approach”, “Shift Work Insomnia” and “The Art of Meditation - A Guide To Meditation, Breathing and Relaxation Techniques”.

For further details please visit http://help-me-to-sleep.com

Sleep apnea refers to a sleep disorder characterized by the interruption of breathing during sleep, such that respiration stops for ten or more seconds, cutting off valuable oxygen supplies to the brain. This interruption of the body’s breathing cycle can recur hundreds of times each night, with potentially fatal results. Even more alarming, sleep apnea, the most dangerous of all sleep disorders, also represents one of the most commonly identified sleep disorders, affecting as many as eighteen million Americans each year.

This condition can be divided into two primary categories. “Central sleep apnea”, caused by a neurological malfunction in which the brain somehow disrupts the normal signal to breathe and “Obstructive sleep apnea”, characterized by the excessive relaxation or the collapse of muscles around the windpipe, which in turn causes windpipe obstruction. Both forms involve the frequent cessation of breathing and the temporary suspension of the oxygen supply to the brain, putting sleep apnea sufferers at a significantly greater risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Diagnosing sleep apnea can be difficult. Snoring, one of the most common symptoms associated with sleep apnea (resulting in many people referring to this as “the snoring disease”), often leads to an erroneous diagnosis of the condition. In fact, snoring can be associated with a variety of other sleep disorders and conditions unrelated to sleep apnea.

When the brain senses a lack of oxygen, as a result of an obstructed windpipe, it reacts by waking the suffer sufficiently to start breathing again, often causing snoring or sometimes coughing. As a result, sleep apnea suffers enjoy a very poor quality of sleep and wake up feeling even more tired than before they went to bed.

Feelings of exhaustion, fatigue and an overwhelming desire to sleep during the day, known as excessive daytime sleepiness, characterize sleep apnea; especially if seen in conjunction with other symptoms such as morning headaches, noticeable lethargy, loss of interest in sex, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating.

The ongoing exhaustion and physical fatigue brought on by undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea can also lead to the onset of serious psychological symptoms such as depression, irritability and changes in mood and behavior.

If you suspect that you are suffering from sleep apnea, you should seek immediate medical guidance and, if necessary, arrange the appropriate tests.

There are a variety of effective treatments available for both obstructive and central sleep apnea. Most patients benefit significantly from one or more of these treatments, which primarily involve simple behavioral adjustments like changing or modifying your sleeping position. Sufferers of mild obstructive sleep apnea as a result of persistent nasal congestion may simply require a course of decongestants, while more severe sleep apnea may need the use of an oxygen mask to stimulate consistent breathing while asleep. In severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea, certain surgical procedures can help to restore effective and consistent respiration during sleep, although sufferers should proceed down this particular route with caution, as surgery can often lead to added complications.

One important point to note is that, because of the risk of potentially fatal respiratory arrest, sleep apnea sufferers should refrain from taking sleeping pills or artificial sleep enhancers because of the associated respiratory dangers.

Natural sleep remedies provide an effective complement to medically prescribed treatments and can certainly help sufferers to enjoy a better night’s sleep. Herbal remedies designed to improve the quality and duration of sleep can assist patients in managing and even reducing the excessive daytime sleepiness otherwise brought on by sleep apnea.

Similarly, the use of aromatherapy, chromatherapy and guided relaxation and meditation can help to reduce the anxiety and insomnia sleep apnea patients experience as they learn to manage their sleep disorder.

Copyright © 2005 Donald Saunders

Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health related publications including: “Help Me To Sleep - A Guide To Natural Sleep Remedies”, “Jet Lag - An Alternative Approach”, “Shift Work Insomnia” and “The Art of Meditation - A Guide To Meditation, Breathing and Relaxation Techniques”.

For further details please visit http://help-me-to-sleep.com

Snoring cures almost all revolve around clearing the blockage in the breathing passage. This is the reason snorers are advised to lose weight (to stop fat from pressing on the throat), to stop smoking (smoking weakens and clogs the throat), and to sleep on their side (to prevent the tongue from blocking the throat). But for many snorers those pieces of advice are not enough.

Surgery is one option to cure snoring; dental appliances are another. There are many devices such as nose clips to keep the nose open and jaw mechanics to keep the jaw in the right position. Different aids work for different people.

There is also a less known, but very effective way to stop snoring. It is to exercise the throat, the tongue, and the jaw muscles so the breathing passage will widen and stay open when you sleep. Singing and practicing yoga may be other ways to stop snoring.

There are many common myths about sleep. We hear them frequently, and may even experience them far too often. Sometimes they can be characterized as “old wives’ tales,” but there are other times the incorrect information can be serious and even dangerous.

The National Sleep Foundation has compiled this list of common myths about sleep, and the facts that dispel them.

* Snoring is a common problem, especially among men, but it isn’t harmful.

Although snoring may be harmless for most people, it can be a symptom of a life-threatening sleep disorder called sleep apnea, especially if it is accompanied by severe daytime sleepiness.

Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing that prevent air from flowing into or out of a sleeping person’s airways. People with sleep apnea awaken frequently during the night gasping for breath. The breathing pauses reduce blood oxygen levels, can strain the heart and cardiovascular system, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Snoring on a frequent or regular basis has been directly associated with hypertension. Obesity and a large neck can contribute to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be treated; men and women who snore loudly, especially if pauses in the snoring are noted, should consult a physician.

* You can “cheat” on the amount of sleep you get.

Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health and safety. When we don’t get adequate sleep, we accumulate a sleep debt that can be difficult to “pay back” if it becomes too big. The resulting sleep deprivation has been linked to health problems such as obesity and high blood pressure, negative mood and behavior, decreased productivity, and safety issues in the home, on the job, and on the road.

* Turning up the radio, opening the window, or turning on the air conditioner are effective ways to stay awake when driving.

These “aids” are ineffective and can be dangerous to the person who is driving while feeling drowsy or sleepy. If you’re feeling tired while driving, the best thing to do is to pull off the road in a safe rest area and take a nap for 15 to 45 minutes.

Caffeinated beverages can help overcome drowsiness for a short period of time. However, it takes about 30 minutes before the effects are felt. The best prevention for drowsy driving is a good night’s sleep the night before your trip.

* Teens who fall asleep in class have bad habits and/or are lazy.

According to sleep experts, teens need at least 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep each night, compared to an average of seven to nine hours each night for most adults. Their internal biological clocks also keep them awake later in the evening and keep them sleeping later in the morning. However, many schools begin classes early in the morning, when a teenager’s body wants to be asleep. As a result, many teens come to school too sleepy to learn, through no fault of their own.

* Insomnia is characterized by difficulty falling asleep.

Difficulty falling asleep is but one of four symptoms generally associated with insomnia. The others include waking up too early and not being able to fall back asleep, frequent awakenings, and waking up feeling unrefreshed.

Insomnia can be a symptom of a sleep disorder or other medical or psychological/psychiatric problem, and can often be treated. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2002 Sleep in America poll, 58 percent of adults in this country reported at least one symptom of insomnia in the past year. When insomnia symptoms occur more than a few times a week and impact a person’s daytime functions, the symptoms should be discussed with a doctor or other health care provider.

* Daytime sleepiness always means a person isn’t getting enough sleep.

Excessive daytime sleepiness is a condition in which an individual feels very drowsy during the day and has an urge to fall asleep when he/she should be fully alert and awake. The condition, which can occur even after getting enough nighttime sleep, can be a sign of an underlying medical condition or sleep disorder such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea. These problems can often be treated, and symptoms should be discussed with a physician.

Daytime sleepiness can be dangerous and puts a person at risk for drowsy driving, injury, and illness and can impair mental abilities, emotions, and performance.

* Health problems such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and depression are unrelated to the amount and quality of a person’s sleep.

Studies have found a relationship between the quantity and quality of one’s sleep and many health problems. For example, insufficient sleep affects growth hormone secretion that is linked to obesity; as the amount of hormone secretion decreases, the chance for weight gain increases. Blood pressure usually falls during the sleep cycle; however, interrupted sleep can adversely affect this normal decline, leading to hypertension and cardiovascular problems. Research has also shown that insufficient sleep impairs the body’s ability to use insulin, which can lead to the onset of diabetes. More and more scientific studies are showing correlations between poor and insufficient sleep and disease.

* The older you get, the fewer hours of sleep you need.

Sleep experts recommend a range of seven to nine hours of sleep for the average adult. While sleep patterns change as we age, the amount of sleep we need generally does not. Older people may wake more frequently through the night and may actually get less nighttime sleep, but their sleep need is no less than younger adults. Because they may sleep less during the night, older people tend to sleep more during the day. Naps planned as part of a regular daily routine can be useful in promoting wakefulness after the person awakens.

* During sleep, your brain rests.

The body rests during sleep; however, the brain remains active, gets “recharged,” and still controls many body functions including breathing.

When we sleep, we typically drift between two sleep states, REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM, in 90-minute cycles. Non-REM sleep has four stages with distinct features, ranging from stage-one drowsiness, when one can be easily awakened, to “deep sleep” stages three and four, when awakenings are more difficult and where the most positive and restorative effects of sleep occur.

However, even in the deepest non-REM sleep, our minds can still process information. REM sleep is an active sleep where dreams occur, breathing and heart rate increase and become irregular, muscles relax and eyes move back and forth under the eyelids.

* If you wake up in the middle of the night, it is best to lie in bed, count sheep, or toss and turn until you eventually fall back asleep.

Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep is a symptom of insomnia. Relaxing imagery or thoughts may help to induce sleep more than counting sheep, which some research suggests may be more distracting than relaxing.

Whichever technique is used, most experts agree that if you do not fall back asleep within 15-20 minutes, you should get out of bed, go to another room and engage in a relaxing activity such as listening to music or reading. Return to bed when you feel sleepy. Avoid watching the clock.

If your kids snore their way through the night, it could be more than just noise.

One in ten suffer from a sleep disorder we used to just associate with adults.

“I know how I can help it,” said sixth-grader Karina Price.

But, it wasn’t always like that. Her teachers once thought she couldn’t concentrate.

“In school it led to teachers wondering if she had ADHD, focusing problems, learning disabilities,” said her mother Peggy Price.

But, Karina’s problem wasn’t concentration. It was sleep – or lack of it.

She’s one of about 18 million Americans with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, also known as OSA. It’s a condition that causes complete or partial obstruction of the airways.

OSA affects about twice as many kids as adults.

“Oxygen is low during sleep,” said Dr. Maninder Karla of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “You have higher carbon dioxide, you have disrupted sleep, as well as daytime symptoms of excessive sleepiness and/or behavioral problems.”

Karina said her apnea made her feel as though she was not as smart as other people. And, more than just her grades were at risk. OSA can be very dangerous for kids and should be checked by a doctor.

“It can lead to long-term affects on their blood pressure, of their heart, the size of their heart as well as the functioning of their heart,” Karla said.

But, it can be hard to spot OSA.

“I did not know anything about sleep apnea,” Peggy said.

So, the American Sleep Apnea Association created a snore score test to help parents spot the signs.

- Does your child snore loudly?
- Are they tired when they wake up?
- Are they overweight or asthmatic?
- Do they choke, gasp or hold their breath while sleeping?

Karina now uses oxygen at night and her school allows her to sleep in.

“My school life is better in that I don’t feel as dumb as I used to ‘cause I know what I have and I know how I can help it.”

There are a lot of ways to treat sleep apnea. It’s best to start the discussion with your child’s doctor.

(info from http://wcco.com/health/local_story_163172103.html)

Sleep disorders specialist Professor Colin Sullivan, from Sydney University, is researching the effects of diet and exercise on sleep quality and intends to expand the work.

Prof. Sullivan said a condition called sleep apnoea was a pronounced form of snorting, where sleepers choked on their tongue and soft palate.

He said sleepers did not get air in and out of their lungs, even though they were trying to breathe. This might happen for 20-30 seconds then they are roused by a falling blood oxygen level.

“Habitual snoring is very common, 30 per cent of adult males are habitual snorers,” Prof. Sullivan said.

“Any heavy snorer will have a few of these events each night.

“But then around 9 per cent of adult males have repeated obstructions, up to 40-50 an hour.”

Prof. Sullivan said repeated sleep interruptions made these people sleepy during the day and long-term snoring and sleep apnoea could cause high blood pressure.

Women and children could also be affected but it was less common than in men.

Sleep apnoea increased the risk of heart attack and stroke, promoted a disease called atherosclerosis, or blocking of the arteries.

Prof. Sullivan said healthy eating and exercise were messages from the last century and healthy sleeping was a message for the new one.

Ways to tackle sleep apnoea included weight loss, modifying alcohol use, and using a sleep mask designed by Prof. Sullivan.

(info from http://www.examiner.com.au/story.asp?id=292227)

Dr. Mark Converse says surgically clearing apnea patients’ airways is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. “The concept is, with sleep apnea, there’s blockage — whether in the nose, in the soft palate, or by the tongue. … There are lots of different surgeries tailored to open up the area that is blocked,” he explains.

Donna was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea because her snoring regularly caused her to stop breathing. Though simple snoring can cause serious sleep deprivation, it can often be treated by the tennis ball method or with an oral appliance that positions the jaw and tongue forward to prevent snoring. In extreme cases, an outpatient procedure known as Radio Frequency Palate Stiffening offers a high rate of success for some snorers. As Converse describes it, a radio-frequency probe is applied to “stiffen the floppy tissues” in the back of the throat, near the uvula, that vibrate to create snoring. The process takes about 30 minutes and requires no recovery time, though acetaminophen may be needed for pain. Multiple treatments may be necessary.

In cases of apnea, Converse usually prescribes CPAP treatment before recommending surgery. Though CPAP machines are usually effective and can be used long-term, Converse notes claustrophobic users may be uncomfortable wearing the mask and that some people unknowingly remove the mask while they sleep.

Alternatively, patients may opt for surgery, as Donna did. Converse has treated many of his apnea patients with uvuloplatopharyngoplasty (”UPPP”), which is aimed at removing tissue from the soft palate and back of the throat. Tonsil removal is another way he creates more air space to allow patients to breathe better. These two procedures are often paired to treat apnea sufferers, such as in Donna’s case, but Converse says children with apnea are often cured through tonsillectomy alone.

Tongue surgery is another option for opening up breathing passages. This operation focuses on the back part of the tongue, near the throat. Surprisingly, Converse describes it as a less painful option than UPPP and tonsillectomy.

The first signs of severe snoring problems or apnea may be consistent, extreme sleepiness. Converse recommends being assessed by a sleep specialist as a good first step to cure.

(info from http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050611/LIFESTYLE/506110315/1024)

If you want to remedy snoring, you have to find the underlying cause. Snoring is not an affliction like the common cold, where you wake up one morning and you’ve just got it. It is something that normally arrives slowly over time. Most people can’t remember the day and date that their snoring started. It was sometime in my mid 30’s or some such vague description is the normal response to a question on its arrival.

The lifestyle approach to remedy your snoring, doesn’t treat it as a condition or a disease. But rather treats snoring as a symptom, or a warning, that the body is out of balance.

I like to think of snoring like the ground proximity alarm in a modern jet aircraft. (The one that goes “WOOP! WOOP! PULL UP! PULL UP!”, if the aircraft gets too close to the ground when it’s not supposed to). If you are a pilot, you’d prefer not to hear it. But if you did, you would be grateful for the warning before dire consequences arrived. I’m sure the warning siren must be very annoying when it is activated but a lot less painful than the alternative. Likewise snoring is annoying, but not responding to the warning may have more serious consequences.

The above example may seem extreme but the reality is there has been an enormous amount of research in recent years linking snoring to a range of serious conditions such as hypertension and coronary disease.

The human body is a truly amazing machine. It has the ability to self regulate a complex array of interacting chemical and electrical processes within fine tolerances. This ability of homeostasis means the body can keep the internal systems (e.g. blood pressure, body temperature, acid-base balance) in equilibrium despite changes in the external environment.

However if the body is subjected to persistent extreme conditions outside the normal bounds of function then it may not be able to rectify the situation without help. For instance if your body gets cold, it starts to shiver to maintain its core body temperature. But if your body is subjected to sub zero temperatures without any external heating then shivering alone will not be able to stop the inevitable deadly conclusion. But the act of shivering is, in itself, a warning for you to take some action; put some warmer clothes on for example.

Snoring can be set off by a number of different balance upsets such as your diet, your breathing, your stress levels, and your physical environment. If you systematically work through these factors two important things are going to happen. You’re eventually going to stop snoring and you’ll end up with a healthier body.

Once you start you may be pleasantly surprised, as often, a snoring solution doesn’t always require a big change in your lifestyle.

Copyright © 2004 Kevin Meates

About the Author

Kevin Meates writes for http://www.snoring-solutions-that-work.com where you can find a set of strategies for overcoming all types of snoring problems.

Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:kmeates@snoring-solutions-that-work.com

You probably know at least one person who snores. It could be your partner, parents, grandparents, or even YOU that snore at various noise levels.
Some laugh and make jokes about it, but it can be a symptom of a serious disorder called obstructive sleep apnea. And if it is obstructive sleep apnea, then it is no laughing matter; that individual needs to get evaluated by a sleep specialist.

What is snoring?

Snoring is a noise produced when an individual breathes (usually produced when inhaling) during sleep, which in turn causes vibration of the soft palate and uvula (that thing that hangs down in the back of the throat). An estimated 45% of normal adults snore at least occasionally and 25% do so habitually, according the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Problem snoring is more common in men and in people who are overweight. And snoring usually gets worse with advancing age.
The word “apnea” means the absence of breathing. Unfortunately, men are hit with more bouts of disruptive snoring than women. Sorry guys, but even if you don’t think you snore, you probably do.

Treatment for snoring

The most important point to make about the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), or Snoring Syndrome, is that effective treatment requires several related problems to be treated simultaneously

6 Factors That Can Cause Snoring

Lifestyle factors

In some studies is growing concern is in, many cases of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring may be related to Western culture. The risk of increased obstructive sleep apnea grows with the many factors described below, many of which are problems currently rampant in our society. Correction of OSA generally requires that these factors be eliminated. At times, elimination of these factors completely resolves the problem.

Weight

Excessive weight brought about by a sedentary lifestyle, too many rich foods, or by medically related situations such as thyroid problems, is probably the leading factor contributing to OSA. Bed partners almost invariably make the observation that the larger their snoring spouse becomes, the louder the snoring sounds, and the more often they hear snoring pauses followed by snorts, and a continuation of breathing (i.e., apneas — episodes of obstructed breathing). Conversely, in a large percentage of patients, weight loss down to an ideal weight has reversed the process.

Smoking

Smoking has numerous undesirable effects on the body. Most pertinent to OSA are the obstructions to the airway which cigarette smoking causes: swelling of the mucous membrane in the nose, swelling of the tissue in the throat, and blockage of the small vessels in the lungs. Therefore, add this to another list of reasons why you should stop this nasty habit.

Alcohol

It is the partial collapse of the airway (breathing tube between nose, mouth and lungs) that is the immediate cause of snoring, and its complete collapse that is the immediate cause of apnea. Alcohol causes too great a relaxation of the airway during sleep. This, and other effects of alcohol on the body, means that it can either cause or greatly contribute to the development of loud snoring and apnea.

Organization of sleep

There are two periods of sleep which, given the right circumstances, are especially vulnerable to the development of unstable breathing. These are Stage 1 sleep, which should only occur when a person is first falling asleep but can occur many times during the night if sleep is poor; and REM sleep, which is the time when dreaming most frequently occurs.
If a person has very unbalanced sleeping habits during the week, it can result in the development of very significant respiratory instability during sleep. It’s that simple: unstable sleeping patterns lead to unstable breathing. Therefore, all you need to do is regulate your sleep by getting at least 7.5 hours of it per night. Sometimes, this is all that is required.

Medical problems

Anything that can lead to a blockage of the nose, throat, or lungs potentially plays a role in the development of OSA.
Pertinent nasal problems include allergies to air-borne particles such as animal dander, and dryness of the nose because of a wood-burning stove. Factors that can block the throat include large tonsils, large adenoids, excessive amounts of fatty tissue, and at times, the enlargement of some of the complex tissue at the back of the throat. In these cases, surgery can help by removing unwanted or excess tissue.
Snoring can also be a symptom of diabetes or hypothyroidism. Therefore, sometimes the best treatment for snoring and apnea is to go to the source of the problem and treat the medical problem itself.

Lifestyle before surgery

On a final note, if you are an excessive snorer, and constantly get complaints from friends and loved ones, look at your lifestyle very carefully first. Try changing some bad habits to good ones, and exercise more.
As long as your doctor determines that your snoring is not stemming from apnea (a disorder where the snorer stops breathing for seconds.

Here are some natural snoring suggested tips for alleviating your predicament:

* Sew an object (i.e., a tennis ball) into the pajama top near the small of your back in order to make it uncomfortable to sleep on your back.
* For at least two to three hours before bedtime, don’t drink alcohol or take sleeping pills, antihistamines, or tranquilizers. They depress the central nervous system and make your tongue floppy and throat muscles loose.
* Add some humidity to your bedroom. A dry throat tends to vibrate more than one that’s moist. Try putting a container of water near your radiator.
* Use extra pillows to raise your head and align your airway.
* Try not to eat dairy products before bedtime because some people notice a build-up of mucus that can interfere with breathing.
* Try taking honey (chew honeycomb or swallow a couple of spoonfuls of liquid) daily for a few weeks.
* Have someone you sleep with, or your roommate, roll you over onto your side when you start to snore

If after all this, you still snore excessively, then I suggest you go see a physician or a nose, ear and throat specialist. Always make surgery your last resort. Even though proven to be safe, surgery can still do damage to your pockets, when all you needed to do was quit smoking or join a gym.

Here are more health hints…
http://todays-man-health-advocate.com

About the Author

Robert Walker is a health information marketer and writer.Get more health
information for men at http://todays-man-health-advocate.com

Well, as I sit here writing this, it’s very quiet. The air is cool and the house is dark, the only light emanating from within being the light from my computer. It’s so quiet here, in fact, that I can hear the rhythm from my fingertips as they dance across this keyboard. Sounds like the perfect writer’s scenario, doesn’t it? The problem is that it isn’t, in fact, this whole situation blows. It happens to be 6 am on a Saturday morning and I’m sitting here wide awake!

How does this happen? How can I be so tired each Monday through Friday morning when I must get up, yet voluntarily wake up early on Saturday? Each workday, as I struggle to get out of bed, my mind consoles me by telling me the following,

“It’s okay, just push yourself until Saturday and then you can sleep in and make up for all the time you lost during the week.”

What a lie! It never works out that way, instead, I spend a bleary-eyed Saturday most weeks on account of my own brain. What a sad state of affairs, your own brain working against your own personal comfort. The worst thing is, I really like to sleep. Sleep makes you feel better, it’s the best cure for colds imaginable, and I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about people based on sleep.

Don’t think so? Well, let’s consider a few things. You can tell just how much make-up and facial enhancement someone goes through life with when you wake up before they do one morning. Let’s face it, more than one marriage has gotten off to a rocky start when the male of the equation discovers that his blushing bride has had a whole lot of cosmetic help re her “look.” And let’s not stop there, sleeping can let you know how heavy someone is. Ladies, isn’t it true that the heavier a guy is the more he snores? I thought so. You can actually assign some scientific logic to this, because the heavier someone is, the thicker their throat will be, so when they suck down air during sleep it moves along their throat. The resultant effect is somewhat like that of an electric bass - their vocal chords vibrate, snoring results, and after a sleepless night or two the woman decides to put said heavy guy on a diet. And all because of sleep.

Folks, you can even select/reject a potential mate based on how they sleep. If you decide to live with someone and then discover that they drool a lot while sleeping, hey, you might decide it’s not something you want to deal with. And guys or ladies, if your significant other wets the bed, well, you may definitely decide that it’s not something you want to deal with. And ladies, if you lay there one night and hear your fella whispering words like the following:

“Melissssaaaaaaa….”

“I promise I’ll marry you one day…”

“Amberrrrrrrrrrr….”

“Certainly I’ll respect you tomorrow…”

“Reneeeeeeeee….”

“No one will ever know….”

It might be a sign that he’s dreaming about something other than the 1967 Green Bay Packers. It might also be a sign that you’ll soon want him to be examining the front door of your place (the side that leads to the outside).

All sorts of other useful things can be determined during sleep - ever roll over during the night and discover that your spouse must’ve had food with lots of garlic in it? Or onions? Worse yet, ever discover that they must’ve eaten a whole lot of raisin bran earlier in the day? Or even worse than that, ever discover that their slack jawed look is not one that’s going raise your level of passion to new heights anytime soon?

So sleep, how people sleep, and what they do during sleep can tell you a lot. A whole lot. It can make you love somebody or hate somebody, it can take someone normal looking and turn them into a haint, simply put, it can change the whole course of a relationship with another person. And that’s something I could go into even more, and it’s something that I would like to go into even more, but hey, I’m a bit tired right now, so guess what I’m about to do?

About the Author

Ed Williams’s latest book, “Rough As A Cob,“ can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He’s also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site address at: http://www.ed-williams.com.