Snoring

[HuskyHawk]

I would actually consider this. Of course my nightmare is I'd go through it all and still have sleep apnea.

My tonsils were removed as a kid. I have sleep apnea. It generally has nothing to do with your tonsils. That would be rare. Your whole esophagus simply closes with negative pressure. Like sucking on a straw with one end blocked, the sides are pulled in. So the cpap provides continuous positive pressure to prevent that. Losing a lot of weight might help but not always.

 

[DennieEddy]

Getting older, I guess. My wife said “listen to this” and played a recording of me sleeping last night- she was awakened and took it then. I’ve known I snore for years now- my parents sure snored- but this is first time I actually heard myself. It isn’t extended silence and then gasping as I breathe again, so I’m ruling out sleep apnea. Sleeping on side helps, but I guess I move around. I have been using a mouth guard for last two weeks (dentist says I need to protect teeth from grinding) that claims to reduce snoring, but it isn’t working yet.

Has anyone tried something that helps reduce snoring? I don’t know if I need a cpap unit but they look scary and way too intrusive. Wife uses ear plugs which lets her sleep better, but I’d like to eliminate the snoring at the source if possible.

Put the Dayton game on replay.

 

[MTBingNinja]

CPAP

 

[Minicoop69]

My tonsils were removed as a kid. I have sleep apnea. It generally has nothing to do with your tonsils. That would be rare. Your whole esophagus simply closes with negative pressure. Like sucking on a straw with one end blocked, the sides are pulled in. So the cpap provides continuous positive pressure to prevent that. Losing a lot of weight might help but not always.

While agree with the overall argument, when my tonsils were removed my ENT said the pathologist had to weigh them because they were so large. So I'm not saying it works always, but for me it worked 100% of the time.

 

[HuskyHawk]

While agree with the overall argument, when my tonsils were removed my ENT said the pathologist had to weigh them because they were so large. So I'm not saying it works always, but for me it worked 100% of the time.

Oh sure. Worth OP checking that out for sure. It’s just not the usual cause.

 

[GruntCakes]

I see those adjustable bed ads . Apparently if you just elevate your upper body and head it instantly stops your snoring.
Who knew?

 

[Dove]

Night guards for grinding teeth won’t do anything for snoring. The mouth apparatus that helps some people repositions the jaw to open the airway more. A night guard doesn’t do that.

I’m not an ENT or a sleep specialist, but as a medical professional of 9 years with specific clinical expertise in the upper aerodigestive tract, it sounds to me like your uvulae is just hanging low/loose when you sleep. I base this on the fact that your snoring is positional and therefore seems to be influenced by gravity. Nasal strips won’t help that either.

So maybe a uvular sack? Would since things up, I assume.

 

[Dove]

I see those adjustable bed ads . Apparently if you just elevate your upper body and head it instantly stops your snoring.
Who knew?

This. It definitely helps.

 

[Conndog]

I see those adjustable bed ads . Apparently if you just elevate your upper body and head it instantly stops your snoring.
Who knew?

Saw that too- it prevents you from sleeping flat on your back. Some advice I found online says to try a wedge shape pillow to support head & upper body; the wedges are around 12%, which helps the snoring yet still is comfortable enough for sleep. Another pillow recommendation was to get a body pillow (full length pillow) that helps one to sleep on their side. I’ll have to find where to buy these things.

 

[uconnfan68]

A sleep study is the only thing that can rule out sleep apnea. It can be done at home by a sleep lab.

I think you can do your own now. Around $200.

 

[uchusky32]

What medication are you taking. PM me if you wish. I've been dealing with breathing issues for awhile. I had turbinate reduction and balloon sinuplasty and they didn't work for me.

Hey, try DMing me. For some reason I don’t see how to start a new conversation in my DM page.

 

[QDOG5]

I'm not sure anything works to stop it. Can you maybe adjust your position and still sleep? Your wife needs ear plugs and zen. I buy the former on Amazon by the jar. Use the link and the Yard gets a cut. THE LINK

View attachment 105207

I can't buy these because reading the description on the bottom of the label gives me Maui nightmares.

 

[Deepster]

I also mentioned a Whoop fitness band. It has a super detailed sleep tracker that shows how often you were awake, light sleep, REM sleep. And it grades your sleep score. That’s what alerted me to there being a real problem aside from just noise.

 

[Taco]

Really good comments here - very off brand for the Yard. I would say to first determine if it’s sleep apnea - where you stop breathing periodically through the night or if it’s just snoring. Might be able to tell from recording but a sleep specialist is preferable. For apnea, you should get a CPAP as this is harmful long term. If it’s just run of the mill snoring, the issue is mouth breathing. If you can improve the airflow by sleeping on your side and adjusting your pillow so your head is elevated at the neck but has a slight downward tilt - that seems to work for me some. Get used to having your tongue pressing lightly on the roof of your mouth and that seems to open things up up.

A CPAP keeps your mouth closed as the air going down your nose makes opening your mouth uncomfortable.

 

[Old blue]

Lose weight, sleep on your back and don't eat after 7 pm.

 

[temery]

Getting older, I guess. My wife said “listen to this” and played a recording of me sleeping last night- she was awakened and took it then. I’ve known I snore for years now- my parents sure snored- but this is first time I actually heard myself. It isn’t extended silence and then gasping as I breathe again, so I’m ruling out sleep apnea. Sleeping on side helps, but I guess I move around. I have been using a mouth guard for last two weeks (dentist says I need to protect teeth from grinding) that claims to reduce snoring, but it isn’t working yet.

Has anyone tried something that helps reduce snoring? I don’t know if I need a cpap unit but they look scary and way too intrusive. Wife uses ear plugs which lets her sleep better, but I’d like to eliminate the snoring at the source if possible.

Not sure what your insurance/financial situation is, but if you end up needing a cpap, I've got an extra. I'm told it's illegal to sell or give one away, but I may go to a game in the future, and leave it in my unlocked ;-) ;-) ;-)

The newer ones find the right setting for the user.

 

[Drumguy]

I also mentioned a Whoop fitness band. It has a super detailed sleep tracker that shows how often you were awake, light sleep, REM sleep. And it grades your sleep score. That’s what alerted me to there being a real problem aside from just noise.

The FitBit app does as well. I have the Pixel Watch 3 and started wearing it to bed. I don't snore but it's very interesting to see your sleep activity and resulting "fitness".

 

[Conndog]

Really good comments here - very off brand for the Yard. I would say to first determine if it’s sleep apnea - where you stop breathing periodically through the night or if it’s just snoring. Might be able to tell from recording but a sleep specialist is preferable. For apnea, you should get a CPAP as this is harmful long term. If it’s just run of the mill snoring, the issue is mouth breathing. If you can improve the airflow by sleeping on your side and adjusting your pillow so your head is elevated at the neck but has a slight downward tilt - that seems to work for me some. Get used to having your tongue pressing lightly on the roof of your mouth and that seems to open things up up.

A CPAP keeps your mouth closed as the air going down your nose makes opening your mouth uncomfortable.

When I read the last part explaining the strategy behind cpap machines (it keeps the mouth closed), it made me wonder if some kind of simple mask might also work. Wouldn’t need to be drastic like taping the mouth closed, but something that just covers the mouth, and then you’d have to breathe more through the nose

 

[CL82]

When I read the last part explaining the strategy behind cpap machines (it keeps the mouth closed), it made me wonder if some kind of simple mask might also work. Wouldn’t need to be drastic like taping the mouth closed, but something that just covers the mouth, and then you’d have to breathe more through the nose

There are a lot of chin straps out on the market if you'd like to test that theory.

 

[temery]

 

[Rocktheworld]

View attachment 105399

Yeah this is always how I thought about those studies lol

 

[Waquoit]

Yeah this is always how I thought about those studies lol

It's not like that anymore.

 

[Deepster]

Keep me posted!

Update?

 

[uconnfan68]

I agree that the prudent approach would be to get tested for sleep apnea in a sleep lab. The results will probably enlighten and astound you. One caveat, I know of no one who has experienced the sleep lab who has not been diagnosed with sleep apnea. As noted in posts above the medical implications could be severe, predominantly stroke and AFib.

The solution, if indeed sleep apnea, will probably be a Cpap. I have been a long time user of a CPAP, probably over 20 years. Takes a little while to get accustomed to but it is now automatic. There are a number of options for masks and your doctor can experiment which one suits you best. Some individuals can never adapt to use of a CPAP, I suspect for some portion of individuals in this category it is their preconceived notion that they don’t require a CPAP.

Arranging for a sleep study would be the prudent approach. A major benefit would be domestic tranquility.

Agree with much of this, but... as a cpap user for 25+ years, no one is going to help you get the right mask. You find it through trial and error, and then they stop making it and you try again. I have lost about 60# from my peak weight, and I have tried napping (for the last hour or 2) without the mask, and my fitbit says I'm ok. Might get the notion to give it a full night some time.

 

[Dove]

@QDOG5 ...what's it like sticking your tongue out all night?