Health & Well-Being

About 90 million North Americans snore, most of them men. Some snores hit a roof-rattling 80 decibels - as loud as a vacuum cleaner! No wonder their spouses are sleep-deprived! Experts say that over-the-counter stop-snoring products are only marginally effective. Like nasal strips to open breathing passages and sprays to lubricate the throat. So, here’s advice from three different experts to help keep the “chainsawing” to a minimum, so you and your loved ones can get the sleep you need. This comes from a sleep expert, a dentist, an ear-nose-and-throat doctor, and Prevention magazine:

• Sleep expert Dr. Barbara Phillips says: Lose a few pounds. She points out that the heavier you get – especially if you’re a man - the more weight you gain around the neck and the more squeezed your air passages are. So, you need more suction to inhale and your throat vibrates more. If you lose a modest amount – just 10% of your body weight - the volume of neck tissue decreases. That would be 15 pounds on a 150 pound person. Dr. Phillips also says to sleep on your left side, which keeps your tongue from blocking your airway.
• Here's stop-snoring advice from an ear nose and throat doctor: Dr. Charles Kimmelman, director of the Snoring Center of New York, recommends a new type of surgery. It’s called the Pillar Procedure.  A doctor implants thin rods in the soft palate in the roof of your mouth, limiting the noisy vibration. The procedure uses local anesthesia, takes about 20 minutes, and costs around $2,000. It can also take up to 3 months to be fully effective. To find a doctor anywhere in the world who does the procedure, log onto the website PillarProcedure.com
• The final tip to end snoring is from a dentist. Dr. Kem Moser, a sleep-breathing disorder specialist, suggests a mouth guard specifically made for snoring. It’s called a “mandibular advancement device” - and it keeps your lower jaw pushed out, widening your airway. Studies show it’s 90% effective at reducing snoring noise. Of course, you have to be fitted by a dentist; and they cost between $500 and $1,000 To find a specialist, check out the website AADSM.org.