February 2018

Sleep Apnea Linked to Fatty Liver, New Studies Suggest

February 27, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Solutions

Sleep Apnea And Fatty Liver

New studies have revealed a strong link between obstructive sleep apnea and fatty liver disease. The studies have found out that people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea tend to experience various liver diseases, mainly fatty liver. Both sleep apnea and the fatty liver disease affects a majority of the population in the country. Due to this, the occurrence of these two conditions and their relation has become widespread amongst the population.

It was only recently that researchers found an underlying link existing between sleep apnea and fatty liver disease. In the study, the researchers took a sample of obese individuals who also had sleep apnea. The studies based on this sample then confirmed that many of the individuals with sleep apnea had developed fatty liver disease. It also brought out that the severity of fatty liver disease increased with that of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea had already been linked to various diseases and conditions that affect different body systems such as cardiovascular, respiratory system, etc. According to the latest studies, sleep apnea also results in the development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in an individual.

What is Fatty Liver?

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) refers to the accumulation of fat deposits in the liver among those who consume little or never drink alcohol. Complications that occur in the disease can cause the liver to inflame and scar, which then leads to the development of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH). Fatty liver that progresses to Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis can result in serious complications such as liver cancer, liver fibrosis, and liver cirrhosis.

Sleep Apnea and Fatty Liver

Researchers are trying to identify exactly how sleep apnea worsens fatty liver disease in an individual. However, they have pinpointed one way in which sleep apnea causes fatty liver. When sleep apnea occurs, it can severely reduce the oxygen levels that enter into the blood. The low level of oxygen in the blood can cause oxidative stress that directly affects the functioning of the liver thus worsening liver diseases.

Moreover, other studies have also confirmed that sleep apnea causes fatty liver in young children. This study published in the Journal of Pediatrics has found out a solid relationship between sleep apnea and fatty liver disease for about 60 percent of the children.

One way of treating the development of fatty liver is by alleviating Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the individual. There are various snoring solutions available out there, which can help to prevent sleep apnea and limit its effects on health. Regular usage of such anti snoring devices can permanently eliminate sleep apnea and in turn allow the liver to continue its normal functioning.

Is your Mattress or Pillows Contributing to Snoring Issues?

February 23, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Solutions

Snoring And Pillow

When one falls asleep with an open mouth, the jaws relax causing the throat tissues to sag. This makes the tissues to vibrate against the roof of the mouth when breathing air rushes past the upper throat. Further, if the upper body of the sleeper is not adequately supported over the course of a long-hour sleep, the partial blockage in the upper airway may aggravate. The lower jaw hangs loosely, which further constricts the upper airway causing loud snoring.

A mattress may contribute to nighttime snoring while one sleeps on the back, and especially if the mattress does not provide full support to neck and back. If the mattress is too soft, it may not provide sufficient spine support while sleeping. Although, a plush mattress may offer soft surface comfort for sleepers it may not provide adequate support to keep the upper body in an elevated position.

Elevating the head can encourage the jaws and tongue to advance forward, which may potentially clear the snoring problem. However, your mattress needs to support the spine in order to achieve the right head height to clear constricted airway and alleviate snoring.

If you are using even an old mattress that is beginning to sag, it may not help align the spine correctly when sleeping. Further, the sleeping position may even cause the upper airways to become constricted, and snoring to erupt.

In order to reduce loud snoring and avoid a distraction to your bedmate, you have to make sure the mattress conforms to the cervical and lumbar spine curve. Further, you need to ensure that the upper spine is kept straight on the bed in all sleeping positions in order to keep the airways open. The matters should support the neck and head, in particular, to facilitate the air to pass.

If your mattress sags excessively to cause a partial blockage in the upper airway, you should consider changing the mattress. However, you need not go for a firm mattress since that may not support the back curve and may even cause a back pain and shoulder pain. Sleep specialists suggest using medium firm, latex mattresses as the best option to support the lumbar spine and cervical spine forming the upper body. Alternatively, you can place a wedge pillow over the sagging bed.

Gadgets and Devices for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

February 21, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Remedies

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the trouble in breathing that is caused due to the obstruction of the airways. Obviously, the main aim of OSA treatment is to open these airways and allow smooth breathing, especially while sleeping. There are many devices and gadgets to achieve this. Some of them are listed below.

Position Pillows

Position pillows are one of the easiest and comfortable ways to get instant relief from snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. These pillows are designed in such a way that it can be used either with a CPAP machine or without CPAP machine. Position pillows come in a variety of shapes including a wedge shape, which will help to raise the upper body of the snorer.

The American Sleep Apnea Association recommends the snorers to use foam wedges instead of soft pillows. This will enable the affected person to sleep on the back keeping the body elevated from the upper portion of the waist. This will prevent the airways from collapsing.

Position pillows that can be used along with CPAP machine, will keep the neck and head of the snorer in such a way that the airways will remain open always. On the other hand, position pillows with CPAP machine are meant to be more comfortable, when you wear the mask.

Tennis Ball

Most people sleep on their back causing their tongue and other soft palates to fall and rest against the back of their throat, obstructing the airway. This will result in snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. You can tackle this problem by sleeping on your sides.

Some doctors suggest sewing a sock filled with tennis balls to the backside of your trousers when you sleep. According to a recent survey, out 38 out of 50 people has shown improvement in the quality of their sleep after using this tennis ball technique.

Nerve Stimulation Devices

A hypoglossal nerve stimulator can help when the tongue or other soft palates rest against the back of your throat. This is a small device inserted into the affected person’s chest through a minor surgery. This device can be operated very easily; when you are going to sleep turn on this nerve stimulator using a small remote and switch it off once you wake up.

The main task of this nerve stimulator is to monitor your breathing patterns and to send the signals to the nerves, according to that pattern. The nervous system will control the tongue and other muscles accordingly, once it gets these signals. This way, nervous system stimulators will keep the airways open and allows you to breathe effortlessly.

How to Get Used With Side Sleeping to Alleviate Mild Snoring

February 20, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Remedies

Alleviate Mild Snoring

People tend to snore mildly when sleeping on the back or in the supine position. If that is the case with you, changing the position to side sleeping may help alleviate snoring. In fact, positional therapy has been around for a long time being one of the easiest snoring remedies to try.

When people sleep at night, the jaws relaxes and throat tissues recede back into the mouth, which creates a partial blockage in the upper airway. When one inhales air in such a situation, the throat tissues and the roof of the mouth vibrates creating the snoring sound. The snorers remain unaware of the problem, but the bedfellow may come to know about it and suggest visiting a doctor.

Sleep specialists recommend positional therapy in order to reduce snoring. However, there are some challenges with getting used to a new position on bed apart from supine position. If snorers complain of trouble finding it tough to acclimatize with the position, they can talk it to the doctor in the compliance therapy.

One of such concerns, which snorers face while sleeping on the side, is rolling back on to a former position in the middle of sleep. If you also talk about the concern with your doctor, he or she will recommend you to use a tennis ball to deal with the concern as a form of compliance.

One of the easiest tricks to eliminate falling over on the bed to back sleeping problem is to sew tennis balls into the back of the night suit. Placing 2 or 3 tennis balls in a way it runs along the spine might just avoid rolling over the bed back to supine position. If you try to do that unknowingly during sleep, the tennis balls will remind you subconsciously that the new position may not be comfortable to sleep.

Moreover, one tends to return to side sleeping position without even waking up from sleep. You can also create pockets in the pajamas that are sufficiently large to insert and remove the tennis balls while sleeping on the side. This will ensure the tennis balls stay intact over the course of a 5 to 7 hour sleep without falling off in the middle of the slumber. If you are a somewhat overweight adult, however, try using a softball instead of the tennis ball to get used to side sleeping.

How Overbite in Children Causes Snoring

February 16, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Stop Snoring

Overbite in Children

Braces put on teeth not only straighten teeth misalignments, but may also correct a misaligned jaw in children. If your child has an underbite, crossbite, or even an overbite, they will have braces put on teeth to change physical appearance due to being beauty conscious, especially in the public eye.

An excessive overbite makes the lower jaw to recede into the back of the mouth during sleep and that may block the upper throat and the airway that supplies oxygen to the lungs. This will cause breathing difficulties when your child sleeps. When he or she inhales air while asleep, the throat tissues and the roof of the mouth vibrate due to the constricted airflow, and that leads to snoring.

The jaw misalignment and obstructive sleep apnea are related in the sense that if snoring is left untreated it will cause the sleep disorder. Apnea in children is characterized by heavy breathing, loud snoring, breathing pauses, and snorts. The partial blockage of the airway causes a reduction in the oxygen levels in the blood. In fact, it is seen that malocclusion may also lead to snoring and other sleep disorders.

Call it a blessing in disguise, but one of the remedies for mild to moderate apnea with loud snoring is the braces put on teeth. It helps correct the malocclusion in children, which can itself reduce breathing difficulty and alleviate snoring. Further, since the mandible of children is small it can also narrow down the airway opening.

Once the overbite gets corrected by wearing braces as per the duration recommended by the doctors or close to that, the upper airway will open to an extent and your child will have a better sleep in comparison. Moreover, as per the severity of overbite and the age of the kid, the braces are put on teeth alongside an orthodontic retainer.

For instance, older kids tend to rely on orthognathic surgery in order to correct the misalignments in the jaw or skeletal disharmonies linked to apnea. The surgeons performing the corrective jaw surgery use a series of screws and plates to hold the jaws in a secured position. This is done to clear the improperly aligned jaws in older children. However, if your child cannot bear the pain of such surgeries to clear an overbite, it is better to wear braces as recommended.

Types of Pillows That Claim to Reduce Mild Snoring

February 15, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Solutions

Snoring And Pillow Types

An anti-snoring pillow might help to reduce snoring in due course as per your sleep position. If you snore mildly at night, try any of the pillows that claim to lessen the snoring sound. The notion behind pillows meant to alleviate snoring is that once snorers are aligned on a side-sleeping position, mild snoring lessens over time. When one sleeps on the back, slack-jawed with an open mouth, tongue relaxes to the mouth’s back. This partially obstructs the airway and leads to snoring.

Wedge Pillow

Such types of pillows raise the upper body and position the spine to keep the said airways open. In addition to that, since it is slightly slanted, the pillow can help reduce conditions such as acid reflux and clear an airway obstruction in the upper throat due to that. This is one of the reasons, why it has a reputation of reducing snoring whilst giving a peaceful sleep.

Contour Pillow

Such memory foam pillows that are curved have the backing of clinical tests. The elevated middle portion of a contour pillow and the indentation of the shoulder keep the head at an ideal height for sleeping. Such types of snoring pillows have a curvy design that helps keep the airway in the back of the mouth open. It helps cure snoring in the same tried and tested stop snoring principle of elevating the head.

Latex Foam Pillow

The benefits of sleeping without having to snore can be experienced by the bedfellow than the snorer who is unaware of the problem. If you only have mild to moderate snoring, try one of these pillows to sleep peacefully. However, the one you choose depends on your comfort level. For instance, latex foam pillows are firm than contour pillows featuring memory foam.

It provides a support that helps to ‘contour’ the head. Look for such kinds of pillows with a wavy design in order to keep the airways open while you sleep. Many people feel that pillows made of latex foam helps lessen the turning and tossing of the head on bed.

Having said that, anti snore pillows are advisable for soft snoring. If you suffer from a sleep disorder like Obstructive Sleep Apnea characterized by loud snoring, you should try snoring solutions like an anti snore mouthpiece. The mouth guard works to clear the airway obstructions by keeping the lower jaw forward, and helps to ease snoring within a few weeks’ use.

Factors that Make Even Fit People to Snore During Sleep

February 9, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Solutions

Factors Affecting Snoring

Most athletes need at least 7 to 8 hours sleep each night to rejuvenate after a rigorous day spent entirely on training workouts. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep without disruptions like snoring or sleep apnea symptoms makes the body energetic. For the top-flight athletes, only best performance translates to accolades in their respective sport. Henceforth, each athlete should monitor their sleep pattern and quality of sleep, and understand how it affects their performance.

There is a perception that loud snoring only affects those who are overweight and that it is the fat build up in the neck that causes snoring. However, snoring is not a condition that discriminates. It can affect anyone.

In case of professional athletes, the heavy workouts make the body tiresome. That may make the muscles in the throat and neck to relax during sleep. When that happens, the soft tissues in the back of the mouth recede and close down the upper airway partially. The narrowness of the airway in the upper throat makes the tissues to vibrate against the roof of the mouth while breathing.

Moreover, the snoring sound may be soft or loud depending upon the shape of the nasal cavity and the size of the tongue. Notwithstanding nasal congestion, cold, or seasonal allergies that make nighttime breathing tough, even your sleep position may induce snoring. For instance, if you sleep on the back it may make the tongue to recede back and create the constricted airway during sleep.

While it is true that overweight individuals are prone to snore due to the fat build up in the neck, even fit people may suffer from it. Highest earning athletes sleep 10 to 12 hours a day and avoid sleeping in late to get adequate rest. However, just the fact that they stay fit and grow thin with ample exercise does not necessarily mean that snoring may not happen to athletes.

To keep up with the pace of the work and lifestyle, athletes can opt for a snoring guard similar to the sports guards they wear over the teeth to protect from blows to the face. The scientifically proven snoring remedy clears the airway obstructions by advancing the lower jaw, which avoids the tongue relaxing and blockages of the airway. In addition to the mandibular advancement device worn on the jaws, even changing the sleep position would help to alleviate snoring.

A Helpful Guide on Snoring Aids

February 8, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Remedies

Anti Snoring Mouthpieces

Snoring is one of the common sleeping disorders that most people go through. Even though people take this very lightly, there are many serious problems associated with snoring that range from anxiety disorders and heart attacks to even premature death. Hence, it is very crucial to treat snoring and there are many anti snoring devices available in market for this. Below are some details on different types of snoring aids, and a few tips on choosing the best one for your condition.

Anti Snoring Mouthpieces

This is one of the basic choices for snoring aids, as it is readily available and offers instant relief. The main advantage of using an anti snoring mouthpiece is the absence of side effects. This is a proven method to stop snoring as most of them are put through various clinical trials.

You should note that there are two types of mouthpieces; Mandibular advancement device (MAD), which is also known as jaw retaining device, and tongue retainer or tongue retaining device (TRD).

Mandibular Advancement Device

While sleeping, there are chances for your jaws to fall down towards your chest that will obstruct the airway and will cause snoring. This is more likely to happen in back sleepers. These jaw retainers will position your jaw in such a way to stop snoring. Furthermore, you can use this to address Bruxism also.

Tongue Retaining Device

The tongue usually falls back to the throat while sleeping and obstructs the airway to trigger snoring issues. This will depend mainly on the way you sleep. Most people snore because of their tongue, and hence, repositioning the tongue is the best way to deal with the condition. Furthermore, TRD will ensure a relaxed and proper sleep, as there is no need of biting down the device during your sleep.

Snoring Chin Straps

People who snore through the mouth can also use a chin strap to stop snoring instantly. Here, the chin strap will hold your mouth in a closed position and will encourage the air passage through the nose.

A chin strap is usually recommended for patients suffering from sleep apnea. However, before choosing the chin strap, you need to make sure that you are comfortable with it. Besides, consulting with a sleep specialist should be the first move when you suspect having snoring or sleep apnea episodes.

After proper diagnosis of the condition, the doctor would be able to recommend the right remedy for snoring. Sometimes, mild to occasional snoring can be dealt with snore sprays, which are sprayed directly into the nose to keep the airway clear during sleep. A chin strap or a snoring mouth guard will be usually prescribed to those troubled with frequent to severe snoring issues.

Relatively Less Known Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

February 6, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Remedies

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Two of the common obstructive sleep apnea symptoms include loud, persistent snoring and daytime fatigue. Sleep apnea is characterized by snoring and breathing cessations that may last for a few seconds to up to an hour of sleep. When an apnea episode occurs, sleeper wakes up momentarily gasping for breath.

If left untreated, the health issue can affect the respiratory system and even lead to premature death. However, the sleep disorder is not without treatments, one of them being the sleep apnea mouthpiece that advances the lower jaw for a better flow of air. It is suggested especially for mild to moderate apnea with loud snoring.

Even a home sleep study is advised to individuals to diagnose apnea through the existence of its associated symptoms. It is based on the findings of the diagnosis done at home of the person that non-invasive treatments are prescribed to them in oral appliance therapy. However, even though the anti snoring mouthpiece can be bought over-the-counter, proper diagnosis is a must to understand if the person suffers from apnea and necessitates timely treatment.

Below are two relatively less known symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea.

Acid Reflux

Heartburn is a relatively less known sign that may signify the probability of apnea. A majority of people with acid reflux tend to wake up from a deep sleep state. Breathing obstruction can suction up the digestive fluids known as gastric juice, which gets secreted inside the stomach. This secretion of gastric acid may increase after bedtime, which can reduce the pressure in the upper esophageal sphincter.

Once acid suctions up and reaches the throat, it may lead to swelling of the throat area. If you have tonsils, the throat may enlarge, and if so, that may obstruct the normal breathing process.

That is why doctors suggest healthy eating practice before bedtime in oral appliance therapy in order to help people reduce acid reflux. Besides, it is advisable not to eat around 3 to 4 hours prior to sleep, especially if you suffer from sleep apnea.

Bed Wetting

Although involuntary urination during the night is associated with children, it can also indicate apnea among adults. If you suffer from bed wetting in childhood, you may encounter other apnea symptoms such as loud snoring, waking up from sleep due to coughing, and sleep patterns similar to sleepwalking disorder.

Bed wetting worsens even as other symptoms of sleep apnea advances through aging. Therefore, those suffering from this condition should seek treatment timely treatment from health care experts.

Studies Indicate a Correlation between Sleep Apnea and Gout

February 3, 2018 Snoring-Aid.com Staff Snoring Solutions

Sleep Apnea And Gout

Recent studies have found out a correlation between sleep apnea and gout. Researchers said that persons who suffered from sleep apnea had a higher chance of developing gout.

Gout is common and is a type of arthritis that results in pain, swelling, and stiffness in the major joints of the leg such as the toe, ankle, and knee. Sleep apnea affects an estimated of 12 million people in the US alone. This large percentage of people affected with sleep apnea makes them prone to other problems associated with it such as gout.

Long and repeated interruptions during sleep are common for patients suffering from sleep apnea. This can affect many of the critical bodily functions leading to further complications if left untreated.

What is Gout?

Gout refers to painful arthritis where the individual experiences sudden and sharp pain in the leg joints. The affected area can become swollen and further movements will cause more pain making it difficult to walk. All the important joints of the leg such as the big toe, knee, and ankles are prone to gout. This is caused mainly due to the buildup of urate crystals in the affected joint.

The increased concentration of uric acid in the blood is one reason for the development of urate crystals. Excess uric acid can accumulate in the blood when it does not dissolve in blood or the kidneys fails to remove them from the body through urine. This causes the urate crystals to accumulate on the joints of the legs and even the hands causing pain and swelling.

Sleep Apnea and Gout

The studies conducted by researchers have proven that approximately 50 percent of the individuals who suffer from sleep apnea are prone to gout. The researchers have come up with several reasons, the most convincing being the deprivation of oxygen during sleep apnea.

The deprivation of oxygen in the blood during sleep apnea causes damage to the cells and tissues and a buildup of uric acid in the blood. These can cause the uric acid to turn into urate crystals and accumulate in the joints causing pain and swelling. Besides, there are other reasons as well that connect the two conditions; such as the various after-effects of sleep apnea like high blood pressure.

Treatment

Treating gout linked to sleep apnea requires first addressing the problem of the sleep disorder itself. Effective treatment options such as a mouthpiece for sleep apnea enables adequate air intake and maintain proper oxygen levels, which in turn would help in a healthy concentration of uric acid in the blood. This can prevent gout and other painful conditions from developing in the first place. However, note that gout should be treated specifically, so proper diagnosis by a specialist is essential to permanently relieve the problem.