Snoring is something most of us do on the odd occasion – even babies snore! However snoring can have an impact on not only how much you sleep but also the quality of it.

Most people know that if they don’t get a good night’s sleep they can feel irritable and fatigued all day. It can also cause health problems if on a continuous basis. Not only is snoring bad for the person who is snoring but also for their bed partner. Some bed partner’s find that the snoring can disrupt their sleep too.

How To Stop Snoring?
Many people simply accept they snore and don’t feel there are any solutions to it however there are. If you have it fairly bad then it is worth trying the non-invasive treatments before looking into more serious options.
Some ways to remedy the situation can be as simple as sleeping on your side or elevating your head while you sleep. Clearing your nose before you sleep, limiting alcohol and losing weight can also help the problem too. These aren’t guaranteed to overcome snoring but could help and are worth a shot.

Causes of Snoring
Snoring is caused as a result of the narrowing of your airway. This can be caused by sleep posture or defects in the soft tissue in the throat. The position of your tongue can also get in the way of allowing you to breathe smoothly too. Finding out when and how you snore will help you pinpoint whether you have control over it or not. Try keeping a sleep diary and get your partner to help (if you have one).

If you find you snore with your mouth open then it is likely that your problem is a result of tissue abnormalities in the throat. If you snore with your mouth closed then it is likely that your tongue is at fault. If you snore only on your back then it may just be a minor issue that can be resolved by changing your sleeping habits and lifestyle. If you snore in all sleep positions then snoring could be a more severe issue and you may need to see a professional.

Generally there are several different causes to snoring including:

Genetics – Sometimes snoring problems can be hereditary. It is possible to inherit a narrow throat or other physical attributes that can contribute.

Weight – If you are overweight then the fatty tissue and poor muscle tone can make a contribution to the problem.

Smoking – Smoking causes nasal congestion and relaxes your muscles which contribute to snoring.

Sleeping posture – if you sleep on your back it allows the back of your throat to relax blocking the smooth flow of air in and out.

Allergies & Asthma – These can block the nasal passage and cause breathing to be a struggle contributing to snoring.

Restless leg syndrome is a sleep disorder that causes pain in the legs.

Specifically restless leg syndrome is a neurological disorder in which a person will feel tingling, creeping, pulling, itching or gnawing sensations in the legs. It is difficult to describe exactly the sensation one feels but it can be difficult to lay still or rest, as movement eases the problem.

For the most part, symptoms are rarely described as painful, but more as if one is experiencing an ache and it is most noticeable at rest, hence why many people find it difficult to get to sleep or to sit and rest for a while.

This sleep disorder tends to begin slowly and becomes more and more frequent over time. Many women find themselves with this disorder during pregnancy especially in the later stages.

Symptoms often get worse during the evening and later on at night. It can also lead to insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness due to the sleep deprivation it causes.

If the condition becomes severe or chronic it can also prevent you from or limit you from doing certain activities. Travelling by car or plane, sitting in a meet or even watching a movie can become too much as it becomes almost impossible to sit still for any length of time.

The sensations that people experience are described as: prickly, creeping, aching, like insects crawling inside the legs, tingly. The most common area to be affects is the calf but it can be felt anywhere in both or just one leg.
There are 3 classifications for restless leg syndrome:

Primary or Familial – This is found to run in families.

Secondary – This appears as a result of another condition such as pregnancy, chronic disease or low iron levels.

Idiopathic – This is when one has no family history or no other condition that could be linked to it.

For some people symptoms may not occur every night and can come and go. It can often be weeks before it returns. In severe cases, a person can feel the same sensations in their arms

The causes of this sleep disorder are not very well known but it is thought that stress is a huge contributory factor to the condition. Other conditions can cause restless leg syndrome, for example up to 40% of pregnant women experience it. Also it has been shown that the condition can run in families but this isn’t in all cases or the majority.
Generally the best prevention is to exercise, eat healthy and maintain a stress-free or low stress lifestyle.

Sleep disorders are fairly common in the Western world.


Disruptions in sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness come under the concept of sleep disorders and they can be caused by psychological factors or physiological or a mixture of both.

This article goes over some of the most common sleep disorders there are and what they are.

Sleep Apnea & Snoring
Snoring is something many people do and may seem like it isn’t a problem. However snoring may be a sign that one has difficulty keeping their throat open while sleeping and this can lead to it’s more serious companion sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition where a person stops breathing in their sleep. This happens repeatedly and many people are unaware that they have this problem. Sleep apnea can be caused by an obstruction in the upper airway. This type of apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea and is the most common. It can also be caused by a failure of the brain to initiate a breath and this type is called central sleep apnea. This type is very rare and very difficult to diagnose. Apnea can worsen other medical conditions and also contribute to the develop of some such as high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetes to name a few.

Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis involves the inability to move while going from sleeping to wakefulness. This is temporary but can be an extremely frightening experience. Many regular drug users find this can crop up as an issue. This can also be a symptom of narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is characterized by 4 symptoms: excessive sleepiness during the day, cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. The daytime sleepiness can be so much that it can cause one to fall asleep in inappropriate situations. Cataplexy is a loss of muscle tone in response to emotional stimulus. Hypnagogic hallucinations are extremely vivid dream-like visual or auditory sensations. These occur while one is falling asleep.

Restless Legs Syndrome
Many people do not realize that this is in fact a sleep disorder. It is a neurological movement disorder that causes unpleasant sensations in the legs. It makes you feel like you need to move and can include sensations of tingling, burning, aches and also like bugs are crawling on your legs. Many women who are pregnant suffer from this disorder but it isn’t exclusive to them. It can make falling sleep difficult and it can be hard to rest with as a result of this syndrome.

Circadian Rhythm Disorders
This type of disorder results when a person’s body clock is out of sync with external time cues. This can occur as a result of jet lag, shift work or delayed sleep phase syndrome. This mismatch can lead to insomnia.

Insomnia
Insomnia is when one has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. If you have insomnia you find it almost impossible to get enough sleep in order to feel rested. Many teenagers will claim to be insomniacs.

Parasomnias
This type of sleep disorder is characterized by abnormal sleep behaviors. This can involve unconscious, goal-directed behaviors that have meaning to the person and can include sleep walking, night terrors, sleep eating, sleep sex and also rapid eye movement behavior disorder. There are many more behaviors that fit under this type of sleep disorder.

Besides the sleeping disorders above there are many others too.

There are many different sleep disorders about including narcolepsy, insomnia, restless legs, sleep deprivation and sleep apnea. This article goes over what sleep apnea is and symptoms of the disorder.


There are 2 types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and central sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is categorized by episodes of upper airway blockage during sleep. These episodes are repetitive and associated with reduced blood oxygen saturation. There are many things that can block the upper airways including large tonsils, excess tissue in the airway, a large tongue, airway muscles relaxing and collapsing during sleep. The nose and the structure of the jaw can also contribute to sleep apnea.

Central Sleep Apnea is also characterized by episodes of upper airway blockage and lack of effort in breathing during sleep. Central sleep apnea is rare in comparison to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and is also much more difficult to diagnose. Neuromuscular problems are usually involved in this type of apnea.

Generally the symptoms of this sleep disorder are that one stops breathing during sleep but unfortunately is unaware and one is very sleepy during the day.

Some effects of obstructive sleep apnea can be:

• Morning headaches
• High blood pressure
• Loud snoring
• Excess weight
• Dry mouth upon awakening
• Depression
• Difficulty concentration
• Heartburn
• Excessive sweating during sleep
• Rapid weight gain
• Restless sleep
• Insomnia
• Reduced libido

Sleep apnea can be life threatening and needs medical attention as soon as possible. If it goes undiagnosed it can cause heart attacks, strokes, an irregular heartbeat and impotence to name a few things.

If you feel like you may have it or a sleep disorder please see a Doctor. A doctor will determine where you have apnea by giving you a sleep test called a polysomnography. There are two types of polysomnograms. One polysomnogram is taken overnight and involves monitoring muscle tension, brain waves, eye movement, respiration and oxygen levels in the blood. The other type of polysomnogram is a home test. You are hooked up to electrodes by a sleep technologist who will tell you how to record your sleep.

If you are found to have a mild case, then this can usually be treated by lifestyle or behavioural changes. Things like losing weight or sleeping on your side will be recommended to you. You may be given an oral device to help reduce snoring and prevent the problem. Even if you do have a mild case you should be aware that this could lead to a moderate or severe case. Sleep apnea is progressive and as you age it can get worse, so trying to overcome it as soon as you can is key.

Moderate to severe cases are usually treated with a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine (C-PAP). More severe cases may involve a Bi-level machine that blows two different air pressures i.e. when the person inhales the pressure is higher than when exhaling.

If treatments do not help, there are surgery options but these are only an option when nothings helps the issue.

Sleep disorders are very common in the Western world.


A sleep problem is more than just sleepiness and when you lack quality sleep it can result in serious accidents, emotional outbursts that affect relationships, health problems including mental health among numerous other issues. Sleep is important so it is important to seek medical advice if you feel you have a sleep problem.

Symptoms of Sleep Disorders – Everyone experiences the occasional sleep problem and getting a good night’s rest. This is common because we live in a world of deadlines, exams and other temporary pressures that can cause us to feel stressed which can affect our sleep. When you lack sleep in this way you may feel a little foggy, unable to concentrate but as soon as the deadline is over or the stressor has passed you can go back to sleeping peacefully. However a sleep disorder is something experienced on a regular basis, despite stressors. But how do you tell if you problem is an ongoing issue or an isolated occasional occurrence?

The best way to determine whether you need to seek help with your sleep problems is to identify your symptoms and behaviors during the day. These can give you telltale signs of sleep deprivation.

If you experience any of the following you may have cause for concern:

• Irritability
• Feeling sleepy during the day
• Difficult staying awake when you sit still, read or watch TV
• Feel very tired while driving.
• Often get told you look tired.
• Feel emotional and have emotional outbursts.
• Slow reactions.
• Require caffeine to keep yourself going.
• Feel like taking a nap everyday.
• Difficult concentrating.

On top of these symptoms it is a good idea to make a note of your sleep habits and daily routine. Try writing it down and keeping a record of your sleep pattern and this will help your Doctor to diagnose you more efficiently and to help you overcome your problems. Some sleep problems resolve around trying to get the individual back into a normal sleep routine, so keeping record can help determine the best route of action.
Things you can include in your sleep diary may be:

• Time you go to bed and time you wake up (total hours of sleep)
• Quality of sleep
• What you have eaten and drank during the day
• How you feel before bed
• Drugs or medications you have taken

Details can be important in determining the cause and solution of your sleep problem. Diet and lifestyle play huge roles in sleep so try to write down everything you can.