Wednesday, September 27, 2000

Sleep safe and (without a) sound

By HOLLY VANCE, PHARM. D.

Snoring it's always good for a laugh in cartoons, commercials, and situation comedies. You might think you don't snore, but the person lying next to you or on the other side of the hotel wall may be up half the night! In real life, snoring is no joke.

Noisy breathing during sleepsnoringhappens if something blocks the flow of air through the airways, or if the airways vibrate during breathing. Allergies that swell your adenoids or a nose injury that changes the shape of your nasal passages can lead to gasps and grunts.

You'll be more likely to snore if you have nasal congestion, are overweight, smoke, drink alcohol after dinner, or sleep on your back.

Sleeping pills, painkillers, and other drugs that cause drowsiness can also turn up the volume of your breathing.

Dangerous noises

Beyond the problems of a sleep-deprived roommate, heavy snoring can be a tipoff that you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially serious medical problem. Sleep apnea occurs when the airway collapses, blocking air from getting to the lungs. What's the body's response? Get some air no matter what! Gasp! Snort! Snore.

About four percent of middle-aged men and two percent of middle-aged women have severe sleep apnea, with perhaps hundreds of breathing interruptions each night. Sleep apnea can lead to daytime drowsiness and, in severe cases, may cause heart problems. If you are concerned, the best way to diagnose sleep apnea is to spend the night in a sleep lab.

You'll be hooked up to electrodes and other devices to monitor your sleep and any breathing interruptions.

To reduce snoring, your doctor may prescribe a medical device that you insert in your mouth each night to keep the airways open. Doctors often recommend an air mask that delivers air through the nose for patients with sleep apnea. As a last resort, you may consider surgical procedures to reduce the size of airway tissues or open the airway.

Silencing slumber

For most snorers, finding relief is usually less dramatic. Here are a few tips to quiet the snoring sleeper:

· Sleep on your side or stomach.

· Avoid alcohol after dinner, tobacco, and drugs that cause drowsiness.

· Lose weight to reduce the amount of fat in your airway tissues.

· If nasal congestion contributes to your snoring, clear your nasal passages with saline nasal spray (such as Ocean) before going to bed. Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine (brand name Sudafed) can help relieve congestion, but they may keep you awake.

· Try devices that keep your nose open. Adhesive strips for the bridge of your nose, such as Breathe Right strips, pull gently on the nose to hold the nasal passages open. Devices that fit into the nostrils, such as Nozovent, open the nostrils from inside.

· Try devices that keep your mouth closed. Adhesive chin strips, such as the Chin-Up Strip, go from cheek to cheek to reduce snoring by keeping your mouth closed.

· Some people try homeopathic remedies that contain gindelia, lachesis, or Sambucus nigra to reduce snoring. But studies haven't shown whether these products are effective.

· See your doctor if your snoring doesn't improve or if you notice severe daytime drowsiness.

Sleep tight!

Holly Vance, Pharm.D., is a clinical pharmacy specialist for drugstore.com, the leading online pharmacy. Readers can find more answers to health questions online at drugstore.com's pharmacy at www.drugstore.com.

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