Snoring and other questions on sleep 

Snoring

Q . I was wondering if you could help me with my snoring problem. My girlfriend is about to break up over this. I am normal weight, healthy, do not smoke and a light drinker. I do lie on my side and if my nose airways are blocked I use Vicks to clear the airways but I still snore. I do suffer from sinus, and when I close my mouth and breathe through my nose it reduces the noise but not enough.

A. You have eliminated the more dangerous causes of snoring, obesity & alcohol abuse. These can cause 'sleep apnoea' where you actually stop breathing for a while. Lying on your back can also cause snoring as your tongue lies further back. You may have some mild obstruction to your nasal passages from swollen adenoids or nasal polyps. An ENT examination will eliminate these for you.

Sleeping in too dry an environment such as poor ventilation with central heating can cause dryness of the nasal passages leading to snoring. You do mention suffering from sinus problems which makes inflammation of the nasal passages or a nasal polyp more likely.

Is Melatonin safe?

Q . I have a friend who visited recently from Vancouver. Upon hearing about sleeep issues, brought me over Melatonin. This is not available over here in the UK.

When I use it (irregularly), I sleep, and dream?!, very well. I wake more refreshed than without. I wonder if this is a false dawn. Is it not in the UK as it is harmful? I wonder if you could advise.

A. Melatonin is used in many countries for insomnia and also for 'jet lag'. Some shift workers find it very useful when they are changing shift times from day to night or vice versa. You are quite right, it is not licensed in the UK although the reasons are a bit obscure. There was a report a long time ago that it may contribute towards stimulating prostate cancer but I have never seen anything since. It is available on the web from herbal sites. Basically, I cannot recommend it as it is not available in the UK but like many things in this shrinking global village, if you try it and it works......

How to stop snoring

Q . What are the best ways of stopping snoring?

A. It is difficult to advise you without knowing more about you and your habits. For example, many people snore as a result of being overweight or drinking too much alcohol. Sleeping on your side helps reduce snoring and if you tend to breathe through your mouth you may have sinus polyps which is blocking your nasal airways. Your GP can have you referred to an ENT specialist.

Snoring

Q . My partner tells me my snoring is getting worse to the point she is about to go into another bedroom.

Is there anything that can be done please?

A. There was once an article in the prestigious British Medical Journal which stated that snoring during pregnancy could be fatal. From personal experience snoring during conception can be pretty life threatening as well. We tend to make light of snoring but recent studies show that it not only affects the life of your partner, it can also damage your own health.

Sleep apnoea where you literally stop breathing for a while as you sleep is strongly linked to snoring. You suddenly awake with the feeling of breathlessness. It is dangerous because we know it is linked to increased risk of stroke, impaired memory, poor concentration and reduced skill while driving. It also makes you feel tired all the time. Alcohol abuse and being overweight are the biggest factors and may need to be addressed.

Sleeping on your side helps reduce snoring and if you tend to breathe through your mouth you may have sinus polyps which block your nasal airways. Your GP can have you referred to an ENT specialist.

I am not keen to give any further advice until you have eliminated any of the above possible causes as a definitive diagnosis is impossible without more information and physical examination.

Use of herbal remedies

Q . Although I'm pretty sceptical of herbal remedies, I've recently started to use valerian to help me sleep and found it very effective.

My problem hasn't been getting to sleep but waking early with a stiff back and then being unable to get back to sleep properly. I've found that a moderate dose of valerian (as bought in a health food shop) seems to make my sleep deeper and more refreshing. I'm also less likely to wake early and, if I do, I find I can usually get back to sleep. My back problem also seems to have eased - although I don't know whether valerian also has muscle relaxant properties.

But I've learnt to regulate the dose of valerian carefully. When I took the maximum recommended dose once I felt groggy and spaced out for the whole of

the next day.

The only thing that worries me is becoming dependent (psychologically if not physiologically) on valerian. I don't want to have to take it long-term especially as I have no knowledge of any possible side-effects.

A. Valerian is a good choice of herbal medicine to help you relax and sleep. It has well-recognised sedative properties and can also act as a muscle relaxant. I would often prescribe a mild drug like diazepam for such pain and valerian is a good alternative.

There has been limited research but as far as we know valerian is not addictive. It is probably prone to psychological dependence where you feel you must take it to be able to sleep. It may be worth reducing the dose gradually from the 20 or so drops you are taking at present to zero. Part of your sleep problem may be your back so if it is much better, so might be your sleep pattern.

It tastes, in my opinion, dreadful and many people make the mistake of masking it by taking a drink of tea or coffee thus defeating the whole object as they both contain caffeine.