Tag: obstructive sleep apnea

What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Sleep is actually a necessity but is becoming more of a luxury these days as numerous things compete for your time and attention. Juggling your multiple responsibilities in and out of the house can be overwhelming at times that you often stretch your day far out into the night to ensure everything’s all taken cared of before your head hits the sack. It’s a sad reality really that you unconsciously give up and sacrifice many of the things that are important in life for the fleeting interests and obligations you busy yourself with in your pursuit of success and happiness.

However, you can also end up tossing and turning at night because of annoying but potentially life-threatening conditions like sleep apnea. There are different types of sleep apnea but the most common type is the obstructive one, a dangerous type of sleep disorder where your breathing constantly stops and start during your slumber. It happens because the muscles in your throat relax now and then that in turn blocks your airway while you are asleep.

Last week, actress Carrie Fisher’s autopsy report contained a surprising detail: The Los Angeles medical examiner listed sleep apnea as a factor in the “Star Wars” actress’ death.

Fisher also had cocaine, methadone, ethanol and opiates in her system.

Sleep apnea is when a person stops breathing while sleeping, for 10 seconds to a minute or longer. This can happen repeatedly during the night, causing blood-oxygen levels to dip and putting a strain on the heart.

Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, is caused by the upper throat muscles relaxing, which makes the airway narrow and close. Another type is central sleep apnea, where the brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing. Complex sleep apnea, the third type, is when a person has both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

(Via: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/20/health/sleep-apnea-explainer/index.html)

It shouldn’t really come out as a surprise that people can die from sleep apnea to think that 18 million Americans are now diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea in the US alone albeit of different degrees of severity. Many are getting help. So, don’t take snoring issues lightly because it is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong and you need to act on it right away while you still can.

When you have obstructive sleep apnea, “not only are you likely to wake up with a headache and fall asleep during the day, but you’re also at risk of dying suddenly,” says cardiologist Bruce Wilkoff, MD.

“For most patients, sudden death is not caused by a heart attack, but by abnormal heart rhythms.”

Sleep apnea is diagnosed when you stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer — at least five times an hour — during sleep.

Researchers suspect sleep apnea causes abnormal heart rhythms, which lead to sudden cardiac death, for a number of reasons, says sleep medicine expert Reena Mehra, MD, MS.

“Sleep apnea may lower oxygen levels, activate the fight-or-flight response and change pressure in the chest when the upper airway closes, stressing the heart mechanically,” she explains.

It may increase inflammation and cause unhealthy changes in blood vessels as well.

(Via: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2017/06/why-sleep-apnea-raises-your-risk-of-sudden-cardiac-death/)

While snoring is the most prominent symptom of sleep apnea, not all snorers are actually diagnosed with the disease. Sleep apnea’s progression can be gradual or not depending on the type of lifestyle you live, so try to get yourself checked as soon as you can if you don’t want to end up with more debilitating conditions that are worsened by sleep apnea and the accompanying lack of sleep you often suffer from. And be considerate of your partner or spouse as well. Even though it’s you taking all the risks, they also end up losing sleep having to put up with your loud snoring.

Traditional treatment often includes the use of a CPAP machine that most patients realize is far uncomfortable to use. Even if it’s the best treatment there is for this condition, it defeats its purpose if patients aren’t willing to use it. Find out for yourself if you think CPAP may or may not be a good fit for you: https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/why-a-cpap-machine-is-probably-not-for-you. But don’t lose hope yet if you aren’t comfortable in using a CPAP machine yourself because there are handy anti-snoring mouthpieces and mouthguards you can use like this one: https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solutionx that works better CPAP minus all the hassle. The important thing is to get yourself checked as soon as possible if you value your health and ultimately your life.

How This Laser In Your Mouth Stops Snoring

It sounds like something out of a science-fiction movie. Probably a really bad movie from the 70’s at that. There are lasers everywhere in movies like that and they generally serve a few purposes. Most of them violent (looking at you, Star Wars). Aside from shooting lasers out of your mouth, having this treatment with a laser inside your mouth, or rather your throat, is actually helping people stop snoring. It sounds a little bit ridiculous, but once you read more about the purpose of the laser and what it does, it’s not that bad:

Snoring is causing millions of people a good night’s sleep.
Just ask Oceanside’s Fred Brick — or better yet, ask his wife. “She would say gosh I didn’t sleep at all last night. You were just snoring and snoring”, Brick says.
Brick is no longer sawing logs at night all because of a new, non-invasive procedure called “Nightlase”. The laser used in the procedure is a little larger than a permanent marker.
The tool points in to the patient’s open mouth, and zaps out snoring, much to the delight of Fred’s wife. “Now she says she sleeps better and she feels like she can sleep all night” Brick added.
Dr. Eugene Nowak of Nowak Aesthetics in Chula Vista says “Nightlase” tightens the skin around the throat. “It’s just heating the tissue. By heating that collagen, we’re going to get a tightening and a little bit of a plumping effect,” Nowak explained.
The tighter, plumper skin allows the air to move more freely in a person’s throat. Brick says the procedure is pain free. “Does not hurt at all. Just a gentle little heat”, Brick added.
Dr. Nowak says patients can expect 80% of snoring to dissipate after three treatments. Patient Bob Novinskey is seeing results after just one treatment.
“I’m hoping to reach that 80%. I’m guessing i’m 50% now. I’m hoping to get there.”
It’s an interesting use for beams of light and seems to go in the right direction. There are people who will be interested in the procedure, especially because of the low recovery time. It’s permanent, unlike using an anti snoring mouthpiece like the SnoreRX (https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx). It’s far less invasive than some other procedures that are out there. The major con with something like this is the cost. Since it’s relatively new technology it’s going to come at a premium. The article doesn’t exactly state how many treatments are needed to reach the snore-free goal, but chances are it’s not a one-zap type of deal. This is talking about changing the internal structure of the throat: tightening and plumping up skin. This can’t be something quickly done. Careful research and lots of questions should be the first thing you think about if you want to consider something like this. As with anything new, it’s a bit unknown. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it just means there aren’t a lot of people out there who can testify to it’s greatness just yet. Be sure to ask your healthcare professional about a treatment like this as well, as they will most likely know more about it.

Need An Investment Idea? Look No Further!

We’ve said it a dozen (or more) times: snoring sucks. It is disruptive to the person trying to sleep and the partner who might be sharing that bed. It causes people to feel lethargic and groggy the next morning, sore if they’ve been prodded by someone trying to shut them up, and just generally lousy. Snoring can lead to further health complications like sleep apnea and require the use of uncomfortable devices in order to keep breathing in the night. As scary as it sounds, it has probably been one of the most ignored problems in the past few decades. People just accepted that snoring was something we did and many believed they couldn’t do anything to change it.

With the advances of technology we’re seeing a new wave of anti-snoring devices ranging from smart beds to customizable devices. If you were looking to start a company or invest some of your allowance, the anti-snoring industry should be something you consider:

Anti-snoring devices and surgery market are likely to register robust growth due to the high prevalence of snoring. Snoring is a problem common to all age groups, especially adults and its remedy calls for budget-friendly, user-friendly, and efficacious anti-snoring devices. The compact and portable anti-snoring devices are the leading source of revenue in the global anti-snoring devices and surgery market, however, it is also anticipated that more people worldwide will prefer surgery to devices to address this problem.

Optimization in Size Likely to Boost Demand for Anti-snoring Devices

Companies dealing in the global anti-snoring devices and surgery market are developing compact and connectivity-enabled devices. Development of such optimized connected and wireless devices are estimated to bring notable growth opportunities to the global market. Apart from technologically upgraded devices, the demand for low-cost devices is also anticipated to drive the market.

Further, the development of minimally invasive surgery implants is estimated to register high growth in the near future. The increasing use of implantable neurostimulation devices is likely to drive the global anti-snoring devices and surgery market.
Via: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3178662#ixzz4V00u7vWj

Everyone likes to make money and it seems like a smart idea to invest in an industry that is only going to see growth. More and more devices are being made, not all of them great mind you, and newer takes on older successes are continuing to grace the scene.

As more people become aware of how they sleep and the fact that snoring is not a good thing, the more people will be looking for a way to solve it. We know that you can combat snoring with things like exercise and stress reduction. We know that heavy drinking and smoking before bed can cause us to snore. We also know that the side effects for many medications is snoring. We also know that mouthpieces like the Good Morning Snore Solution do help fight the symptoms of sleep apnea. Partners aren’t simply rolling over and accepting that their bedmate snores any more. They want a resolution that will let them sleep and keep everyone happy.

Anti-snoring devices are that solution and they’re only going to get more popular and cooler. Maybe now the older kids will let them sit at the same table in the cafeteria.

Hello Sleep: Bedroom Tech for Everyone

A downside to any wearable device that can help you track your sleep is that many of them are uncomfortable. Comfort is of the essence when you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep and having something bulky on your wrist or something wrapped around your head isn’t necessarily going to make things any better for you. Comfort is one of the biggest challenges that all sleep aids face. Mouthpieces are being made in different sizes with softer materials and wearables are getting thinner and lighter. Sleep monitoring gadgets are everywhere. What if you didn’t have to strap something your your body to find out how you’re sleeping or if you need to do anything to adjust your sleep posture? With this clip on your pillow and an interesting glowing ball on your nightstand, you can:

James Proud is a man on a mission to fix our sleep. This one-time recipient of Peter Thiel’s “skip-college-and-build-things-instead” fellowship is convinced that building gadgets for the home is the best way to improve our lives through tech. And improving sleep, he’s sure, is the place to start.

His company, Hello, makes the Sense, a glowing orb that pairs with a clip that you attach to your pillow and connects with a phone app. The system monitors the conditions in your bedroom and charts them so that, over time, you get a better handle on what helps you improve your sleep.

Proud’s sleep tracker is one of the latest devices to tackle what the Centers for Disease Control has declared a “public health problem”: insufficient sleep. Others have gotten into the act, including Fitbit, Apple and its “bedtime” feature, and many other apps. The desire for us to get better sleep is so great that sleep tech even has its own section at the tech industry’s CES trade show this year, for the first time in the show’s 25-year history.

But Proud envisions something different for Hello. “When looking at all of the wearables, we saw that people were fascinated with their sleep. But for all of these wearable devices, it was tacked on,” he said. “So we said, let’s focus on that foundation. We have to go further than what you would do with a wearable device, and find out what’s going on in the room.”

Sense gives you more information than just the number of hours you spend in bed. Besides tracking your room’s conditions, the orb half of the system doubles as a white noise machine and glowing alarm clock. The latest model can even take voice commands that will let you control the smart lights in your bedroom or lower the thermostat.

Via: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20161231/business/161239926/

Here we’ve got technology that is minimal on the invasiveness. Take this technology, add the VitalSleep mouthpiece to it (see a VitalSleep Review here), and your sleep apnea is bound to get under control. While it will bring your phone back into the bedroom, you get more information than just what you, as a person, are doing. By checking out the entire sleeping environment a picture is painted in it’s entirety. Maybe your room is too hot or cold, maybe there is a noise that happens at 3am that slightly wakes you up that you never noticed before. Compiling all the information in an easy to read format is one way to get your sleep concerns in one place. What you do with the information is up to you.

Can You Afford to Ignore Your Snoring?

Unless you live comfortably as a member of the 1%, chances are you are attempting to be financially savvy by implementing a budget and adhering to it. The world costs money and we can only work ourselves to death so often before we really do die in our boots.

moneyIn order to be ready to put in those long hours either during your commute or at the office you need to make sure you’re getting a good night’s sleep. There are several variables that will impact your sleep health: your stress level, whether or not you consume drugs or alcohol before sleep and your overall sleep health. Many people have unhealthy relationships with their sleep which impacts their productivity during the day. Do you snore? Are you sure? Maybe no one has ever told you that you snore, but you still wake up feeling tired and like you didn’t get a wink at all.

This can be very dangerous for your health. You can face other problems that can end up costing you a lot of money:

ASM (American Academy of Sleep Medicine) declared that 29.4 million of residents in the country are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. Sadly, only 20% of them know about it. In effect, the country spends $149.6 billion dollars for the treatment and the long term health consequences that results from it. If sleep apnea is not treated, this will significantly reduce the productivity of the individual. Numbers of vehicular accidents will also rise and workplace injuries.

Sleep apnea results to daytime sleepiness once untreated. This can be very risky, especially to drivers since they will be prone to road accidents 5 times more than those who don’t have any snoring issues. Hence, they will be more vulnerable to crash on the road.

Sleeping with someone who snores can be very irritating. And you can’t just take this for granted since this can be a symptom of a serious medical issue. In U.S., one out of 10 people has this problem which costs the country billions of dollars per year.

‘In sleep apnea, the mouth’s muscles do not work properly. Hence, every short period of time, the person stops breathing’, said Dr. Jennifer Caudle; a family medicine doctor in New Jersey. Sometimes, the person does not even know he has sleep apnea, Caudle said. Not knowing that you have this condition will put you in trouble. Once you stop breathing, you will snore, disrupting your normal sleep pattern. As a result, you will experience sleepiness and fatigue. If left untreated, this results to increased blood pressure, obesity, heart ailment and diabetes.

Via: http://www.newswatchngr.com/snoring-costs-the-country-149-6-billion-dollars-annually-66551

Medical care isn’t cheap and the longer you ignore a problem the worse, and more expensive, it will get. There are simple ways to deal with snoring, if that’s the affliction you suffer from. First and foremost you should meet with a sleep specialist and get yourself tested. You may need a referral from your primary health care provider. Your healthcare provider can also discuss various options with you. A mouthpiece like the ZQuiet (review here) may help alleviate your snoring if that is your issue.

Maybe you suffer from a sleep disorder because you have a lot of stress in your life. Or maybe you’re a bit overweight and need help losing the pounds. Whatever the case may be, speaking to a professional and getting some insight and assistance is the first thing that should be on your list.

Once you’ve identified the problem, you can work on the solution. The faster you catch it the better off you’ll be. This way you can save your hard earned money for something more gratifying, like that deluxe edition convertible or that expensive pair of shoes. Whatever your guilty pleasure is, wouldn’t it be nice to have a bit more cash to spend on it?