Snoring is a common problem that can happen infrequently or become a nightly occurrence.  Loud and frequent snoring can be more than just a nuisance – it may indicate a serious health condition. It can also cause major disruption in your household. (How many couples have been pushed to the brink by this auditory interloper?) There are many causes of snoring and many treatments available.  Remedies can be as easy as simple lifestyle changes or as invasive as surgery.

Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues (such as your tongue, soft palate and airway) as you breathe. The sagging tissues narrow your airway, causing these tissues to vibrate and produce the jarring sound that your partner complains of every morning.

Various factors contribute to snoring, including: your mouth anatomy, being overweight, alcohol consumption, nasal problems, sleep apnea, sleep position, and more.

Before you consider powerful medications, hypnosis, consulting a divorce attorney, or learning to play the didgeridoo*, consider a few remedies we’ve experienced success with:

• Lose weight
• Sleep on your side
• Treat nasal congestion or obstruction
• Limit or avoid alcohol and sedatives
• Sleep with the Oxygen Pillow – the Oxygen Pillow is an ergonomically designed sleep accessory that is intended to properly align your body in a way that promotes healthy sleep cycles.  The Oxygen Pillow was designed to help stabilize sleep posture and maximize airflow, which can prevent snoring.  For some snorers, this makes a modest difference, but for some it can be profound.  And when it comes to improving nighttime breathing (and snoring), every bit counts.

What’s been your experience with snoring and snoring remedies?  We’re constantly expanding our knowledge in pursuit of a better night’s rest and would love to hear your stories and cures.

*No joke! Research from the University of Zurich reported in The British Medical Journal found that the breathing techniques required to play the didgeridoo strengthened the upper airways of snorers and resulted in significant improvement.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a chronic digestive disease that affects about 15% of Americans.  It occurs when stomach acid flows back (refluxes) into your food pipe (esophagus). The backwash of acid irritates the lining of your esophagus resulting in symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.  If you suffer from GERD, you are probably struggling with symptoms throughout the day, and it may be almost impossible for you to get a good night’s sleep. But don’t lose hope!

GERD is one of the most common causes of disrupted sleep for people between the ages of 45 and 64. Because it is so prevalent, there has been a fair amount of interest and research done to find ways to help sufferers sleep better. Here are some suggestions:

Positional Therapy
Avoid sleeping on your back, as it flattens out the digestive tract, allowing stomach acid to reflux easily.  Right-side sleeping can aggravate symptoms as well because places the stomach above the esophagus, causing liquid to drain into the esophagus.

The goal is to let gravity work for you.  Left-side sleeping helps lessen GERD-related symptoms by placing the stomach below the esophagus.  In this position, gastric juices must work against gravity to rise up through the esophagus.

Elevating the torso by sleeping on a gentle incline (about 6 inches) also provides significant relief. This ensures gastric juices stay where they belong – in the stomach.

Positional Therapy Products
The All-Natural Latex Sleeping Wedge.  The Harvard Medical School recommends sleeping on a specially designed wedge pillow. SC41’s Sleep Wedge enables comfortable left-side sleeping while providing the benefits of elevation. The wedge is 36’’ long, covered in organic knit cotton, and sits on top of your mattress.  The Sleep Wedge can also help improve symptoms of sleep apnea.

The Motorized Adjustable Bed.  Adjustable beds give you the ability to adjust the degree of incline in your bed, so you can achieve a sleep position that can improve nighttime GERD drastically. If you have severe GERD symptoms, you may want to consider a motorized adjustable bed. SC41 carries a German-engineered motorized adjustable bed, which allows you to fine tune the incline of your bed so you can find the best sleep position for your situation.

Incorporating positional therapy and positional therapy products can make a world difference for GERD sufferers.  We hope to help everyone achieve a better night’s sleep because we believe better sleep translates to a better quality of life.

Sweet dreams.

SC41 Interior Designer, Lori Hannum, was quoted in an article in Organic Spa Magazine on organic bedding. The article focused on duplicating the high quality, organic bedding found at an eco-spa in your own home.

Luckily for those in Santa Cruz and the surrounding area, it is easy to find eco-friendly mattresses, pillows and bedding at SC41. The store carries the SC41 Natural Mattress, the Oxygen Pillow, the Sleep Wedge and a variety of natural bedding, in addition to a large selection of beautifully crafted, sustainable bedroom furniture from top manufacturers.

You can read the Organic Spa Magazine article here.