by Dr. Simon Ash BDS MSc DOrth MOrth FDS
5 Immediate Steps to Help Stop Your Snoring
1. Weight Loss
Snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea can be linked to weight. Fatty tissue around the neck can cause the airway to decrease in size (snoring) or collapse completely (obstructive sleep apnoea).
By loosing weight you can help reduce these effects and in doing so improve your snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea.
2. Control Alcohol
Alcohol is a muscle relaxant. If the muscles in the jaw and neck are more relaxed than normal due to alcohol consumption this can cause the lower jaw and tongue to fall backwards. This in turn can cause the airway to decrease in size (snoring) or collapse completely (obstructive sleep apnoea).
By avoiding alcohol in the evening you can reduce these effects and in doing so improve your snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea.
3. Posture
Sleeping on your back can cause the lower jaw and tongue to fall backwards. This in turn can cause the airway to decrease in size (snoring) or collapse completely (obstructive sleep apnoea).
By sleeping on your side you can avoid this and in doing so improve your snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea.
4. Exercise
Decreased muscle tone in and around the neck can result is a less patent airway. This in turn can cause the airway to decrease in size (snoring) or collapse completely (obstructive sleep apnoea).
Exercising can increase muscle tone and help you maintain a patent airway and in turn improve your snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea
5. Mouth Breathing
Sleeping with your mouth open can cause the lower jaw and tongue to fall backwards. This in turn can cause the airway to decrease in size (snoring) or collapse completely (obstructive sleep apnoea).
By using an aid to help you sleep with your mouth closed you can avoid this and in doing so improve your snoring aStill snoring?nd obstructive sleep apnoea.
Still Snoring?
For many people however snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea are unavoidable. As we grow older our muscle tone decreases and we tend to gain weight. 30% of men and 20% of women under the age of 60 snore. Over the age of 60 this increases to 60% of men and 40% of women. Many people also have small or set-back lower jaws, or a large tongue, uvula, or tonsils.
Fortunately snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea can be effectively controlled with a mandibular advancement device. This is worn in the mouth during sleep and gently holds the lower jaw forward to keep the airway open. Mandibular advancement devices are unequivocally proven by many research studies to control snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea.
The problem however has been that until the Somnowell was introduced all of these devices were made of plastic and were often uncomfortable to wear. The Somnowell is made from a medical super alloy and is the most slimline and comfortable mandibular advancement device available.
Patient Testimonials
A Professor of Medicine from London, England: "life-transforming"
"When I consulted a colleague and expert in sleep medicine concerning my persistent fatigue and
inability to concentrate I was not amused to hear he considered I needed to use a mandibular
advancement device. Using the Somnowell system was not only straightforward but also lifetransforming,
enabling me to sleep soundly and to awake refreshed and ready for work for the
first time in years."
A Professor from Oxford, England: "amazingly effective"
"Your Somnowell device is a brilliant invention. I have been wearing it now for three months and it
has been amazingly effective. It is preventing me from snoring, which is a great boon for my wife.
From the moment I started to wear it she was no longer subjected to the night long deafening
foghorn which used to wake her up and disrupt her sleep.
Moreover, it has solved the problem of my sleep apnoea, which was potentially dangerous. I feel
as if I breathe better at night, am getting a better quality of sleep, and I wake up in the morning
refreshed rather than tired."
A GP from Devon, England: "a marriage and life changing device"
"I just wanted to thank you for the Somnowell device. Having snored loudly all my life I think the
device has reduced snoring volume by approx 90% (based on recordings). More amazing for me
is how much better the quality of my sleep has become and how much better I feel in the
mornings and indeed all day. In retrospect I must have had mild sleep apnoea which has been
abolished. I have started dreaming again which is an interesting effect. I cannot understand why
the NHS does not prescribe these as devices that might be alternatives to CPAP. Thanks again
for a marriage and life changing device."
A Health Care Professional from Dublin, Ireland: "eternally grateful"
"I write to commend your Somnowell device which I acquired 5 months ago. Firstly, it has
conquered my snoring problem and my spouse is eternally grateful. Secondly and of equal
consideration, it appears to have greatly reduced and possibly removed my sleep apnoea
condition, to the extent that I have given up the CPAP machine which was cumbersome,
uncomfortable and medically challenging with its need for extensive sterilisation on an almost
daily basis.
By contrast, your small, neat and efficient device is easy to maintain and a portable delight for
those of us who need to travel frequently. Your after care service is a blessing and the minor
adjustments which you have been able to make to the device for perfect mouth fit are evidence of
its flexibility. I wear my device every night without fail."
A Police Officer from Glasgow, Scotland: "well worth the money"
"I am more than happy to provide a testimony for the Somnowell device. I have been wearing it
for a few months now and can't sleep without it. After the first couple of times wearing it, it
becomes a normal part of the bedtime routine to put it in before going to sleep.
I now get a good night sleep and don't wake up feeling tired or feel the need to have a nap in the
afternoon. I've had surgery (twice), once at great expense having laser surgery on my throat
which was extremely painful and did not work in the slightest.
The Somnowell device is pain free and the best purchase I have ever made. I tried the plastic
devices and although they gave me a better sleep, they are uncomfortable and do not last long.
I would recommend this device to anyone, the difference in how you (and your partner) feel every
day is incredible. Well worth the money."
Practitioner Testimonials
Mr. David Thoni — Managing Director at Nobel Biocare: ”stopped my snoring immediately”
"I tried a few different devices before I discovered Somnowell and nothing worked. The Somnowell device is both comfortable to wear and very effective. It stopped my snoring immediately. I wake up every morning more refreshed from the better sleep I now get."
Dr. Lindsay Winchester — Consultant and Specialist Orthodontist — The Sleep Disorder Centre at Queen Victoria Hospital: “by far the best appliance”
"I have been working in a major sleep studies unit, fitting a variety of mandibular advancement splints, for the last 17 years. The Somnowell appliance is by far the best appliance I have ever used. Some of my long-standing patients who have struggled with other custom-made splints have converted to the Somnowell and have been amazed at how easy it is to wear and how successful it is in curing their snoring and sleep apnoea.
The slim-line design and the precision of fit make this appliance the easiest to wear and most tight-fitting,holding the lower jaw forwards and opening up the airway. None of my patients have found this uncomfortable and without exception prefer it to any other splint they have tried.
My Somnowell patients frequently tell me I have transformed their lives, as well as that of their partners. This appliance, in my opinion, truly is the "Rolls Royce" of Mandibular Advancement Appliances and I would urge any patients who are suffering from snoring or sleep apnoea to seek a consultation from one of the experienced Somnowell practitioners."
Dr. Athyr Al-Killidar — Orthodontist and Director at UK Smile, London: "most effective mandibular advancement device"
"I have been using custom-made plastic mandibular advancement devices in the management of snoring and sleep apnoea since 1999, and whereas results have been consistently positive in patients who wore the appliances, they had the following limitations:
1) They were relatively unhygienic, discoloured and developed a smell after some time in the oral environment;
2) The thickness of plastic required to make them strong enough to last, made them quite bulky, so encroached on the tongue space and necessitated a larger anterior movement of the mandible to make them effective;
3) The vertical opening of the mouth caused by the thickness of the plastic and necessity to maintain some opening at the front of the mouth to maintain an airway, was often beyond the patient's capacity to maintain a lip seal - this meant a greater likelihood of a dry mouth and dribbling throughout the night;
4) Changing the amount of mandibular advancement was always difficult;
5) The plastic often degraded over time and breakages were common after a few years;
6) The various designs all limited lateral movements of the TMJ to the extent that they approached fixation, and I have reservations about the long term effects of this on TMJ health.
Then the Somnowell appliance came along (thanks to Dr. Simon Ash) and addressed all of the above, and the feedback from patients has been unanimous - it is the least uncomfortable, most effective mandibular advancement device currently available..."
