Suggested Snoring & Sleep Apnea Treatments, by Joe Alexander, owner and Chief Nestologist at Nest Bedding and owner of www.NestBedding.com

There is a substantial difference in snoring and sleep apnea but, ironically, the treatments are much the same. It is first important to differentiate the two terms.

Snoring is nothing more than a vibration caused from fatty tissue rubbing against the back of the throat during sleep. It is often the cause of sleep loss, aggravation and inconvenience. Snoring alone, however, is not as dangerous as sleep apnea, which occurs when an individual stops breathing completely throughout the night. This is usually caused by a complete airway blockage resulting from tissue in the throat relaxing and cutting off the air supply. The sleep apnea sufferer awakens quickly due to their loss of air, but they may not realize what has happened. Frequent awakening, difficulty breathing or gasping for air and heavy snoring are all common signs of sleep apnea and may require an immediate need for effective snoring and sleep apnea treatments.

There are a variety of snoring and sleep apnea treatments, including changing to sleeping on your side instead of your back, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise program, ridding your home of allergens to help you breathe easier during the night, elevating your head with an extra pillow at night or the use of doctor recommended apnea treatment devices. Once a patient has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, a more aggressive series of snoring and sleep apnea treatments may be required. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to heart disease, a stroke or other serious medical condition. Many apnea sufferers use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine to help them receive a continual amount of air during the night, which helps to prevent the tissues in their throat from collapsing and blocking their airway causing them to stop breathing completely.

During snoring and sleep apnea treatments, sleepers need to sleep with their mouth closed or they risk losing the effects of the CPAP treatment. The Sleep Genie is a product that is designed to help improve sleep quality and allow the sleeper to rest comfortably with their mouth closed. While not intended to be used as a cure for sleep apnea, it may help to keep the sufferers mouth closed so that they can continue to receive the benefits of the CPAP machine. If the patient suffers from snoring, and not sleep apnea, the Sleep Genie is beneficial in helping to prevent snoring altogether because it is virtually impossible to snore with your mouth closed.

We have excellent pillows that can help you sleep in proper posture, and they have had some success in helping in this area as well.

This article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be used as, or in place of, professional medical advice. Before beginning any treatment for snoring, please consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis and remedy.