What was that noise? My husband and I were newly married and living in a 2 bedroom apartment. We had decided to switch our bedroom to the room whose windows would fit our air conditioner and as we snuggled in to get a good night’s sleep we heard this weird noise. It sounded like sawing logs… it would go then stop… then go then stop… WHAT WAS THAT NOISE?
Well we soon learned that room we moved our bedroom to was right above the bedroom of another tenant in our apartment building and she SNORED…
What was that noise? I yelled down to my husband who came running up the stairs. “I heard a strange noise.” He stopped and listened. It was coming from our 2 year old’s room. It sounded like someone was sawing logs. My little Joshua teething and congested that night and now he was snoring like a MAN.
Snoring can be a challenge for any couple or family. My one friend says her husband snores so loud he can wake up everyone on the other side of the house. But it is important to know the difference between snoring and Sleep Apnea.
Snoring is defined by a soft to loud vibration noise coming from obstructed air movement during breathing while you are asleep. Statistics vary but it can occur in anywhere form 25 to 50 percent of the population occurring more in men and those over 60 years of age.
Wikipedia states the following causes of snoring:
Throat weakness, causing the throat to close during sleep.
Mispositioned jaw, often caused by tension in the muscles.
Fat gathering in and around the throat.
Obstruction in the nasal passageway.
Obstructive sleep apnea
The tissues at the top of airways touching each other, causing vibrations.
Relaxants such as alcohol or drugs relaxing throat muscles.
Sleeping on one’s back, which may result in the tongue dropping to the back of the mouth.
Snoring is a big deal because it causes poor quality sleep but also can cause them to be anxious, moody and lack mental clarity during the day. In addition, it can affect a marriage.
Sleep Apnea is a serious issue when the sleeper stops breathing or takes pauses in breathing while sleeping anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. This causes lowered oxygen levels in the blood. Those with sleep apnea can go years with no idea there is a problem. They can be fatigued, lethargic and even turn to foods for energy, putting on weight, which makes the condition worse in most cases. One type of sleep apnea called Obstructive Sleep Apnea causes snoring.
Both snoring and Sleep Apnea are considered medical conditions and should be evaluated by a proper health care professional. Sleep studies and sleep clinics are very popular throughout the United States. My sister in law is a Respiratory Therapist and works in a Sleep Clinic. She told me some of the following things. In cases of Fibromyalgia, sleep studies 99 percent have sleep disturbance like Sleep Apnea that doesn’t allow them to get into the later and healing stages of sleep. 85 percent of all Sleep Studies are done on overweight individuals. Most people don’t use their Sleep machines because they are not fitted correctly and are uncomfortable, but the C-PAP machines are the most effective tools in solving the Sleep Apnea issue. Some clients who successfully use the C-PAP machines will come back in 6 months to a year for follow up testing and they have lost weight, lowered their blood pressure, and were able to get off some of their medications with their doctor’s approval.
One of my Chiropractor friends who struggled with Sleep Apnea and Snoring found that his C-PAP machine gave him such a restful night’s sleep that he no longer needed soda during the day and wasn’t dragging in the afternoon.
So you should seek competent medical advise if you have this problem. But I thought I would share what we did in our home to reduce my husband’s snoring.
Water: I noticed when he was dehydrated he snores more. So drinking plenty of water during the day makes a difference.
Caffeine and Cookies: When Jay has been into the caffeine and cookies or soda and sugar I know from how loud he snores. His nasal passages are more congested and he snores louder.
Humidity: A humidifier really helps cut down on the snoring as it helps to keep his nasal passages moist.
Tiredness: The more tired Jay is, the more he will snore and the louder he snores.
Position: Sleeping on the back can increase snoring but I also noticed the position of his chin made a difference too. So sometimes I would have to rearrange the pillows and nudge him to roll over to stop the snoring.
Peppermint in Water: April Travis shared that her husband would drink a glass of water with a drop of Young Living’s Peppermint oil in it to reduce snoring.
Essential oils: Young living Essential oils like Breath Again, RC, Peppermint on the chest, throat and back and even a little over the sinuses helps keep the airways clear. We make sure to dilute these oils with Young Living V6 mixing oil. Otherwise, they are a bit tingly and cool and can keep us up. Valor, Peace and Calming essential oils and Thyme oil on the feet especially on the big toe is helpful too.
Diffuser: We will diffuse Young Living essential oils like RC or Peace and Calming.
Nasal Strips: Sinuses can be a cause of congestion and snoring. Using a nasal strip to hold the sinuses open may help. I know one of my family members who use this method with success.
Ear Plugs: Not for the snorer, but for spouse they sleep with.
White Noise: Using a fan or something to create white noise to drown out any snoring noise.
Weight Loss: This is for sure. Just 10 to 15 pounds extra on my husband’s body makes a huge difference in whether he snores or not.
Here are a few more stories about Snoring from some of my friends.
Breath Again on the throat and a C-Pap machine is what Dawn Childs uses for snoring in her house. “My husband used to use a C-PAP that was real noisy, but the way they make them now, there is NO noise to them. Two years ago I couldn’t use one but now I wouldn’t be without it and the snoring is gone too from using the machine!!”
Valor on the feet every night. And RC on the chest. My husband has sleep apnea and refuses to wear his machine (well did refuse, now it’s burnt and we haven’t replaced it). The Valor prevents the “death snore” – if you sleep with someone with sleep apnea, you probably know what I mean. He still snores but it is definitely less bothersome to both of us. – LaDonna Harris
Hopefully this information helps you. Don’t be afraid to get checked out. Sleep studies can tell you a lot about what’s going on, help you qualify for a C-PAP and they may help you use your machine correctly. Essential oils and the above suggestions can enhance your efforts.
For more information on having a great night’s sleep download our free Ebook, Sleep Like a Baby now!
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