The Snoring Lady

Sleepless in Stansted

2018-02-12T21:44:00.000+00:00

OK OK, not quite as exotic sounding as Sleepless in Seattle (am I showing my age?!) but, here I am, in a hotel room near Stansted which I’m sharing with my two kids and, when he gets back from the party we were attending earlier, my husband too.

And here’s the thing. I’ve had a really busy week, I’m absolutely shattered and the kids have clearly missed the memo that Mummy would REALLY love an early night. After all, if I can’t be at the party, then perhaps I can treat myself with some extra sleep?!

Yes, as The Snoring Lady (and passionate sleep fanatic) I’m one of those precious few who openly recognise and extol the virtues of sleep. Hey, maybe I should get a T shirt with an appropriate slogan… but what would it say? “Keep calm I’ve had 8 hours?”

The irony is that I know how important sleep is, yet, just like everyone else, I often will stay up later than my body wants as I ‘just’ want to watch that film or do that little extra piece of work. And I should know better! But I still do it… just like I don’t always eat my 5 a day and sometimes eat too much chocolate or cheese! Do we have a self-destruct button? Are we hard-wired to challenge our bodies to do more? Do we think we’re still young and that it won’t catch up with us?! [Hang on, am I suggesting I’m old at 44?! Gulp!]

Maybe my T shirt should say “Still sleep deprived. Must try harder” or “Panic. I’m surviving on 5 hours.” Or “I’ve only had 5 hours sleep… gaaaaah!” What do you think?!

We all value the various parts of our lives differently. Some people love their cars, their pets, their job. Without getting too touchy-feely, I think we need to be ready to love ourselves a little more, or there simply won’t be an ‘ourself’ at all. There are lots of stats and figures about how sleep deprivation increases our risks of cancer, neurological disorders, stroke. My goodness, I write papers about it all the time. I know this. But yes, I fall into the category of believing it won’t happen to me… it’s foolish, but I’m being brutally honest.

And if we think about it, how many of us ACTUALLY think that something bad will really happen to us? That we’ll be the 1 in however many that gets the cancer, or has a horrible car accident, but someone must have it happening to them, or there wouldn’t be that statistic (unless the Office of National Statistics are all a bunch of jokers of course!!). If you’re that 1 in 10, then it happens to you 100%. A surgeon once told me that when discussing the risks of infection in keyhole surgery! It got me thinking, and has clearly stayed with me.

So, how many of us are sleep deprived? How many of us are propped up on caffeine and/or sugars to get through the day? And how many of us are sleepless in wherever… either because we’ve intentionally stayed up to watch that film or extra box set episode, or those of us who work late into the evening, or whose kids are being naughty monkeys, or indeed the parents of babies that still haven’t found their parent-friendly-sleep-routine yet. (I remember those days.. hang on in there, it gets better)…

If you think you might fall into one of these categories, (or another) where you feel tired in the day, please don’t ignore it. If your sleepiness is self-inflicted, remember that you can probably pause that film and come back another day, and the extra episode will be there tomorrow, and so will the work for that matter… And for those of you with naughty kids [hoping my kids get this memo at least!], they will sleep well tomorrow, and the babies will sort themselves out eventually… they will, honestly!

However, if you’re sleepy and you don’t know why, please don’t ignore it. It could be a symptom of something more serious, so it would be sensible to talk about it with your GP (or PCP if you’re not in the UK!) They’ll be able to ask you questions and check you over and make sure you’re OK.
In the time it’s taken me to write this, my kids have FINALLY gone to sleep. Hallelujah. It’s 21:36 so not too late, but I would benefit from an early night. So for once I’m going to take my own advice and get to bed… night night folks. Sleep well. […and if you’re not, please get advice from your GP]

The Snoring Lady
#sleepdeprived #sleepless

Sleep apnoea kills*

2017-06-17T14:56:00.000+01:00

It was sad to see in the news today that Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher died from sleep apnoea and “other causes” according to the Los Angeles coroner. However, her death certificate states she suffered a cardiac arrest, and in a statement the LA coroner said the exact cause was unknown.[1]

For me, as someone passionate about raising awareness of the damage sleep apnoea can do, it is especially sad to hear that sleep apnoea was involved.

But note, that even though sleep apnoea was listed as a cause of death[2], it was not marked as such on the death certificate… because * sleep apnoea doesn’t normally kill people, but it exacerbates conditions, so undiagnosed/untreated sleep apnoea sufferers will die of stroke or heart attack, for example.

My question then is does sleep apnoea not get the recognition, does it not have the level of awareness in the general public BECAUSE it is not listed as a cause of death?

Imagine if the evening news stated that there had been a 10% increase in deaths related to sleep apnoea.

Would that make you sit up and think about the quality of your sleep? Would it encourage you ask your snoring partner to go to the doctor to get tested?

I suggest it would. We don’t normally want to bring about our earlier demise, so should we be asking for more reporting of deaths with sleep apnoea as a factor in order to track this?

If you want more information on snoring and sleep apnoea, download the BMA Patient Information Award Winning Guide from Snorer.com.

Thanks, sleep well.

TSL

#snoring #sleepapnoea #sleepapnea

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40311159 [accessed 17 June 2017]

[2] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40311159 [accessed 17 June 2017]

The stress of new year resolutions!

2017-01-05T10:06:00.000+00:00

It’s 2017 – Happy New Year everyone!

Let’s face it, at the beginning of the year pretty much everyone bangs on about changing this and improving that… and there’s a massive part of me that wants to do the same.

I’m a full-time working mum with a 4 year old and 1 year old (who doesn’t sleep through the night yet) so whilst I’d love to walk to work, go to the gym, drink less GnT and eat less chocolate, I’ve also got to keep it realistic.

I could walk to work, but I also have to do the school run, so the logistics don’t work, and frankly with a full time job, a home and young children my will-power at the end of the day isn’t the greatest.

Anyone with me? (Or am I just a bit rubbish?)

I’m actually ok with it, and if I don’t have unrealistic goals, I won’t have that sinking feeling mid-January/February realising that so early into the year I’ve not achieved my aims.

However, what I am committing to this year is having more ‘me’ time.

Now before you switch off... (I know more wanting 'me time' is relatively common)... stick with me...

'Me time' is pretty massive for me. I’m one of those ‘if-I’ve-got-spare-time-I’m-working-on-something’ kind of people. So, whilst I will of course keep doing some of that (Rome wasn’t built in a day), I’m also going to read more fiction for pure enjoyment – no betterment! I’m going to take more relaxing baths… long baths, until just before I turn into a prune!

One of the reasons I’m going to do this is I need to relax more. I don’t think I’m the only person who needs to relax more. Show me a parent that wouldn’t like a bit more chillax!

Whilst I research sleep and snoring, I read lots of articles and journal pieces about the impact of stress on health. Yes, a little bit of stress is good… fight or flights stops us getting eaten by woolly mammoths (they’re ten a penny in Oxfordshire 😉) but too much has a negative impact on the endocrine system, which is essential in mood regulation, metabolism, sexual function and reproduction.

I’m not too worried about reproduction these days (I love my gorgeous two children, but two is enough!), but I could certainly do with improved metabolism and better mood (just ask my husband!)

Having already had a few calmer evenings (with a book and a bath!), I already feel calmer than my previous default DEFCON4 status and if I can feel happier and be healthier then I’m hoping I’ll sleep better. And because I’m always banging on about the importance of good quality restorative sleep, I KNOW a calmer and more rested me, will be a stellar force to be reckoned with.

So here’s to it. Hello 2017 – I’m ready for you!

The Snoring Lady

#thesnoringlady

#osa2020

I want it now... I'll worry about the cost later

2016-09-06T22:33:00.000+01:00

The launch of the Amazon 'Dash button' got me thinking... I love that the Internet of Things is happening... but what does it say about us?

Press a button and 'ta-da' the thing that you need is delivered the next day.

As a working mum, it's great that re-ordering could be made so easy... put one of these buttons on the washing machine and when you're running low on detergent, press the button and new detergent arrives.

But is this indicative of our need for immediacy?

We want an immediate 'cure' for this and 'fix' for that. Don't want the sustained effort of calorie reduction and exercise? - No, I'll have a pill please.

This is what I see increasingly in medicine and healthcare. We're increasingly impatient to wait for a doctors appointment, so we Google our symptoms, and no doubt scare ourselves to death that we have some terrible condition... and succumb to the latest quick fix. We self diagnose ourselves rather than waiting to speak with a medical professional.

This is what worries me.

I'm not a doctor. I don't know the implications or risks of one health condition on another. I therefore shouldn't be self-diagnosing and self-treating myself for anything much more than a headache/flu/cuts and grazes - and "if symptoms persist" I should see a doctor anyway.

So why do so many people self diagnose their sleep condition? It's OK, I just snore, so I'll use this mouthpiece, throat spray, nose strips, chinstrap etc.

Yet these 'treatments' when self administered might be masking a more serious condition. Snoring is a symptom of sleep apnoea/apnea, which is when you stop breathing in your sleep. The snoring noise might be masked, but breathing could still be affected, and the body needs oxygen to survive! Or if the airway is being held open by some means, then the teeth or jaw joint could be damaged if a dentist hasn't been involved!

Is it worth it?

Wait a few days for a GP appointment and push for a medical investigation versus the increased risk to pre-existing conditions, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, even cancer and dementia.

Our need for immediacy could be killing us. Is it worth it?

The Snoring Lady
#thesnoringlady
#osa2020

Our cultural problem with technology is affecting our health

2016-08-01T10:30:00.000+01:00

Today is World Wide Web Day. Hoorah. I'm such a fan. I love online shopping (much easier with 2 small children), I'm always using social media, and I love music and video on demand. I get drawn into the latest gadget and I'm passionate about how the web has the ability to be inclusive... so don't get me wrong, I love technology. Oh, and without it I'd not be able to blog! :-)

However, we need to be aware of the flip side to the myriad of benefits the web brings us. I believe that the web and associated technologies are literally crippling us. Our need to be permanently switched on and our fixation with screens has a physical affect (so called 'text neck') and it goes further than that. It affects our sleep, which in turn affects just about every aspect of life, from health to happiness.

Blue light (that's the light that comes from our smart phones, tablets, laptops, most TVs etc) blocks the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, inevitably causing sleep problems. There are plug-ins and apps to minimise the problem, such as F.lux, which I've used for ages and Apple's NightShift - a blue light filter for iOS; but they don't solve everything.

Here is one example. Arianna Huffington writes in her book The Sleep Revolution, that we reward ourselves with another box set episode... thinking we're giving ourselves a treat, yet we're actually depriving ourselves of essential, restorative sleep. Then, the cycle continues because the blue light hasn't started the melatonin production, so we don't feel sleepy, so we watch another episode. A recent advert for Sky Box Sets had Idris Elba saying "you can't go to bed now David, there's only one episode left!" and then "Well done" when 'David' clicks play.

I'm not slamming box sets (I was somewhat addicted to Mad Men) and I'm certainly not having a pop at Idris Elba (he can sit on my sofa anytime), but how do we feel in the morning after a marathon box set late night? Awful... and so we prop ourselves up with coffee and sugary/fatty foods, which is no doubt contributing to the rise in obesity. (...and that's the subject of a future blog post.)

It's just one example to get you thinking...

All I'm saying here is yes, technology rocks, it has the ability to enrich our lives in ways we haven't even thought possible yet... but we must also recognise the flip side, so we can mitigate the risks, and enjoy the benefits.

TSL
#thesnoringlady
#tryingtoretaingoodposture
#puttingdownthatbiscuit

Why is snoring so embarrassing?

2016-07-28T10:30:00.000+01:00

Why is it that no one wants to 'fess up' to snoring?

Tell someone that they snore and you'll probably get rebuffed (or some slightly less polite variant!). Or you'll be told that you snore, etc etc.. and so it disintegrates into a "who snores more" competition.

The statistics on snoring vary greatly, from 25%-50% of the population being affected, and I'd suggest that many more people will occasionally snore - perhaps after a few too many alcoholic drinks, certain over the counter medications etc.

So if this is such a common issue, why aren't we more open about it?

I hope that in time it will be a bit like mental health and one day we will feel happier to talk about it. Is it because it is something that happens in the bedroom, and we're usually pretty tight-lipped about that!

Snoring might be just anti-social... noisy and disturbing for those around you, but it could also be a symptom of sleep apnoea, which has connections to so many health issues that we need to be more open about it. We'd go to the GP about other persistent symptoms, but for some reason we don't mention snoring.

Is it because the snorer doesn't think it affects them? (It does you know - more about that in a future blog) Is it because society doesn't know? I think so, and I hope you'll help me to tell more people that snoring shouldn't be ignored.

Don't be embarrassed... speak up about snoring...

TSL
#thesnoringlady
#OSA2020

Zzzz does not mean good sleep

2016-07-21T10:08:00.000+01:00

Houston, we have a problem.

OK, the problem is not at NASA - it's bigger than that. In books, cartoons and films, snoring is used to show that someone is asleep... (think Zzzzzzzzs coming out of their mouths in a speech bubble, and noisy snoring and you've got the picture.)

My 4 year old son is already aware that snoring isn't good (poor boy!) - he now points it out when we read a book together.

The problem is that if you're snoring you're not breathing properly...

and this will be disrupting your own sleep and that of those around you. (Have you ever tried to sleep when you can hear a snorer?!)

So, let's start a revolution. Let's stop signifying sleep with snoring. It's fundamentally wrong and it is reinforcing the misplaced belief that snoring can be ignored. More on that another time!

Take it easy.

TSL
#thesnoringlady

Thanks for joining us!

2016-07-17T16:39:00.000+01:00

Hi there!

I’ve been passionate about the impact of untreated snoring and sleep apnoea for a number of years. I joke that I’ve become a sleep ‘bore’… in that I will talk about the role of quality sleep on health and happiness until the proverbial cows come home! How ironic – to bore people to sleep when talking about sleep! Haha!

Seriously though, I’ve affectionately become known as The Snoring Lady… hopefully because of my drive to help more people get effectively treated for snoring and sleep apnoea, rather than for sending people off to sleep…

If you want to find out more about

My experiences of working with sleep clinics and therapy providers
The importance of sleep
The impact of snoring on the snorer and those around them
My experience as the wife of a snorer
Snoring and sleep apnoea
New treatment options
The irony of talking about sleep as a sleep deprived mum of 2(!)

In a jargon free way, keep coming back or sign up (top right) for notifications!

Cheers! Sleep well....

TSL
#thesnoringlady