Is there a Nobel peace Prize for the cure for snoring?

[Trek420]

This is perhaps TMI for my gentle readership but who knew I snored? Well Knott knew and I snore a lot.

A quick Google search of snoring revealed anecdotal evidence of links between snoring and even sleep apnea and dehydration. We tried Scholar Google and found no real studies or solid medical research.

The only things I found were things like "it's common knowledge there's a relationship between dehydration and snoring. Here's the link to our line of CPAP machines."

Still it seemed worth a try. Beats separate beds, rooms, CPAP machines, surgery or a pillow over my head.

"Here, drink water."

It worked and immediately. I mean immediately. As in her waking me up, having me drink some water, I go back to sleep and no snoring type of immediately.

How'd I get so dry? Studies say most of us are dehydrated. I was super ultra bone dry dehydrated. I worked in customer service call centers for umpteen years. There we could not exactly get up and grab a drink or well, just go to the bathroom as we wish. Your customer service person is not exactly chained to his or her desk but can't put you on hold because we need to go get a drink of water.

Someday perhaps I'll do a blog of what it's like in a call center. I'm not sayin' who or what company but it'll be an eye opener. You may never look at your iPhone or uVerse the same again. Don't get me wrong; the pay is excellent, benefits are superb, the amount of vacation time unheard of outside of teaching professions ... The cost on my health? Dramatic and disturbing.

I had a drinking problem. Problem was I did not drink. Cups of coffee to wake up and then nothing. And now as I catch up and I believe recover it's amazing what changes are happening. My skin's better, clearer and the snoring is almost gone.

[maillotpois]

Funny you should post this now as I sit in my office between two snoring dogs.... Like LOUD snoring. I was on the phone with an attorney and hoping she wouldn't ask about the apparent construction project going on at my office.

Maybe they need a drink.

[Trek420]

Maybe they need a drink.

"Yes, yes, we're remodeling. That's it! I'll tell the crew to tone it down "

[Pax]

Glad you found a fix Trek, I drink enough water to float a battleship but still snore when I'm on my back. If it wasn't for the invention of soft ear plugs, I'd be sleeping in the spare room.

[Trek420]

Glad you found a fix Trek, I drink enough water to float a battleship but still snore when I'm on my back. If it wasn't for the invention of soft ear plugs, I'd be sleeping in the spare room.

Hmmm, well dang. There goes that theory. Or is it the exception that proves the rule?

[Pax]

Hmmm, well dang. There goes that theory. Or is it the exception that proves the rule?

Well, I do think I'm exceptional.

[indysteel]

Interesting. I tend to snore if if I'm my back. So, when I married a couple years ago, I made a conscious effort to sleep on my side. Problem solved....until my thyroid started to go wonky. All of a sudden, I started snoring regardless of my sleep position. It coincided with starting on an anti-thyroid medicine, which tended to put me in a hypo state. That also tended to increase the size of my thyroid. As we ramped down my medicine--I just went off of it altogether a couple of weeks ago--I stopped snoring. I asked my endo if there was a connection, but she insisted that short of a huge goiter, there likely wasn't one. I have to wonder though. Nothing else has otherwise changed healthwise.

[Trek420]

Well, I do think I'm exceptional.

Well yes. And obviously your honey does too.

As we ramped down my medicine--I just went off of it altogether a couple of weeks ago--I stopped snoring. I asked my endo if there was a connection, but she insisted that short of a huge goiter, there likely wasn't one. I have to wonder though. Nothing else has otherwise changed healthwise.

Right. And of course you could not be right about the connection.

[indysteel]

Right. And of course you could not be right about the connection.

I know! It sort of irritates me when a doctor dismisses something like that merely because one of their med school textbooks says otherwise. Grrrr.

[Trek420]

Well the med school textbooks are based on research. There are sleep institutes, studies, labs, specialists and an industry with a whole big line of products ... I found references saying things like "we all know that water can ..." "It's common knowledge that ..." but why no research?

Why wouldn't your doctor say "Hmmm, interesting. I haven't seen or read or heard this before but hmmm. You may be right".

Where's the curiosity? Is it because "water" or even the act of "not taking something or other" can't fund a research project?

[Pax]

Well the med school textbooks are based on research. There are sleep institutes, studies, labs, specialists and an industry with a whole big line of products ... I found references saying things like "we all know that water can ..." "It's common knowledge that ..." but why no research?

Why wouldn't your doctor say "Hmmm, interesting. I haven't seen or read or heard this before but hmmm. You may be right".

Where's the curiosity? Is it because "water" or even the act of "not taking something or other" can't fund a research project?

That's why I stick with my doctor. She wanted me to start on Lipitor for my cholesterol, I pointed out the studies that showed little efficacy for statins used by women, the studies that showed it lowers total cholesterol but does NOT show a matching reduction in risk for cardiac incidences. She listened and said she'd look into it; at the next appointment she said she understood my concerns and wouldn't push the medication any more.

[OakLeaf]

Interesting. I've got really narrow sinuses because of growing up with untreated allergies, and I stay pretty well hydrated, so I don't think that's my issue. I might start sleeping with a nasal strip though. Running with one, actually being able to breathe any volume through my nose, has been such a revelation.

[snapdragen]

I know! It sort of irritates me when a doctor dismisses something like that merely because one of their med school textbooks says otherwise. Grrrr.

Indy, I once had a doctor tell me there was no connection between my bouncing thyroid levels and when I took my calcium pills. I have a new doc now..

[goldfinch]

I have snored since I was a young child. I have sleep apnea as does my spouse. We could bring the roof down with our snorts and snores. There was a year we couldn't even sleep in the same room because we could not get enough sleep. I have a feeling that I had sleep apnea since I was pretty young and that it contributed to several health problems that have not gone away even though I lost weight.

Cool that dehydration was linked to your snoring, Trek! Me, I am stuck with CPAP.

[Trek420]

Interesting. I've got really narrow sinuses because of growing up with untreated allergies, and I stay pretty well hydrated, so I don't think that's my issue. I might start sleeping with a nasal strip though. Running with one, actually being able to breathe any volume through my nose, has been such a revelation.

You may be on to something there. Knott found an article in the AJRCCM Articles in Press Published 02/20/2009 called Effects of Oropharygeal Exercises on Patients with Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome. Running Title; Oropharyngeal Exercises and Sleep Apnea.

It's written by a whole long list of a bunch of Doctors which in part states as their rationale for the study "Upper airway muscles function plays a major role in maintenance of the upper airway patency and contributes to the genisis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Preliminary results suggested that oropharyngeal exercises derived from speech therapy may be an effective treatment option for patients with moderate OSAS."

In other words exercises that strengthen the muscles that flare your nostrils are some of the things recommended. The article ends recommending mainly one orophayngeal muscle exercise: inhale deeply through the nose whilst flaring your nostrils, then exhale through the mouth with pursed lips (like blowing up a balloon). 5 reps in a row, 6 sets a day.

Sorta like building up your own internal nasal strips.

But don't take my word for it. See a doctor or even a speech therapist. Bring them the article