Author Image Steve

TMJ Sufferers – There Is Help For Your Sleep Apnea

If you have an issue with TMJ, or your temporomanibular joint, life can be very difficult. Pain and discomfort for a person with TMJ problems can be immense – and not just in the facial and jaw areas – sometimes it can affect the entire body! Some of the common symptoms of a TMJ problem can include problems eating, limited jaw movement and ringing in the ears.

tmj-disorderObviously, when you are dealing with a TMJ issue, sleeping can sometimes be a problem. But when you not only have a TMJ issue, but obstructive sleep apnea, it can be a virtual nightmare, at least according to Dr. Mark Duncan, writing for the Huffington Post:

We have all seen the images of tools used to manage sleep apnea that require sufferers to sleep with a CPAP mask, making them look like a super villain or scuba diver. However, obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious condition. Sufferers experience obstructed airflow and stop breathing repeatedly during sleep, sometimes for a minute or even longer. This may happen from five times an hour to more than 100 in severe cases. The body is damaged by only 5 of these episodes an hour, and as we learn more, it appears that even minor episodes can cause chronic damage.

When breathing stops, the brain reacts to the situation by producing a rush of adrenalin which in turn quickens the heartbeat. Muscles in the chest then work to resume airflow and the person gasps for a breath and falls back asleep. This scenario is then repeated multiple times during the same night while the person never realizes what is occurring. That’s because they never really “wake up” but only experience a short pause in sleep. This pause destroys the normal sleep cycle cascade which is critically important to health and brain function.

The really difficult point comes as this: when you have TMJ issues, the likelihood of you being able to use a Mandibular Advancement Device or MAD, mouthpiece like the SnoreRX (reviewed here) or the VitalSleep is practically zero. When your jaw is misaligned, trying to force it somewhere that it shouldn’t be can be not only painful, but absolutely dangerous.

What’s crazy about TMJ issues is that in some cases, according to Dr. Duncan, sleep apnea can actually be CAUSED by a misaligned jaw joint:

More and more studies are showing a connection between TMD and sleep disturbances. In many sleep apnea cases, a misaligned jaw joint or TMJD, is actually to blame. This is because the tongue’s position is impacted by the alignment of the upper and lower teeth. When the teeth are misaligned, the tongue can block the airway as you sleep. This problem with the jaw alignment or malocclusion can cause a person to wake up frequently throughout the night.

Via: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-duncan-dds-fagd-dicoi/is-tmj-disorder-costing-y_b_11657326.html

So we have a problem. What do you do when you have a jaw problem that makes the most cost effective way to fight your snoring, a mouthpiece, practically unusable? Well, fortunately, thanks to the Good Morning Snore Solution (https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solution), you just have to change your mouthpiece to a different kind.

Yes, because the Good Morning Snore Solution, or GMSS, does not actually alter the position of the jaw, TMJ users can actually use it. One of the key problems for most MAD snoring mouthpieces is that they tend to “lock” the jaw in place, or at least keep it from moving so that it does not slide back and cause blockage around the epiglottis in the throat. The GMSS is a tongue stabilizing device, meaning it focuses on holding the tongue forward so that it will not slip backwards into the throat.

The GMSS relies on suction from the mouth, working much like a baby soother, and does not require any kind of bite-down in order to function. Instead, as a tongue retaining mouthpiece (and one of the few readily available ones on the market), it focuses on maintaining tongue positioning. This means that a person with TMJ problems can actually let their jaw move naturally, which ensures the most pain-free scenario. This is also the reason why the Good Morning Snore Solution tends to work so well for people with dentures: there is simply no bite down to speak of.

Obviously, finding out that TMJ is not only related to, but may in fact cause snoring and sleep apnea, can be quite shocking for some people. But, that doesn’t mean that you cannot address the key, and most dangerous part of the equation: the sleep apnea. And the best way, at least in terms of anti snoring mouth guards, tends to be the Good Morning Snore Solution.

SnoreRX – Prescription for Success

If you’ve ever wondered how those mouthpieces work and if they’re even worth it, read on. Living with a snorer, or being the snorer others have to live with, isn’t the best past time around. Many people snore for various health snorerxreasons and due to participating in other not-so-healthy activities right before bed. Instead of ignoring the problem it’s important to identify the cause and deal with it before you get kicked out of your bed. Depending on the cause of the snoring you may need to consider investing in a mouthpiece. There are several on the market but some recent changes to one of our favorites, SnoreRX, is sure to raise some eyebrows:

Apnea Sciences, the manufacturer of SnoreRx, has announced a new improved design to its popular “stop snoring” mouthpiece, SnoreRx.

The changes in SnoreRx were brought about due to an ongoing effort to improve the user experience where customer suggestions were heard and acted upon.

New upgraded features were designed to resolve three of the most common issues reported by customers which include:

–     Slimmer less bulky design.

–     Easier adjustment and stays locked in place.

–     Greater comfort and improved custom fit impression.

More details for SnoreRx can be found here, www.snorerx.com.

SnoreRx remains the only non-prescriptive oral appliance that meets and exceeds established medical standards set by Medicare and is approved by the FDA.

One of its flagship features include a built in calibrator allowing the user the ability to reset the mouthpiece adjustment to provide maximum effectiveness and comfort whenever needed. The adjustment moves in 1 mm increments, or what’s called Jaw Advancement Calibration.  SnoreRx does not produce constant pressure or torsion which can lead to pain and tendinitis.

Jeff Rafael, a senior SnoreRx affiliate, had this to say:

“The concept behind SnoreRx is not new, however the design is.  They have taken all aspects of this type of device to a much higher level.  Making the new upgrades has addressed many of the most common issues reported by customers.

If a person is a candidate to wear a stop snoring mouthpiece, I believe SnoreRx is now by far the safest, most effective and affordable solution to cure their snoring problem, period.

I love that it’s 100% made in the US, it adjusts, and is loaded with a ton of great safety and comfort features to get a great night’s sleep.  I use it personally and I know how wonderful it is.

[…]”

Via: http://free-press-release-center.info/pr00000000000000293265_snorerx-stop-snoring-mouthpiece-upgrade-offers-slimmer-design-for-people-who-snore-in-2015.html

One of the major concerns users had was with the size of the SnoreRX so the company responded in kind. Released just last year the improvements to the mouthpiece are already being lauded by users. The company kept the features users have become used to and worked on making it sleeker an more comfortable. This is a great example of a company being told that something isn’t working and then going ahead to do the best they can to make it better for their customers. Not many corporations tend to care about what their users think and those are the ones you will find who produce cheap, and grossly ineffective, products that they try to foist off on users.

With its precise calibrations to make it easy to customize and use the SnoreRx is definitely worth the $99 you’d ave to spend in order to get it. Sometimes you need to consider the value over the quantity of the money you are spending. This is one of those instances where slightly expensive comes with a great payoff that cheap just can’t give you.

No Need For A Discount With This Mouthpiece

If you need something to help with your snoring issue you’ve got to check out the mouthpiece called Good Morning Snore Solution (GMSS).snore If you’ve been putting off looking into a mouthpiece because you’ve read or heard that they’re big, hurt the gums or are uncomfortable, that’s even more reason to check out GMSS. This is a wonderful mouthpiece that is designed to fit nicely in your mouth without putting stress on your jaw.

Good Morning Snore Solution is full of pros and has very little in the way of cons:

  • One Size Fits All – No longer do you need to boil, bit, shave down or even order a completely different size to fit your mouth. For GMSS, all mouths are created equal.
  • Good For Longer Term Use – Snoring doesn’t just disappear after one night of treatment. You’re going to be in for the long haul so why not use something designed for the journey ahead?
  • Affordable – While one piece will set you back $99.94 USD, it’s also one of the only products that offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can order with peace of mind.

Like many mouthpieces there may be some discomfort while you are getting used to using the device. Good Morning Snore Solution has one of the lower levels of reported discomfort which is a great feature. More and more people are trying out this in favor of others as it has left them with a more restful, virtually painless, night.

We aren’t the only ones raving about it:

Based on the reviews, this stop snoring mouthpiece is a cozy and suitable to use solution that’s known as the top item to use compared to other anti-snore mouthpieces available in the marketplace.

In order to get complete information about this product, visit this webpage: http://goodmorningsnore.offerlistingx.com.

[…]

Some snorers create an extremely irritating gurgling sound with whistles and irregular snorts that affect the people sleeping nearby. Heavy snorers occasionally get awaken by their own particular snoring, and in many circumstances by their personal sleeping partners who can’t bear the sound.

Different treatments have been tried over the years but there is no significant result which have been affirmed. Acupuncture, hypnosis, herbal supplements and adjusted sleeping patterns didn’t treat snoring. testing.

Via: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb11008631.htm

We’ve got a lot of love to share for Good Morning Snore Solutions as well in our review, which you can read here. This is one of those devices where you don’t have to solely rely on the information you read online, however. With their money-back guarantee you can take that chance and order it for yourself. Once you try sleeping with this piece you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it in the first place. It’s definitely worth every penny spent.

Good nights lead to good mornings and that’s what you should be reaching for as well. Make Good Morning Snore Solution part of your sleep routine and you’ll soon find that the aches from being jabbed with elbows will be a thing of the past. The perpetual fog that clouded your mind on those less than ideal mornings will be lifted and you’ll find you have more energy than before. These are all benefits from a good sleep that you might have forgotten about or chalked up to age. Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you get to have a crummy sleep every night. That’s not part of being an adult, no matter what people tell  you.

GMSS Causes a Buzz

A condition like snoring is often ignored until it become a massive problem. For some people, they may simply not know that they snore at all until someone tells them. For others it’s one of those dirty little secrets no one wants to talk about. Sure, everyone knows grandma tends to snore gmssloudly after having too many glasses of wine or that little Johnny has been sawing logs since he was ten. Just because no one talks about it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. What’s important is recognizing there is an issue and addressing it before the house is full of sleepless zombies.

There are several causes and remedies for the snoring issue and one of those is investing in a good mouthpiece to help with the physiological issues. One of the mouthpieces we constantly get good vibes about is the Good Morning Snore Solution. It’s a lovely little mouthpiece designed to address the issues snorers face. The coolest things about it are:

  • Cost Effective – There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee and it only costs $99.94. Don’t let the sticker shock you. There are plenty of devices out there that cost more without any sort of guarantee attached.
  • Less Invasive – Unlike most mouthpieces that work by covering all your teeth and being inside the mouth, the Good Morning Snore Solution sits between the teeth and tongue, much like you were sucking on a soother.
  • Size Does Matter – Coming in one size may seem like a downside, but since this piece is not meant to fill your entire mouth it actually works out better for you.

There are plenty of users who are just thrilled with the mouthpiece. Some have even decided to give it an in depth look:

Good Morning Snore Solution that uses the same technology as a jaw displacement device, but is much less intrusive and certainly not as uncomfortable, has caught the attention of HealthAvenger.com’s Stan Stevenson, prompting an investigative review.

“Our Good Morning Snore Solution review shows that it is a mouthpiece that has been developed by experts in the sleep market. All it effectively does is displace the tongue and in doing so, snoring is dramatically reduced or even cured altogether,” reports Stevenson. “Those who have previously turned to horrendous contraptions such as mouth guards or chin straps and mandibular displacement devices can also replace them with the Good Morning Snore Solution.”

To get more information or to purchase it click here now.

“Developed by clinical experts on sleep disorders, Good Morning Snore Solution uses tongue displacement technology, which is comfortable and non-intrusive. If we were to look at surgery that it is only offered to those with significant problems, we notice that there are high risks involved, the success rate is very poor, and that relapse is incredibly common,” says Stevenson. “Incredibly affordable, easy to clean, and care for, the device offers a one size fits all solution, which means that anybody can purchase one and start enjoying a good night’s sleep at last.”

Via: http://www.prweb.com/releases/good-morning-snore/solution-review/prweb11546203.htm

Being able to sleep is one of those things we take for granted. We’ve also found the Good Morning Sleep Solution to be extremely user-friendly and one of, if not the, best mouthpiece for users. Your sleep health is an important piece to consider when looking at your health as a whole. Without a proper sleep you won’t be able to function as well as you could the next day and there are a whole host of problems that can arise from that. So why take your chances? Put yourself in a position of success and get the sleep you’ve only daydreamed about achieving.

New Users Rave About Results With This Mouthpiece

Sleep is precious and not enough people get the right amount of it. Whether you are a snorer or share a house with someone who is you’re sure to feel the after effects of a bad sleep the next day. If you snore, you probably feel extra tired, possibly sore from late-night elbows to the ribs and you may have even noticed vital-sleepyour concentration suffering. If you share a house, or a bed for that matter, with a snorer, you have most likely experienced all of the above before. There’s probably something you’ve noticed about someone who doesn’t get the right amount of sleep: they’re probably grumpy and miserable, affecting everyone around them with their bad mood. Most people don’t choose to become bears who haven’t hibernated, but lack of sleep can turn the best of us into beasts.

A great way to tackle your snoring problem is using a mouthpiece designed to combat the common causes of snoring. VitalSleep is just one of those pieces. It’s best attributes are the fact that it’s:

  • Easy to Use – One dip in boiling water and one hard bite afterwards and you’ve got a customized piece of hardware.
  • Made in 2 Sizes – All mouths were not created equal. Check out the different sizes for men and women to see which will literally fit you best.
  • Inexpensive –  Sitting at $59.95 for one or $99.95 for two you can’t really go wrong. Did we mention it ships the same day you order at no extra charge? Nice.

Don’t take it from us, though. Check out these reviews from first time users:

New reviews have been released by VitalSleep. The VitalSleep mouthpiece for snoring is made of a BPA free material that molds to the shape of the user’s mouth. What make it special is that it can be adjusted to suit the severity of snoring, unlike many other anti-snoring devices found on the market.

D. Finzel of Livonia, MI states “Vital Sleep mouthguard has literally changed my life. I don’t have to sleep downstairs on the couch anymore. When my family and I go to a hotel for hockey tournaments or on vacation, I can sleep in the room. I used to have to go sleep in the car, not just for my family, but for people in surrounding rooms. My snoring was that loud. It had gotten worse over the years, but this mouthguard has changed my life. I’m not tired in the morning and have lost weight with all the energy I have again! I was so exhausted all the time, I’d had my thyroid checked multiple times and everything was always normal. Thank god for this miracle!”

Another chronic snorer named B. Barbero from Las Vegas, NV shared the following review.

“I’ve been a world class snorer for years and over those years, I have just gotten louder. Three years ago my wife moved into the guest room and vacations are always a chore to arrange because she can’t sleep in the same room with me.”

“I’ve tried surgery and a number of mouthpieces, gargles, and spray remedies – nothing worked. Then I tried Vital Sleep and it worked from the very first night”

Via: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/08/prweb9757853.htm

When you suffer from snoring all you want is that restful night of sleep. Pure, unadulterated sleep that is broken only after 8 hours when your alarm tells you to get up. Proper sleep helps you feel more rested, more fresh and more alive.

You can check out our full review here if you aren’t convinced. Otherwise, what’s stopping you from popping over and getting one of these bad boys for yourself?

Back To School Sleep: What You Need to Know

studentIt’s almost that time of year again. Soon campuses across the country will be abuzz with new students and old students alike. For many, this is their first time on their own without parents to tell them what to do and when to do it. Many students relish the ability to throw a schedule out the window and taste that freedom that comes with being in charge of all your choices. While there is still some structure to their lives like when classes are held or when the meal hall is open, there are a lot of things that were once monitored that no longer seem important. Doing laundry, showering, and sleeping are three major tasks that fall to the wayside.

This can be a major problem.  Not just because there will be thousands of smelly kids trying to figure out how to write that final paper just like the professor wants but because a lack of proper sleep can be devastating to the mind and body:

This month, millions of teenagers across the country will make the transition from high school to college. And between living in a new environment and the new-found freedom to attend parties and other late-night activities, getting enough sleep can be a challenge, and even a health risk, experts say.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not getting enough sleep can even contribute to chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and depression.

‘Regular sleep is essential for your physical and mental health,’ wrote Dr. Carmen Burrell, medical director of the West Virginia University Student Health Service, in an email to the Gazette-Mail. ‘The current recommendation is seven to nine hours of sleep a night, which is not achieved by a large percentage of the population.’

According to a 2009 study, 43.7 percent of people aged 18 to 25 surveyed reported unintentionally falling asleep during the day at least once during the previous month. About 5 percent of people the same age reported nodding off or falling asleep while driving.

Dr. Imran Khawaja, a professor of internal medicine at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, said a lack of sleep can cause people to have a lack of attention, poor motivation and memory that can negatively affect a student’s grades.

To get enough sleep, Khawaja recommends that students make a fixed sleep schedule for themselves and stick to it. They should set a fixed time to go to sleep and to wake up in the morning, he said.

Burrell agreed.

‘Good sleep hygiene can start with a simple nighttime routine to wind down,’ she wrote.

People should keep their cell phones, laptops and other electronics away from their bed when they’re trying to sleep. Looking at bright screens can keep people awake much the same way that bright light keeps a person awake in the day time, Khawaja said.

Via: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-health/20160808/sleep-essential-for-college-students-physical-mental-health#sthash.LPpEiWjF.dpuf

In order to keep performing at peak mental and physical health sleep cannot be ignored. The problem comes when you have millions of teenagers that have to learn how to manage their own schedules for the first time in their lives. It’s not an easy process and some schools will have workshops and clinics on time management. It’s very important that new students take advantage of this. When school is done and they’re out in the working world their poor sleep habits may be harder to change. If they can nip it in the bud now, they should be doing everything they can to manage this very real, almost grown up, problem.

Earplugs: Friend or Foe?

earplugDepending on what your sleep arrangements are like, you might be one of those who need to wear earplugs to get a good night’s sleep. Maybe you have a partner that snores or maybe you’re living in the middle of a construction zone. You could be one of those people who sleep so lightly that a fly breathing wakes you up or the party down the street is just a touch loud tonight. There are several ways to deal with excess noise when you’re trying to get a little shut-eye. Some people leave a fan running or use a white-noise machine. Some need to have specific music or an eye mask. Then there are those people who must have a pair of earplugs in to get some shut eye. The question then becomes, is that healthy?

Never put anything smaller than your elbow into your ear” is something we’ve been wisely cautioned against at some stage or another. But more of us are ignoring this advice.

We use in-the-ear-headphones to listen to music, car keys and hair pins to scratch that particularly unpleasant itch, and hearing aids to enable better communication.

Many of us also use disposable foam earplugs to protect from damaging noises in the workplace, or to block the noise of snoring partners, loud traffic outside bedroom windows, dogs barking and any other bothersome sounds that prevent a good night’s sleep.

If you regularly use earplugs to sleep, is it damaging? On the internet, people ask whether doing so can cause tinnitusinfections or ear pain. Can regular earplug use cause wax or pressure build up in the head? Can it cause headaches?

The facts about wax

To answer these questions, I should first explain a few things about ear wax.

Wax is good for the ear but too much can be bad for you. Wax comes from small glands in the outer part of the ear. It starts off looking like honey but the longer it stays in the ear, the darker and harder it gets as it traps dirt, grit and gunk.

Normally the wax will be “walked” out of the ear by its self-cleaning mechanism. Anything that slows down or reverses this mechanism can cause wax to build up. Unfortunately, anything smaller than your elbow can do this, sleeping plugs included. But everyone’s ears are affected differently.

An ear full of wax works like a built-in ear plug – great for sleeping, but if it ends up resting on the eardrum, it can cause discomfort and sometimes tinnitus.

Most of the problems people associate with earplugs are actually due to too much wax in the ears, although the wax may be caused by being a consistent earplug user.

If you are a consistent user and think you may have too much wax, ask your doctor to check inside your ear. Or better still, make an appointment to see your local audiologist. They may have a camera that can show you how much wax actually is inside your ear and whether something should be done about it.

A good night’s sleep

A good night’s sleep has many health benefits, and sleeping poorly can have follow-on issues such as concentration and memory problems.

Studies have demonstrated the benefit of sleeping aids such as ear plugs and eye masks in improving sleep for patients in hospitals. In fact, the studies show the aids can reduce the need for sleeping medications.

Via: http://theconversation.com/health-check-is-it-bad-to-regularly-sleep-wearing-earplugs-60374

The good news is that you won’t wreck your precious ears if you regularly wear earplugs to bed. The trick then becomes proper care and maintenance with said earplugs. Make sure you’re disposing them when they get too gross or it won’t just be snoring that prevents a good sleep.

Suicidal Thoughts and Sleep Problems: A Deadly Combination

depressionHave you ever wondered what happens while you sleep? It’s simple really: your brain cells replenish, your body grows and your mental state resets for the day ahead. There are recommended hours of sleep for specific age groups for a reason. The younger you are the more your body needs to develop and therefore the more sleep you need. Ignoring your sleep, like most teenagers and young adults do, can impact your health in ways you probably haven’t thought about before.

There are various disorders that can affect your sleep like insomnia, sleep apnea and snoring but did you know sleeplessness can severely impact those suffering from depression? Depression on it’s own can be a debilitating illness. Couple that with sleeplessness and you’re facing a huge wall:

The link between sleep problems and suicidal thoughts and behaviors is made starkly clear in new research from The University of Manchester, published in the BMJ Open.

In this study, conducted by researchers from the University’s School of Health Sciences alongside the University of Oxford, 18 participants were interviewed about the role sleep problems have on suicidal tendencies.

Three inter-related pathways to suicidal thoughts were identified arising from sleep problems. The first was that being awake at night heightened the risks of suicidal thoughts and attempts, which in part was seen as a consequence of the lack of help or resources available at night.

Secondly, the research found that a prolonged failure to achieve a good night’s sleep made life harder for respondents, adding to depression, as well as increasing negative thinking, attention difficulties and inactivity.

Finally, respondents said sleep acted as an alternative to suicide, providing an escape from their problems. However, the desire to use sleep as an avoidance tactic led to increased day time sleeping which in turn caused disturbed sleeping patterns – reinforcing the first two pathways.

Via: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20160824/Night-time-sleep-problems-increase-risk-of-suicidal-thoughts-and-attempts.aspx

If you or someone you know suffers from depression you are most likely painfully aware of how difficult it can be to lead a normal life. There are plenty of treatments available, with or without medication, that can make depression manageable. But it’s difficult to completely get rid of it. When your enemy is your own mind it’s very difficult to win the war.

When you can’t sleep, you can’t quiet your mind. The dark thoughts tend to plague you in the night when you’re defenseless. Human beings are not meant to be nocturnal. We’re meant to sleep in the night and be productive in the day. Failure to adhere to this causes disruptions in our sleep patterns and makes it difficult to function as a member of society.

That is not to say that those who work strictly at night aren’t productive. Those who work during the night tend to sleep during the day for the recommended number of hours they are supposed to be getting. That’s completely different than someone who sporadically sleeps during the day in order to recover from the loss of sleep during the night.

Those who suffer from depression need to make sure they are sleeping properly. It may help to keep a sleep journal and log the amount of time, and when, they are actually sleeping and take it to their health care provider. If their sleep is too fragmented their health care provider can suggest other ways to obtain a consistent amount of sleep. What is the underlying sleep problem? Does the patient suffer from sleep apnea or snoring? There are simple ways to manage those disorders. The more information you can bring in with you to a medical appointment the better your health care provider can help you.

Let’s all try to get the best sleep we can to keep the dark thoughts at bay.

How Much Sleep is Actually Enough?

sleeplessDepending on what stage of life you’re at you might be thinking that it’s not a big deal if you sacrifice your sleep to get ahead in life. Sure, you can live on four hours of sleep a night so that you can make sure you watch all the episodes of that popular show on Netflix or work the three jobs to afford your fancy car. Our minds like to tell us all kinds of things and sometimes we shouldn’t listen to them. Is your brain a medical professional? Probably not. You might like to think you are because of your personal connections or what you read online but unless you went through grueling medical school, you probably aren’t a doctor or nurse.

There is a reason we’ve been told we need no less than eight hours of sleep. It’s not just a random magical number; it serves a purpose.

Humans need sleep just as much as they need food or water. Sleep is an indicator of overall health and well-being. The amount of sleep one needs depends on a number of factors like age, quality of sleep, previous sleep deprivation, etc.

Most people accumulate what is called “sleep debt” wherein people try to make up for sleep lost during the week during the weekends. But that doesn’t really work. In fact, getting as little as three to four hours of sleep a night is as bad as pulling an all-nighter. Staying up for 24 hours straight and then driving is like driving with a blood-alcohol content that is considered legally drunk in all 50 states.

Shortage of sleep can be blamed for nearly 100,000 traffic accidents, 76,000 injuries, and 1,500 deaths every year. So how much sleep do you need?

The National Sleep Foundation in 2015 came out with a study that recommends different amounts of sleep based on age. The study had 18 researchers comb through 320 research articles to come to its current “sleep time duration recommendations.”

Children aged six and above need at least nine to 11 hours of sleep and teenagers need eight to ten hours of sleep. Seven hours of sleep should do for some but sleeping for over 11 hours a day can cause health issues. But some teens may need some extra sleep during puberty.

Via: http://www.medicaldaily.com/whats-minimal-amount-sleep-we-need-stay-healthy-395429

It’s important to eat a balanced meal and it’s important to drink plenty of water. Just like these basics that have been drilled into us since our youth, sleep is something that is required to have a healthy life. It does get harder as we get older and various stressors come into our lives. Demanding jobs, young children or pets that require a lot of attention tend to eat into our sleep time.

You are the master of your body and it’s up to you to make sure that your temple is in great shape. As much as you schedule in your weekly workout or that coffee date with the guy/girl next door, you need to make sure that you get proper sleep or you’ll pass out into your latté which will probably end your dating chances for a while.

So draw yourself a nice lavender bubble-bath after dinner and try to leave the list of chores and to-dos out of your brain until you’ve had a nice soak. Have a warm cup of tea or milk before you head to slumber land and give yourself the appropriate time to nod off before your alarm screams in your ear.

Say Ah: What’s in Your Mouth?

mouthSnoring is a common sleep disorder although many just brush it off. Some people think snoring is caused solely by eating or drinking too much before bed, sleeping on your back or being sick. While these can contribute to snoring, the fact of the matter is that there are physical components of snoring. While you sleep your whole body relaxes, right? The means more than just your mind; your muscles relax as well. When the muscles in your mouth and throat relax they can cause your tongue to fall to the back of your throat and block your airways.

This causes that snoring sound we are all too familiar with. The kind that can only be remedied with a stop snoring mouthpiece like the ZQuiet (https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/zquiet). If the situation is intense, snoring may also be a sign of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes a person to stop breathing completely, for a few seconds, dozens of times a night. There are other physical betrayals for sleep apnea:

Enlarged uvula can lead to snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Among normal adults, 45 percent are occasional snorers and 25 percent are habitual snorers. Most commonly seen in males, snoring may be a result of an obstruction, so it should be considered a serious symptom to address with your doctor.

There are numerous causes for snoring, including poor muscle tone of the tongue and throat, excessive bulkiness of throat tissue, long soft palate or uvula, or obstructed nasal airways.

Snoring can result in a health condition known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is when a person stops breathing numerous times throughout the night. Being overweight or having high blood pressure can contribute to OSA, but another common cause is an enlarged uvula, the dangling piece of flesh at the back of the mouth.

The role of uvula is not fully understood, but its possible functions are assisting with speech formation and production of saliva.

Inflamed or swollen uvula is the main symptom of a health condition uvulitis, which can contribute to sleep apnea. If the uvula becomes very swollen, it may even reach the tongue, causing an obstruction. Other signs and symptoms of a swollen uvula include redness, as well as difficulty breathing or swallowing.

If your uvulitis does lead to sleep apnea, you may also suffer from high blood pressure, daytime headache, constant low energy or fatigue, and weight gain. Treating enlarged uvula and sleep apnea is important for reducing your risk of complications.

Enlarged uvula treatment methods

You should see a doctor for your enlarged uvula if you experience severe pain, difficulty breathing, uneasiness due to lack of oxygen, severe pain or difficulty swallowing, grunting and choking, pus or blood from the uvula, or if you stop breathing throughout the night.

Via: http://www.belmarrahealth.com/enlarged-uvula-can-lead-to-snoring-and-obstructive-sleep-apnea/

Snoring can be a very real indicator that you or someone you love suffers from sleep apnea. The problem with this disease is that it can often go undiagnosed for those who live alone or for those who brush off their snoring issue. It is imperative if you snore, and have continued to do so even after you’ve tried to stop it, that you meet with a health care professional. You may need to undergo testing in a sleep lab to find out if you suffer from sleep apnea. Don’t wait until it’s too late!