| Snoring problems during sleep - once thought as | | | | The cross sectional study, a joint effort by |
| just a noisy disruption to your sleeping partner | | | | researchers of the University of California, San |
| (perhaps the entire household) is now understood | | | | Francisco and Stanford University, measured the |
| to be so much more. | | | | daytime resting energy output of 212 adults, |
| When we sleep, turbulent airflow moves through | | | | some of who had sleep disordered breathing. The |
| the tissues of the nose and throat which may | | | | body mass index of the subjects was at a mean |
| narrow during sleep - resulting in that awful noise. | | | | value of 28.3, considered at the high end of the |
| And while anyone can snore, estimates have | | | | overweight range. |
| 45% of men and 30% of women snoring on a | | | | The severity of the subject's sleeping disorder |
| nightly basis. Generally, the more weight you're | | | | was measured by the apnea-hypopnea index, |
| carrying the more you're likely to snore. | | | | which tells how many times in an hour a subject |
| New research appearing in December 2008's issue | | | | doesn't breathe or if there is a reduction in air |
| of the Archives of Otolaryngology Head & | | | | flow that's enough to cause a wake from sleep. |
| Neck Surgery supports the idea that those of us | | | | The study found that for every 10 point increase |
| who snore actually burn calories fast when at rest | | | | in the index, there was a 27 calorie increase in |
| during the day compared to those who sleep | | | | resting energy expenditure during the day. |
| quietly. | | | | Unexpected to be sure... subjects are overweight |
| The trouble is that the extra calorie burning | | | | yet seem to have a higher metabolic rate overall. |
| doesn't make a dent in the extra pounds that | | | | More work is needed... |
| often accompany all the noisy snoring. | | | | A second study, based on interviews with about |
| Lead study author Dr. Eric J. Kezirian says, "This | | | | 1500 workers, found that hay fever and other |
| study examined one of the important ways that | | | | allergic reactions don't appear to be linked with |
| obstructive sleep apnea can affect body weight. | | | | snoring or sleepiness during the day, unless the |
| There are many things we do not understand | | | | nasal passages are obstructed. |
| about the relationship between obstructive sleep | | | | This work was conducted at the University of |
| apnea and body weight, and this is one." | | | | Occupational and Environmental Health located in |
| While obesity and sleep apnea are thought to be | | | | Kitakyushu, Japan. Subjects in the nasal |
| closely related, this latest work looked at ways | | | | obstruction groups had higher odds of snoring |
| obstructive sleep apnea can affect body weight. | | | | (and dealing with daytime sleepiness), whether |
| Medicine knows that losing weight improves | | | | they had allergies or not. |
| obstructive sleep apnea in anyone who is | | | | "The present results strongly suggest that nasal |
| overweight, but this is one of many ways this | | | | obstruction causes sleep-disordered breathing and, |
| condition might be affected by weight. | | | | thus, daytime sleepiness in individuals without |
| "People with sleep apnea have a greater chance | | | | allergic rhinitis as well as in those with allergic |
| of being obese, and obese patients have a | | | | rhinitis," the study authors tell us. |
| greater chance of having sleep apnea," said Dr. | | | | If you find you have nasal obstructions, seeking |
| Jordan Josephson, a specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital | | | | treatment for this condition will vastly improve |
| in New York City and author of Sinus Relief Now. | | | | snoring problems and the quality of your sleep, as |
| Sleep apnea is the number one cause of cardiac | | | | well as your waking life. |
| events like heart attack and stroke while sleeping. | | | | |