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Unfortunately, snoring is not something to kid about.  It can lead to serious health issues if not addressed, and I’m not just talking about your spouse wanting to smother you with a pillow.

I’m happy to report that I had a pretty significant snoring problem that was affecting my blood pressure.  You can find how I solved it by reading some of my other posts.

On this week’s Fitness Roundup, I wanted to provide some links to other blogs so you can get some ideas of how others have tackled this problem as well.

Related articles by Zemanta

• How To Stop Snoring (howcast.com)
• Can you be short of breath while sleeping (respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com)
• A Beginner’s Guide to Snoring (drsharma.ca)
• Stop Snoring Using natural Methods (stepbysteptips.com)
• Heavy Snoring Linked To Potentially Life-Threatening Conditions (prweb.com)

Lastly, here’s a CNBC segment on an anti-snore spray that I wasn’t aware of:

CNBC program reports of the most effective way of stopping snoring with Ysnore (ysnore@singapore.com). A natural way of effective stopping the cause of snoring with natural homoepathic ingredient of ginger and yam. Applied through a nasal spray and nose drops. This stop snore remedy gives you a good night sleep. Really works for snorer.

Related posts:

1. Fastest Way to Stop Snoring
2. Review of PureSleep Antisnore Device
3. Does PureSleep Really Work?

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!

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 posts:

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2. Coping with High Blood Pressure
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This time however, as the Dental Hygienist was writing down the results in my folder, she said, “Hmm, your blood pressure seems a little high.” I was reading 120/88 – the first stages of hypertension. Needless to say, it got my attention.

What is High Blood Pressure?

Your circulatory system is basically your body’s plumbing system and your heart is the pump that powers it. When your heart “beats,” the heart muscle contracts pushes blood through the arteries creating a set amount of pressure against the artery walls. The amount of pressure that the heart creates when it beats is called the Systolic pressure. When the heart relaxes in between beats, the pressure drops. This is called Diastolic pressure.

Your blood pressure is usually reported as the systolic pressure over the diastolic. Since the systolic pressure is created when the heart beats, it makes sense that the systolic pressure would be the higher of the two. However, both numbers are important.

Although your blood pressure changes throughout the day depending on factors such as your activity and stress level, to name a few, if it stays elevated, it’s called high blood pressure, or Hypertension.

For most adults, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have determined the following categories of blood pressure:

How Serious is High Blood Pressure?

It’s estimated that high blood pressure affects more than 65 million Americans, or about 1 out of every 3 adults. High blood pressure is an indication that your heart is working too hard. The high pressure also put a strain on the arteries and organs downstream. If uncontrolled, high blood pressure can eventually lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke, or blindness.

Who’s Most at Risk?

High blood pressure is most common in those over 55 years of age. It’s also common in African Americans, where it tends to develop at a younger age and affect a larger percentage of the population than Whites.

Non-medical Ways to Reduce It

High blood pressure can be managed to a large extent by the following means, listed in the order of biggest impact:

1. Weight management. Just losing 10 pounds can reduce your blood pressure by 4-6 points.
2. Exercise. Try to stay physically active during most of the week.
3. Watch your diet. Maintain a healthy, and low salt (sodium), diet. Check out the DASH diet from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
4. Drink in moderation. If you drink, don’t overdo it.

Note that if your blood pressure is already elevated, your doctor may prescribe medication to control it. It’s important to understand that any kind of medication is not a substitute for the above. Whether you take blood pressure medication or not, you should still watch your weight, exercise, eat right, and drink in moderation.

What I’m Doing

So here’s my problem. I’m not really overweight and I already exercise several times a week. I don’t smoke, and I don’t drink. So what’s left? Lose some weight and eat healthier. Although I’m not overweight, everyone nowadays can afford to lose 10 or more pounds. I don’t binge on junk food but again, everyone can make better food choices. So those are my two goals for the next 6 months.

I’ve also bought a new gadget called the “Resperate.” It’s a computer controlled gizmo that teaches you how to lower your breathing rate, and thereby lower your blood pressure. You put on a pair of headphones and listen to some special music, breathing in to the high notes and breathing out to the low notes, while the machine monitors your actual breathing rate. Once your breathing is in sync with the machine, it slows the music down trying to get your actual breathing rate to slow down as well.

It’s kind of neat how it works. I just got it so I can’t endorse it yet or say how effective it is. You can read more about it at their website at www.resperate.com.

To Get More Information

For more information on blood pressure, see the publication “Your Guide to Lowering Blood Pressure” from the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy

Technorati Tags: blood pressure, hypertension, heart, DASH, diet, health, resperate

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