Does PureSleep Really Work?
Ever since I did a review on the PureSleep anti-snoring device (see Reviews section), I’ve been getting asked whether or not the thing actually works. Well, to answer that question, I performed an informal test to see whether or not using the device would have any affect on my blood pressure. After religiously measuring my blood pressure at the same time of day for a couple of weeks, I’m ready to report some preliminary results.
Backgound
First, a little background on my particular situation. I’m a 56 year old male that tries to live a healthy and fit lifestyle. The only time I go to the doctor is when I’m actually sick, which is not that often. However, the last time I went to the dentist, they mentioned that my blood pressure was a little high. Sure enough, it was.
About a year ago, I also began to snore at night. Most of the time it was no big deal but occasionally, my wife told me it was so bad that it kept her awake. The real scare was when she told me that on several occasions, she had woken up afraid that I had actually stopped breathing. She said that just about the time she was going to try to wake me, I would start breathing again – the beginning signs of sleep apnea.
After reading that sleep apnea can be a cause high blood pressure, I decided to take action. First step, stop the snoring and then see if my blood pressure came down.
The Results
After being alerted that my blood pressure was “a little high,” I purchased one of those home testing kits from the local drugstore and began keeping track of my pressure. Each reading was taken at the same time (first thing in the morning) in a seated position.
The first two columns (days 1 through 18) were baseline measurements, taken while I was waiting for the PureSleep device to arrive in the mail. As you can see, the average of these readings was 127/90, right inside the hypertension danger zone (“normal” pressure should be below 80 for the lower reading).
On day 19, the PureSleep device arrived and I started using it. According to my wife, the snoring stopped almost immediately. I also started waking up feeling rested and more energized. But did it help reduce my blood pressure?
The last two columns (days 19 through 33) show the results of sleeping with the PureSleep device in place. After using the device for about two weeks, my average blood pressure has dropped to 118/85. That’s a drop of 5 points on the Diastolic reading (the bottom number) – a definite step in the right direction!
|
Day
|
BP
|
Day
|
BP
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
128/94
|
19
|
108/82
|
|
|
2
|
137/87
|
20
|
119/86
|
|
|
3
|
136/87
|
21
|
112/86
|
|
|
4
|
122/88
|
22
|
129/87
|
|
|
5
|
118/87
|
23
|
123/86
|
|
|
6
|
124/91
|
24
|
127/85
|
|
|
7
|
115/87
|
25
|
112/81
|
|
|
8
|
120/96
|
26
|
117/84
|
|
|
9
|
123/92
|
27
|
115/84
|
|
|
10
|
117/88
|
28
|
117/84
|
|
|
11
|
125/91
|
29
|
112/82
|
|
|
12
|
124/93
|
30
|
124/88
|
|
|
13
|
133/86
|
31
|
119/86
|
|
|
14
|
134/88
|
32
|
112/88
|
|
|
15
|
133/90
|
33
|
124/84
|
|
|
16
|
139/94
|
|||
|
17
|
146/86
|
|||
|
18
|
119/88
|
|||
|
AVG
|
127/90
|
AVG
|
118/85
|
My Conclusion
My conclusion is pretty obvious – the PureSleep device works. First, it stopped my snoring by pulling my jaw forward and preventing the soft tissue on the back of my throat to vibrate, which is what creates the snoring noise. Significantly reducing or completely eliminating the amount of snoring has given me a number of other benefits including:
- I no longer wake up several times during the night in “mid-snore” feeling like I’m choking. As a result, I get a full night of sleep and wake up feeling rested and refreshed.
- My wife gets a full night’s sleep as well since she doesn’t have to spend most of the night trying to get me to roll over and stop snoring.
- My heart is apparently also getting a full night of rest since my blood pressure appears to be coming down.
In short, the device is working for me and I’d recommend it to anyone with similar problems.
There are some drawbacks, however. First is the price. I mentioned this in my review (see Reviews section) but I can’t help bringing it back up and thinking about it every time I see a $2 mouth piece at the sporting goods aisle of the local Walmart.
Second, wearing it does take some getting used to. Even after using it for more than 2 weeks, my jaw still feels sore some mornings and my teeth are sometimes sensitive and feel like they’ve been moved back and forth. This gets less and less noticeable as your mouth gets used to the device.
Third, when you sleep with the device, your mouth tends to stay open for most of the night. This created a nice pool of drool on my pillow the first couple of nights. This does tend to go away as you get used to wearing it.
Lastly, since the device is actually a mouthpiece, it traps saliva so you’ll more than likely wake up with a case of morning breath that will drop a horse. This also means that you have to take extra care to keep the device clean and dry when not in use.
Despite these minor drawbacks, I’d still highly recommend the device because it works.
Where to get the PureSleep Device
As far as I know, the PureSleep device is only available direct through their website at www.PureSleep.com. I haven’t checked but you can probably also get comparable devices prescribed through your dentist.
Finally, I purchased the PureSleep device for my own use and do not receive any kind of compensation or benefit from the manufacturer (so I can’t quit my day job).
Snoring is more than a minor nuisance. It’s a problem that can lead to more serious health problems such as sleep apnea and hypertension. If you can’t get a good nights sleep due to snoring, you owe it to yourself to check out this device.
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)
P.S. Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.” This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch. Download and enjoy!
Technorati Tags: blood pressure, hypertension, puresleep, sleep, snoring, snore, rest
You might also be interested in the following alternatives from Amazon.com:
Stop Snoring Mouth Piece – Anti Snore Device Sleep Apnea Cessation Aid
- Clinically proven to help 95% of snoring sufferers
- Each individually molded to guarantee a comfortable lasting fit
- Recommended by dentist and doctors
- Features a convenient opening to allow constant air circulation
- Also includes a storage case & easy step-by-step instructions
Snore-Ex’s anti snoring mouthpiece is an oral appliance also referred to as a Mandibular Advancement Device. The simple custom-fit mouthpiece positions and holds the jaw, opening airways for maximum airflow, thus reducing or eliminating snoring vibrations. More specifically, it provides a forward-positioning for the tongue, which is connected to the lower jaw. This increases airflow and minimizes the most common snoring cause – soft palette vibrations in the rear of the mouth. This is for adults
Rating: 
(out of 225 reviews)
List Price: $ 65.99
Price:
The SnoreWizard
- Comfortable to use
- Immediate Results, Stop snoring fast
- Easy cleaning, immerse in hot water
- No Boiling and No Fitting Required
Easy to fit, easy to wear and non-intrusive. Designed to treat snoring and sleep apnea. Get the satisfaction of a good nights sleep with 94% success rate. An economical low cost solution which lasts up to 9 months.
Rating: (out of 75 reviews)
List Price: $ 79.95
Price:
Related Reading:
Dumdum (Featured story in the anthology "New Stories from the South: the year's best of 2005")At first the inbred calves are a burden and embarrassment to "the boy," that is until the local squatters at the little country store begin trying to ... Read More >
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Strategy (including featured article "What Is Strategy?" by Michael E. Porter)Is your company spending too much time on strategy developmentwith too little to show for it?If you read nothing else on strategy, read thes... Read More >
Special Ops Fitness Training: High-Intensity Workouts of Navy Seals, Delta Force, Marine Force Recon and Army RangersTEST YOURSELF AGAINST THE WORLD'S MOST ELITE FIGHTING FORCESIn Special Ops Fitness Training, ex-Navy SEAL Mark De Lisle brings together th... Read More >
TIP: If you enjoyed this post, please rate it below or leave a comment. You can be notified of new content by subscribing to our Related posts:
John:
Yes, you can re-heat the PureSleep device and re-mold it in order to get it to fit better. The instructions say you can do this up to 3 times (and I used all 3). However, I found that each time you do this, you tend to squeeze out more and more of the soft, mold-able plastic in the center of the mouthpiece so it gets thinner and thinner.
I’m not sure if there’s anything you can do about the hard plastic pushing against a particular tooth or part of your mouth. I’d see no problem with trying to trim the area down for a better fit.
If there are any dentists reading this, I’m sure they would point out that this is exactly why they recommend having an anti-snoring device fitted by a professional. That way, you get a custom fit that takes into account the shape and structure of your mouth.
Hiram
I am leaning towards buying this but I am fearful of the gagging problem. I had a horrible time as a kid with my retainer and didn’t wear it very much. I was lucky that the little bit I did wear it was good enough. I am also worried that the device will harm my bite. The last thing i want is to have to repeat orthodontics as a 50 year old
Any advice? Thanks
Elaine:
Sure, wearing the device does trigger the gagging reflex when first using it. When I first got mine, there were times I literally had to spit it out because I felt like I was gagging and going to throw up.
It took a while but little by little, I was able to finally wear the device for an entire night. It took me about 10 days of putting it in, taking it out a couple of hours later, putting it back in, taking it out, and so on. Each time I put it back it, I was able to keep it in a little bit longer.
Don’t kid yourself, this IS going to be an issue and it’s going to take some time and some effort on your part to get used to sleeping with the device in place. But consider the alternative – snoring to the point that you can’t get a good night’s sleep, waking up tired, etc.
It’s a little bit of discomfort but it pays big dividends down the road.
Hiram
Hi;
I really appreciate all of the various thoughts and comments. I received my PureSleep 8 days ago and it has made a huge difference in how much less tired I feel in the morning! I’m sure my wife, who was putting up with sleepless nights while I was snoring feels the same way. This device is amazing, and has worked better then I could have expected. When you purchase the device they ask you if you want a second one for half price. Not being sure that it would work, I just ordered the one. I have since called them back and they will sell the second one at the discounted rate, plus shipping, which I thought was fair. This way I will have one for traveling and one that stays at home. I feel fortunate that I feel into the 80% that it works for! Well worth a try.
Thanks again!
Bob
Bob – glad to hear that it has worked for you. Getting enough restful sleep is a critical component of good health. Devices like this make a difference.
Hiram