Coping With a Snoring Partner

It's happening again. You are trying to go to sleep and your partner is snoring so loud you simply can't. Resist the urge to stuff a pillow over his or her head and take this advice instead.

There are some couples that choose to have separate bedrooms. This works for some people - they may go to their bedroom to watch TV together or have sex but then retreat to their respective bedrooms when it's time to go to sleep.

You could also try to train yourself or your bed partner to sleep on their side or stomach, which may help prevent snoring. You can prop pillows in a position so the snorer is on his or her side or stomach and can't flip onto their back (the position which shoring is most likely to occur).

You can nudge them to turn over, but if that doesn't work, it may be a sign that your partner has obstructive sleep apnea (a problem that should be evaluated by a sleep specialist).

If you've found that your partner snores on his or her back, but not on his or her stomach or side, the snoring is side dependant. You can help the snorer learn to sleep in a different position.

Good Sleep Hygiene

Practice the following for good sleep hygiene:

1. Sleep as much as you need to feel refreshed and healthy the following day, but not more. Excessively long times in bed seems to be related to shallow sleep.
2. Try to get up at about the same time EVERY morning, regardless of when you retired the night before. This helps establish a sleep/wake rhythm of cycle and will eventually help you feel sleepy at the same time each night.
3. Exercise the same amount each day, preferably in the late afternoon or early evening. Occasional exercise does not necessarily improve sleep the following night. Too much activity late in the evening can stimulate your body and make it difficult to relax for sleep.
4. Make sure the bedroom is quiet and dark. Occasional loud noises, like aircraft fly-overs, disturb sleep even in people who are not awakened by noises and cannot remember them in the morning.
5. Keep the temperature comfortable -- neither too warm or cold. 65 degrees farenheit is recommended.
6. Don´t go to bed until you feel sleepy. If it´s bedtime but you´re not tired, do something to relax (like reading) until you feel sleepy.
7. A light snack may help sleep. A heavy meal will not.
8. An occasional sleeping pill may help, but chronic use is ineffective.
9. Avoid napping. Usually naps do more harm than good; you will be less sleepy when you want to sleep.
10. Caffeine in the evening disturbs sleep, even in those who feel it does not.
11. Alcohol helps people fall asleep more easily, but that sleep is fragmented.
12. Don´t smoke. Chronic tobacco use disturbs sleep.
13. Don´t rehash today´s problems or worry about tomorrow´s schedule.
14. If you can´t sleep, go to another room, and do something relaxing. Reading or a light snack may help.

Five Common Types of Sleeping Disorders

There are many different types of sleeping disorders. Here are descriptions of five common ones:

1. Nightmare Disorder: Nightmares are frightening dreams that occur during REM sleep. During these, the heart rate usually increases, the breathing rate increases and the child experiences profuse sweating.

2. Sleep Terror Disorder: Extreme panic and a sudden, loud, terrified scream during sleep, followed by physical activities such as hitting objects or moving in and out of the bedroom. Persons with this disorder can injure themselves. The person often remembers either nothing or just parts of these dreams.

3. Sleepwalking Disorder: A person is performing acts in their sleep, usually with their eyes open. Acts can include wandering aimlessly, carrying objects without any purpose, going outdoors, even driving. They may mumble. However, it is usually impossible to communicate with a sleepwalker.

4. REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: Sufferer has dream-enacting behaviors that include talking, yelling, punching, kicking, sitting, jumping out of bed, arm flailing, and grabbing. People act out distinctly altered dreams that are vivid, intense, action-packed, and violent.

5. Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD): The primary symptom of RLS is insomnia (inability to sleep), whereas PLMD is known to make one extremely sleepy during the day. About 80 percent of those with RLS also have PLMD or involuntary leg twitching or jerking movements during sleep that can occur every 20-30 seconds.

About Chronic Insomnia and Treating it

More than one in 10 American adults experience chronic insomnia, defined as poor sleep every night or most nights for more than six months. Chronic insomnia affects one's sleep for so long that waking hours become foggy with fatigue and tasks like driving and working become tough. Sufferers report feeling depressed and zapped of all energy.

Researchers have found out this about insomnia treatment for chronic insomnia:

- Cognitive/behavioral therapy: This is a psychology-based treatment that trains people to reduce anxiety and take other sleep-promoting steps. Insomniacs should check with board-certified sleep specialists and psychologists.

- Some prescription sleep pills work without many of the side-effect concerns, but as with any medication, you should consult your doctor first. Talk to your physician about side effects to this drug.

The 8 Hour Idea

Where did the idea that we need 8 hours of sleep come from? Anthropologists believe that the eight hours of nightly sleep required by most people today were genetically programmed when the first humans walked the earth along the equator - where it is dark for just over eight hours per day. Sleep problems arise when we step out of sync with this circadian rhythm that would otherwise wake us up naturally with the rising sun and send us to bed soon after dark.

* Source: Healthwise, Fall 1995

About Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder that results in a restlessness and need to move ones legs. With it typically comes insomnia (the inability to sleep) and affects 12 million Americans.

Research indicates that genetics play a part in who gets RLS. Those with a positive family history of the condition have a 50 percent chance of also having RLS if a first-degree relative also has it.

The four symptoms of RLS:
1. You have a strong urge to move your legs which you may not be able to resist. You also feel the uncomfortable sensations often described as a creeping, itching, pulling, creepy-crawly, tugging or gnawing.

2. Your RLS symptoms start or become worse when you are resting. The longer you are resting, the greater the chance the symptoms will occur and the more severe they are likely to be.

3. Your RLS symptoms get better when you move your legs. The relief can be complete or only partial but generally starts very soon after starting an activity.

4. Your RLS symptoms are worse in the evening especially when you are lying down. Activities that bother you at night do not bother you during the day.

According to Sleep Medicine Reviews, a publication which provides international coverage of sleep disorders, RLS usually follows a chronic course and it may worsen over time in some patients. Talk to your doctor if you think you have restless leg syndrome.

Pregnancy Insomnia

About 78 percent of pregnant women experience insomnia during pregnancy. It is not harmful to the baby, but can be very frustrating to the mom-to-be. According to the American Pregnancy Association, the following contribute to insomnia during pregnancy:

- Discomfort due to the increased size of your abdomen
- Back pains
- Heartburn
- Frequent urination during the night
- Anxiety
- Anticipating the arrival of the baby
- Frequent and vivid dreams
- Hormonal changes

Here are some pointers for how to cope with insomnia during pregnancy:

- Try new sleeping positions
- Prepare yourself for bedtime by taking a warm bath or receiving a nice massage
- Make sure the temperature is comfortable and play relaxing music before bed
- Try relaxation techniques such as the ones you have learned in your childbirth class
- If you still cannot fall asleep you should get up; you might read a book, watch TV, eat a small snack or fix some warm milk
- Exercising during the day
- If you have the opportunity, nap during the day

"Sunday Night Syndrome"

Our body and minds seem to do best with a daily rhythm that stays pretty much the same. Whenever we change that rhythm, we need time to adjust to the new schedule. This is what is responsible for what has been pegged "Sunday Night Syndrome."

Sunday Night Syndrome refers to how many of us try to play "catch up" on sleep lost during the week on Saturday and Sunday mornings and then cannot sleep well on Sunday nights.

To combat this, it's a good idea to get up at the same time every day, even if you did not sleep well the night before or went to bed late. This is often hard for people to accept. It seems the opposite of what we want to do. But experts say it is beneficial in the long run.

All About Sleep Apnea

People who have sleep apnea stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while they are sleeping. These stops can happen up to 400 times every night. This can be serious and life threatening. There are two types of sleep apnea: central and obstructive.

-Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate respirations.

-Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common and occurs when air cannot flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth, though efforts to breathe continue.

Studies have found that sleep apnea is associated with increased blood pressure, a risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. If any of these symptoms appear, it is important to address them with your doctor. A number of effective treatment approaches are available.