December 1, 2005: Children who snore are twice as likely to perform poorly at school and suffer from hyperactivity, according to a Hong Kong study. Around 23% of snoring children had poor academic records compared to 13.5% of those who did not snore. The study was conducted at the Chinese University in Hong Kong, and also found that snorers were more likely to be bad tempered, with 35% having poor temper control, 75% higher than non-snorers.

November 14, 2005: CBS's morning show ran a piece (viewable online) showing how a woman found a snoring cure. The report cites a study by Texas ear-nose-throat surgeon Dr. Peter Michaelson that tested over-the-counter snoring cures -- nasal strips, throat spray and pillow -- and found that "none of them worked."  We have been unable to find the source of the study, which apparently involved three dozen chronic snorers.  Brief editorial comment: if these snorers suffered from sleep apnea, simple remedies will indeed not work.  PutanEndtoSnoring's mission is to alert such snorers that they should seek medical attention.  But we also feel the "none of them worked" indictment is too harsh -- our sister site, The Snoring Shop, has numerous repeat customers for our remedies, showing that some of them work for some people.  No vendor of cheap snoring products should claim any more than that.

November 1, 2005: Those of us with mild sleep apnea are more likely to have apneic episodes when lying on our backs.  A study of 99 patients in Buffalo, NY found that 49 (i.e., half of them) suffered from "positional sleep apnea." 

October 25, 2005: This is pretty cool: a pillow with a tape recorder attached -- presumably sound-activated -- so you can record your snoring, and then adjust the pillow to see if that makes any difference.  Comes from Japan's Francebed Medical Service Co, apparently not available outside of Japan yet.

September 9, 2005: Guy Ritchie says his wife Madonna often kicks him out of bed because of his snoring.  "It's quite funny," he's quoted as saying. "We've got four houses, but in every one of them I end up sleeping in the cleaning cupboard or the corridors because all the other bedrooms are being used."  Let's see: Sleep with Madonna, or ignore my snoring.  I know what I'd do.

September 5, 2005: Awake In America, a non-profit group focused on sleep and sleep disorder issues. has launched an effort to aid hurricane victims who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. The program, named Operation Restore CPAP, will be available to those who were being successfully treated with xPAP immediately prior to Hurricane Katrina impacting their lives.  The group is seeking cash and equipment donations.

September 1, 2005:  If you have asleep apnea, chances are you may also be showing signs of heart disease.  Brazilian researchers have detected early hardening of the arteries in 42- to 44-year-old patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea, despite the absence of overt signs of cardiovascular disease. (Their study does not prove a causal link, but it does not seem a stretch to say untreated OSA may cause heart problems.)

August 25, 2005: Do women suffering from sleep disordered breathing have babies with low birth weight?  Anecdotally, yes, and now researchers in the UK will undertake a scientific study to see if reduced oxygen intake caused by obstructive sleep apnea impacts the normal development of babies in utero. Stay tuned for their findings.

August 10, 2005: Researchers from Slovenia have used CT scan imaging of the head and neck region to identify the structures responsible for snoring.  The results confirm what most physicians have long believed, that snoring is caused primarily by vibration of the soft palate.  Those who snore have longer soft palates and narrower airways than those who do not.

July 15, 2005: Does your child seem to have a learning problem? Does he or she snore?  If so, they may have a sleep disorder.  A  study of 480 children published in this month's Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine says children who snore, have learning issues and/or excessive daytime sleepiness are three times as likely to have sleep disordered breathing.  Although the study was not designed to show this, it seems reasonable to guess that addressing the sleep disorder may also ameliorate a child's learning disability.

July 1, 2005: Snoring and other symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children are strong risk factors for the future development of hyperactive behavior, according to a study published in the July issue of Sleep. The study of 229 children between two and 13 years of age shows that those who snore habitually are four times more likely to develop hyperactivity within four years.

June 29, 2005: Schering-Plough has announced results of a study that found daily use of its NASONEX nasal spray is effective and safe for the treatment of nasal polyps and nasal congestion.  Nasal polyps are grape-like growths in the nasal cavity that can reduce airflow in the nasal passages, leading to congestion and snoring.  If left untreated they may need to be surgically removed, but the makers of this drug feel that a once-daily spray may forestall the need for surgery.

June 20, 2005: A Fargo, ND woman was charged with assault after her husband claimed she stabbed him with a pen and hit with a 3-pound weight, all because he was snoring.  The press is joking that she can finally get some sleep -- in jail.  But local reports indicate there's more to the couple's domestic violence than her frustration with his nocturnal noises.

March 24, 2005: The risk of a fatal heart attack during sleep is greater in those suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.  That's the conclusion of a new study of 112 Minnesotans who died of sudden cardiac arrest. Those with OSA were more likely to die overnight.  Within the general population, death from cardiac causes is more likely to occur between 6am and noon.

February 28, 2005: Researchers have already documented that apnea sufferers often also suffer from diabetes.  A new study demonstrates that treatments for apnea -- specifically CPAP -- may also be effective in reducing glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

December 26, 2004:  Sleep apnea contributed to the death of football great Reggie White.  White, a former Green Bay Packer, Philadelphia Eagle, and Carolina Panther who turned 43 one week ago, died of respiratory failure related to sleep apnea.   If you have signs of sleep apnea, please don't defer seeking medical attention.

September 14, 2004: The US Food and Drug Administration has given Restore Medical clearance to market its Pillar palatal implant procedure as a treatment for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).  Previously the FDA had okayed the Pillar System as a snoring remedy only. This minimally invasive outpatient treatment now represents an attractive alternative to more drastic surgical procedures or CPAP.  Restore Medical says that sleep apnea was reduced in nearly 80 percent of patients in an obstructive sleep apnea clinical study.  Restore Medical is a sponsor of this web site.

September 6, 2004: The FDA will hold a meeting in October to discuss "general issues surrounding the prescription use versus over the counter use of devices intended to treat snoring or mild to severe obstructive sleep apnea." We at PutanEndtoSnoring have long felt that US consumers should be able to buy soft plastic mouthpieces inexpensively at their local drugstore rather than having to pay hundreds of dollars to get  a custom-fitted device -- not that there's anything wrong with such devices, but many snorers may find the cheaper product all they need.  The FDA will accept written comments up until Sept 17.  Details here.

June 24,2004: Results of clinical studies of the Restore Medical's new Pillar Palatal Implant approach to snoring reduction are coming in.  A study of 12 patients in Hong Kong, published in the June issue of Otolatyngology found that loudness of snoring decreased from 79 to 48 over three months (as measured by bed partners).  The patients' daytime sleepiness also was significantly reduced. There were no health complications.  Two patients had the implants removed, also without complications.  (Restore Medical sponsors this website.)

June 8, 2004: A company called TCC Medical has begun training physicians on a new surgical approach called the Cryo Nasal Sinus Procedure.  TCC's web site provides minimal details about the procedure but does include several testimonials from patients who say the CNS procedure has cured their sleep apnea, snoring and sinus issues.  The procedure is conducted on an outpatient basis and is performed by ENT specialists as well as general practitioners.

May 11,2004:  An analysis of National Safety Council data in the May issue of Sleep Journal concludes that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) played a role in auto collisions involving more than 800,000 drivers n the year 2000. These collisions cost $15.9 billion and 1,400 lives in the year 2000. In the United States, say the researchers, treating all drivers suffering from OSA with CPAP would cost $3.18 billion, save $11.1 billion in collision costs, and save 980 lives annually.

April 20, 2004: Interesting results from a study of 600+ people who were fitted with a mandibular advancement device (a mouthpiece worn overnight which opens the airways by moving the jaw forward).  The mouthpiece was more effective in reducing sleep apnea in women than men.  It worked best with men whose apnea is worst when they lie on their backs.  And it was in general effective in blocking snoring, although a quarter of the patients ended up abandoning the treatment. (Click here for more on mouthpieces)

April 5, 2004: Injection snoreplasty -- the injection of a scarring agent into the palate to stiffen it and reduce the vibrations that cause snoring -- continues to draw mixed review.  Dr. Richard Smyth, founder of the Sleep Surgery Centre in Vancouver, who is offering snoreplasty as an investigational procedure, comments  in the Calgary Herald:  "I haven't had such good results." He says patients need to be aware there are risks attached. They can include a punctured palate, or fistulas or ulcers, although the complications have healed in all reported cases.  Check out also a recent post to our forum.

Latest statistics: Any thinking adult has a healthy skeptism of statistics, but we need them nonetheless to make sense of our world.  Our snoring statistics page collects research as well as the data points commonly used by the experts and would-be experts.



Submit snoring news to dennis@putanendtosnoring.com