A device resembling a kettle that employs breathing exercises to strengthen neck and chest muscles may be effective in eliminating heavy snoring.
A valve in the spout of the electric “kettle” partially stops airflow when a patient breathes into it for 10 to 15 seconds at a time.
This causes the chest and throat muscles to work harder to force air into the kettle, gradually enhancing their power.
It is believed that tightening muscles in this manner reduces the likelihood of throat tissue collapsing during sleep, a cause of snoring.
A research experiment is currently underway at Turku University in Finland to determine whether using the £200 WellO2 kettle every day for three months could treat sleep apnoea, a condition that affects around four million adults in the United Kingdom, according to the Sleep Apnoea Trust.
Sleep apnea happens when the muscles in the airway, which normally relax as we fall asleep, totally collapse, resulting in a ten-second pause in breathing.
Once the brain detects that breathing has ceased, it sends a signal to the airway muscles to contract once more. This typically causes the patient to awaken with a start.
The cumulative result is that both sufferers and their companions experience daytime fatigue.
Sleep apnoea has also been demonstrated to raise blood pressure and the possibility of a stroke or heart attack because of diminished oxygen supply.
The standard treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), in which a mask is worn over the face while sleeping. The mask is connected to a bedside machine that pumps air softly into the airways to prevent them from collapsing.
However, some individuals find the mask cumbersome, and research indicates that roughly one-third never use the device or stop using it within a few weeks.
Previous research has demonstrated that strengthening the muscles of the upper airway can aid in the treatment of sleep apnea.
A 2005 study from the University of Zurich in Switzerland indicated that regular didgeridoo playing reduced snoring-related sleep disruptions and alleviated daytime tiredness.
This is because producing a sound with a didgeridoo involves significant breathing effort, hence strengthening airway muscles.
The Finnish WellO2 kettle could be a more convenient method of muscle training.
To avoid burning the airways during inhalation, after boiling tap water in the device and allowing it to cool for a few minutes, the user lays their lips over the plastic spout (which does not get hot) and exhales slowly for ten to fifteen seconds.
The one-way valve within the spout partially obstructs the airflow, requiring increased effort from the chest and neck muscles to drive air through.
Then, a deep, slow breath lasting ten to fifteen seconds is taken to inhale steam from the device, moisturizing the airways and relieving any congestion that may also contribute to sleep apnea and snoring.
Regular use of the kettle has been demonstrated to strengthen the muscles of the pharynx, the breathing tube that connects the nose and mouth to the throat. 50 patients with sleep apnea will use the kettle three times each day for two years during the current study. Researchers will test for a reduction in nighttime breathing disturbances and daytime weariness.
Participants will visit a sleep clinic before and after the experiment, where they will spend the night hooked up to a machine that performs a polysomnogram — a test of their breathing, brain activity, heart rate, and movement, to evaluate their sleep apnoea.
Dr. Neil Stanley, an independent sleep expert and member of the British Sleep Society, stated, “There is evidence that strengthening the muscles of the upper airway can assist minimize sleep apnoea; anything that achieves that is sure to be useful to some extent.”
You could incur severe burns if you do this at home with a cooking kettle.
According to a study conducted by Umea University in Sweden, obese women who consume a high-protein “caveman” diet can reduce snoring.
Seventy obese women were placed on a low-fat diet or a paleolithic diet for two years. The paleolithic diet consisted primarily of lean meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The results, which were published in the International Journal of Obesity, demonstrated that weight loss in the caveman food groups averaged 7.2kg (15.8lb) — double that of the low-fat diet — and that sleep apnoea symptoms decreased by 60%, whereas they scarcely altered in the low-fat group.
Perform this
Inviting a companion to supper may improve your health, according to a study published in the journal Menopause.
In a study involving nearly 600 women aged 65 and older, Korean researchers discovered that heart-related chest pain was twice as common in those who ate more than two meals alone each day and that these women had an elevated risk of obesity, hypertension, and heart disease.
One idea suggests that when people eat alone, they tend to consume more quickly, which can contribute to weight gain, high blood pressure, and high blood fat levels, which can increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.
Acid probe spots dental risk
A device that detects oral acidity may prevent the teeth from decaying.
The technology, developed by the University of Washington in the United States, flashes an LED light on teeth covered with a particular dye.
The device then examines how light is reflected by dental plaque – excessive quantities of corrosive acid in plaque can impact how light is reflected.
Patients can then be instructed to focus their brushing efforts on cavity-prone areas.
It is believed that the information will help persuade patients to reduce their consumption of sugar, a major contributor to acid production.
Epilepsy medication to assist in the treatment of Covid
A medicine routinely used to treat epilepsy may aid in the recovery of the sense of smell in Covid infection patients.
For 14 weeks, researchers in the United States will administer varied doses of gabapentin, which is typically used for epilepsy and nerve pain, or placebo capsules to 50 participants.
It is believed that the medication may repair nerve function destroyed by Covid by attaching to injured nerve segments. Loss of smell is common in Covid, and while it typically lasts a few weeks, it can take up to a year or longer for some individuals to recover.
