Reasons Women and Snoring Go Together More Often Than You'd Think

The combination of women and snoring has been kept 'quiet' by many females unwilling to admit that they can keep up with their male counterparts and bring down the rafters with their night time noise. Recent surveys show that nearly 30% of all women snore. There are several factors that can contribute and some of them can be readily dealt with.

As women age, they are more likely to snore. Women in their 50s were 5 times more likely to report being habitual snorers than women in their 20s. However, the issue for women and snoring later on in life appears to diminish. Fewer women in their 60s report this as a problem.

Allergies, a bad sleeping position, or poor muscle tone in the region of the throat can create conditions ripe for snoring. Some women find that shifting from sleeping on their back to their side can alleviate the problem. Building a nest with pillows to maintain a position while sleeping is a comfortable solution for some women. Allergies can cause an inflamed, constricted airway that contributes to the air flow turbulence which is the central cause of snoring. Poor muscle tone, which can increase with age, is a major culprit. Regular exercise will not only improve muscle tone on the targeted groups but throughout the entire body and can help alleviate nighttime snoring as an added bonus.

Excess weight is a major culprit when it comes to women and snoring and the value of reducing the BMI cannot be overstated when seeking to eliminate problem snoring. It makes sense when you think about it. As muscle is displaced by fat, the overall tone of the body's muscle groups begins to decrease and snoring may result. Studies have also shown that people are more likely to snore if they go to sleep on a very full stomach. Think nap after a Thanksgiving dinner.

Alcohol consumption is also very likely to cause snoring. The alcohol allows muscles to relax. Those relaxed muscles are creating the conditions to make a snorer of any woman.

If count yourself as one of the women and snoring is an issue for you, it's important to realize that you are not alone. Almost a third of all snorers are female and for many of you there may be a few simple steps that you can take to alleviate the problem today with a minimum of hassle.

The issue of snoring and women is one long known about and accepted but it is furthermore something that you can do something to resolve, and will likely not require surgery. Recognize the issue of snoring and women via many remedies that you can get today, and stop suffering now. For more insights and additional information, please visit our web site at http://newsnoringsolution.com/category/womenandsnoring/

Original article

Who's Suffering More From Lack of Sleep - Men or Women?

This week, I was interviewed by WCBS-TV New York for a news segment called, "Sleep: the Battle of the Sexes." The topic was one I am very familiar with: People suffering from lack of sleep, and how it can affect daytime mood, mental acuity, job performance and relationship intimacy.

The show drilled down a bit farther and asked: who is more likely to suffer from a sleep disorder, men or women? And of the two genders, which performs better despite a lack of sleep?

What we know is that men and women have different circadian rhythms. According to an article by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, "The circadian rhythms of melatonin and body temperature are set to an earlier hour in women than in men, even when the women and men maintain nearly identical and consistent bedtimes and wake times. Moreover, women tend to wake up earlier than men and exhibit a greater preference for morning activities than men."

In other words, women tend to go to sleep and wake up earlier than men. We also know thanks to a Penn State study that women need 6.8 hours of sleep per night, while men require just 6.2 hours. While scientific studies are interesting, there is a discrepancy between these numbers and what I am seeing in my office at the Manhattan Snoring and Sleep Center.

Based on the facts, one would think women are getting to sleep earlier and sleeping longer than their male counterparts. But are women getting the sleep they need? In my anecdotal opinion, they are not, and they are suffering quietly for it. In our society, men are stressed out, but women are really stressed out. The physical demands of balancing career and family, along with the mental strain of worrying about finances and future is taking its toll on the women in our society.

Don't get me wrong, men worry and suffer from sleep disorders too. But they seem more willing to speak up and seek treatment. Women, on the other hand, being the selfless caregivers they are, stay focused on others and what needs to be done and power through their day. Which explains another Penn State study that found sleep deprived women made fewer mistakes compared to men in a series of computer tasks. It seems that, although women need more sleep, they do better without it because, for better or worse, they're just more used to it.

Whether a man or woman is suffering from a lack of sleep, the fact is that a sleep disorder can lead to negative health issues, including an increased chance of hypertension, heart disease, osteoporosis and inflammatory disease.

In addition to personal health issues, a sleep disorder can wreak havoc on a relationship. The partner of a patient once shared with me how his snoring and sleep apnea had impacted their relationship. It led to weeks without quality REM sleep, and she said it left her feeling groggy with low energy, cranky, unable to concentrate for long and she was more prone to getting sick. His constant snoring caused her to start sleeping on the couch, which led to resentment, lack of intimacy and loss of connection.

I have made it clear in previous blogs that I am not a marriage counselor or relationship expert. But I can tell you unequivocally that, if you or your partner snores or suffers from a lack of sleep on a consistent basis, it will negatively affect your relationship.

In the end, circadian rhythms and who performs better and the sex of the person with the sleep disorder doesn't matter. What matters is getting it treated and keeping the relationship healthy.

This also bears repeating: Turn off the TV when you go to sleep. Falling asleep with the TV or computer on interrupts deep REM sleep because the light from the screens interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that tells our bodies when it's time to go to sleep. Do yourself a favor and turn off the TV, computer and lights at night. Your brain and body will thank you for it the next day.

To watch "Sleep: The Battle of the Sexes" on CBS2 New York, click here.

David Volpi, M.D., P.C., F.A.C.S. is a board-certified otolaryngology surgeon with Ear, Nose and Throat practices, Otolaryngology Associates, on the Upper West Side and Upper East Side and is a staff member of the best teaching hospitals New York City. Realizing that there is a lack of information on the part of the public about the potential severity of snoring, he founded The Manhattan Snoring and Sleep Center to be a place where snoring patients can go for expert information, diagnosis and treatment. As a recognized authority throughout the country for his work in snoring disorders, he is also the author of the definitive guide book on the diagnosis and treatment of snoring: Wake Up! You're Snoring...

He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the American Medical Association (AMA), the American College of Surgeons, the Medical Society of the State of New York, the New York County Medical Society, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and the American Rhinologic Society.

Original article