Family, Sleep, and Snoring: Now What?

I think one of my strongest memories of my Step-Dad growing up must have been the constant snoring each night.  I used to have a room in the basement of the house, and could hear him like he was in the next room.  What I didn't realize at the time was that those odd breaks in his snoring were actually symptoms of Sleep Apnea.  

Here is an interesting real life question, and answer session with Dr. Donohue about dealing with snoring within a family.

Dear Dr. Donohue: I hope you respond to my letter both from a medical standpoint and to save a marriage. My son-in-law snores so loudly he can be heard through a closed door, a 10-foot hallway and another closed door. Because of this, my daughter has been on medication for nearly two years to help her sleep. Her husband refuses to do anything about getting himself checked. to undergo surgery to correct
his problem. Could it be sleep apnea? -- M.H.

Dr. Donohue: Snoring results from the vibration of lax throat tissues as air passes through the throat. A few things help control snoring. One is lying on the side for sleep. It's impossible to stay on your side through the night, but sewing a pocket in the back of the pajama top allows a tennis ball to be put in it. If your son-in-law is overweight, weight loss should rid him of snoring. He should not drink any alcohol after dinner. Alcohol relaxes throat tissues, an undesirable effect in a snorer.

Yes, your son-in-law could suffer from sleep apnea. The cessation of snoring comes about because the sleeper stops breathing -- apnea. At the end of the no-breathing episode, the sleeper makes a gasping sound and starts breathing and snoring again. If the no-breathing spells last for 10 or more seconds and if he has at least five such incidents a night, he has sleep apnea.

Weight loss, when applicable, is one treatment for sleep apnea. CPAP -- continuous positive airway pressure -- delivers pressurized air to the patient, and it can force its way through the collapsed tissues of the throat. The masks for CPAP come in many designs, and one will be comfortable for every patient.

Untreated sleep apnea is a health risk for people. It causes them to be groggy during the day, it raises blood pressure and it might be a risk for heart damage.

Original Article Here

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Nathan says: Though my Step-Dads snoring took the brunt of many a morning joke, it really isn't a laughing matter, and for many may require a trip to a sleep specialist....

What about you?  Do you have a noisy snorer in your family?  How do you deal with it?

Also, check me out on Facebook, and keep up to date with how to get a better nights sleep

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