Monday 7 June 2010

If Your Partner is Snoring Stop Wondering What Works and Choose a Snoring Solution That Suites You

It is said that there are two sides to every coin and when it comes to a snoring solution strategy, that statement could not be more true. There are numerous anti snoring products, techniques and procedures intended to make the person who is snoring stop. Because there are different causes, types of snoring and so many snoring solution products, it is quite easy to become confused and choose the wrong one for your situation. Further complicating the issue is the fact that effectiveness varies drastically. By using some simple guidelines, better choices can be made.

It is important to identify which basic strategy will work best for you. There are OFFENSIVE strategies, which are snoring devices, etc... that are intended to be used by the snorer and there are DEFENSIVE strategies that are designed to provide some level of relief for the non snoring partner, whether there have been attempts to make the snoring stop or not.

First let's discuss offensive strategies and clarify some misconceptions regarding sleep apnea and snoring products that claim to cure sleep apnea which is pauses in breathing while asleep. The leading cause of both sleep apnea and heavy snoring is weight gain, so if you believe this to be a contributing factor in your situation, you may consider weight loss as means to help snoring stop also. Although some anti snoring products do provide some degree of sleep apnea reduction, sleep apnea and snoring are not necessarily synonymous. Loud snoring can exist without any sleep apnea symptoms and sleep apnea can exist without any snoring whatsoever. Only a qualified doctor can determine if sleep apnea is present and if so an offensive strategy or a combination offensive / defensive strategy will be called for. Your doctor will cover all of your options with you.

Some over the counter snoring solutions have hidden drawbacks. Beware of the chin strap type snoring aids, as they prevent the snorer from opening their mouth during sleep and therefore cannot be worn when the snorer is congested, due to nasal blockage. In fact sinus / nasal congestion is one of the leading contributors to snoring, so be sure to consider this when weighing the pros and cons of any offensive snoring solution.

There are some other less obvious things to consider when shopping for offensive non-prescription anti snoring devices as well. Probably the single biggest challenge that the non snoring partner faces, is convincing the snorer that their snoring is a very real problem, to the extent that some action should be taken. Obviously most people who snore fall into one of two categories. They either don't know that they snore loudly or they do know that they snore and don't appreciate the impact it may be having on others. More often than not, there is some reluctance on the part of the snorer, to pro-actively seek a snoring solution, leaving their partners to fend for themselves.

If sleep apnea has been ruled out and the snorer is reluctant to take action, then the easiest way for the non snoring partner to regain normal sleep patterns is to turn to a defensive strategy. Most people are unaware of the fact that some very good defensive strategies exist and assume that they are doomed to a future of disturbed sleep. There are products that work to varying degrees and we will discuss some of the different approaches here.

First there are the obvious candidates such as snoring ear plugs and noise canceling headphones. These can be good choices if you just want to reduce the volume of the snoring and not completely cover it. Both of these methods of snore defense are limited by the fact that about fifty percent of the snoring noise that reaches into the inner ear, actually travels through bone and there really is no way that either of these device types can intervene in this process, as they are designed to reduce through air transmission only. Another alternative anti snoring solution you may consider is the use of some type of masking sound. The advantage offered by masking sounds is that they actually do interfere with both the air and bone conducted sound travel routes. Although white noise has some drawbacks related to the sound structure (some people say that it is to high pitched and somewhat uncomfortable sounding), it has been used by many people over the years.

There is however an entirely new category of hybrid masking sounds that have been gaining popularity in recent years, mainly because they are custom made to specifically cover the sound of snoring with high efficiency. The high hissing tones of white noise aren't a problem with this new elite class of snore masking sounds, so it's much easier on the listener and seems to be very conducive to sleep. If you do have a partner who snores and you are losing sleep, this is probably the quickest, easiest and least expensive way to go. Think of this as a way of protecting yourself without seeking the approval of your partner. Partners who snore may want to seek out something of this nature for their loved ones as well. You can see that you are not doomed to a life ruled by snoring Stop the sleep loss you have been experiencing with a snoring solution that is right for you and fits your own anti snoring needs.

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