Is Snoring Killing You?
Make sense of Snoring
Snoring is often regarded as little more than a joke or nuisance, however snoring affects millions of people worldwide and research has shown how devastating Snoring can be, not only to the health of the snorer but to the lives of those around them.
Snoring occurs when the air does not flow smoothly through the nose and throat passages, the soft tissue at the back of the throat vibrates causing the sound we all know as snoring.
Over one million Britons suffer from the condition. However, sleep apnoea is more dangerous than snoring because it alters normal breathing patterns. Obese people tend to be more at risk because of the muscles at the back of their throat tend to be weaker, but the condition also affects people of a normal weight and can run in families.
While asleep, sufferers may stop breathing for ten to twenty five seconds at a time, depleting the bloodstream and brain of vital oxygen supplies. In one single night sufferers may experience up to 350 “apnoeic events” and usually wake up sweaty ,with a dry mouth and a headache. The frequent interruption of deep sleep leads to daytime excessive fatigue and sleepiness. It can cause people to fall asleep during the day and can be deadly if someone dozes off while driving or operating machinery. It can also raise the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke.
Until now sufferers had to be referred to a specialist sleep clinic where they would have to stay overnight and be tested at a huge financial cost. But now a simple over the counter device can detect if you are a simple snorer or a snorer with sleep apnoea. The new device known as SleepStrip, records respiratory events and breaks in breathing. Three tiny sensors are able to detect the breathing rate of a person wearing the device, and this information is recorded on a tiny microchip to be read by sleep scientists.
The SleepStrip is sent away by post for analysis. If breathing is seen to stop for ten or more seconds at a time, sleep apnoea could be the cause and the patient is referred to a specialist for treatment. Symptoms can be cured by a machine called CPAP. It forces air into the mouth through a mask and keeps airways clear.
Dr David Dawson, consultant anaesthetist and specialist in sleep disordered breathing at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust say’s “Snoring is not only a cause of considerable domestic strife, but can also be the symptom of a more serious condition.
Some websites have the Sleepstrip on sale at £49.99 but if you email info@snoresense.co.uk and quote Ref: GB1 you can purchase it for £29.99 which includes analysis and expert advice on treatment.