A man is on trial in Calgary, Alberta for involuntary manslaughter at a homeless shelter.

Jeffrey Allen Marple, 45, suffered fatal injuries in the fight just before midnight on Feb. 13, 2008, at the Drop In Centre’s satellite shelter.

Marple was snoring loudly when is was confronted by Robin Richard Bottyan, who asked Marple to “get his snoring checked out.”

Marple reacted angrily, and the two got into a physical confrontation. Bottyan said the victim was choking, so he let go and, realizing something was very wrong, checked the man’s pulse, then tried to give him CPR.

Read the whole story: Calgary Herald

A nose plug that restricts air flow during sleep could be a radical new cure for snoring.

The plug contains a special valve that allows air to be inhaled as normal through the nostrils, but it then snaps shut to let only some of the air out.

The remaining air is diverted into the throat and upper airways, where it puts pressure on the muscles in the lining of the throat and respiratory tract to keep the airways open during sleep, preventing snoring.

Around three million Britons are diagnosed with the snoring condition sleep apnoea.

When we fall asleep, the muscles in the airway relax. But in people with sleep apnoea, the soft tissues collapse completely, which shuts off breathing for up to ten seconds.

As well as disrupting breathing, this can trigger snoring as the air vibrates against the soft tissue that stands in its way.

Read The Whole Story: Daily Mail

For people suffering from sleep apnea, specialized breathing machines are the standard treatment.

The machines use a method called continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, which keeps the airway open and relieves potentially dangerous pauses in breathing during the night. But the machines are expensive, and some people complain that the mask and headgear cause uncomfortable side effects, like congestion.

One free and fairly simple alternative may be exercises that strengthen the throat. While they aren’t as established or as well studied as breathing machines, some research suggests they may reduce the severity of sleep apnea by building up muscles around the airway, making them less likely to collapse at night.

Read The Whole Story: NY Times

This new gadget — currently under development in England — is the size of a matchbox and implanted in the patient’s chest. The device is dubbed the Apnex System.

This device works by stimulating the muscles that are responsible for keeping the airway open and unrestricted during sleep. The device turns itself on at bedtime and then switches off upon wakening.

Clinical trials are currently underway in the US and England, and the device could be available as early as 2013.

Despite the fact that previous attempts at developing a similar device have been unsuccessful, Professor John Stradling, a pulmonologist at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, has stated that the science behind the device is “entirely plausible.”

“They worked to some extent. But there were reports that patients could feel the device during the night, which kept them awake. And in some early models, the wires broke. It also involves surgery. I think this device might suit a few people, but it is a long way from becoming standard treatment.”

Are You Snoring Yourself To Death?

5 years ago I almost died from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA.) My nights were filled with multiple bathroom trips, kicking and punching while sleeping and deprivation of restful sleep. As I awoke one morning, eyes blood shot and completely exhausted from literally fighting for my life all night, it was then, lying on my back in bed I decided to go and get a CPAP. It was either get help or die.

Later in the day, I drove across town to the medical supply store where I learned I had to have a prescription in order to buy a CPAP machine. The technician explained that I could obtain a prescription after I participated in a sleep study (polysomnography.) I called the doctor’s office from my cell phone and learned the shocking news: It would take about 3 months to get into a sleep clinic for a polysomnography. I told the person on the phone, “I’ll be dead in 3 months.” I thanked her and ended the call.

On the drive home I kept saying over and over to myself, “If I could just keep my mouth closed while I’m sleeping, I wouldn’t be able to have the episode.” I felt that OSA was a mechanical failure of the jaw and it seemed to reason that if I could keep my jaw up while I was sleeping, then my tongue couldn’t fall back far enough to close off my air.

I arrived home late in the afternoon where I took a bath towel and ripped a 2″ strip down one side. I took the strip, placed it under my chin and wrapped each end over the top of my head and tied a knot. Now my jaw was “supported,” so to speak. I could still talk or take a drink of water, but the jaw would not be able to fall excessively backwards when I entered REM (deep) sleep. Then, I laid down on my bed and went to sleep.

Read more about this amazing story…

• Recessed-core support properly cradles the head, elevates and aligns to open up airways
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Ergonomically correct and comfortable, the BLACKSTONE anti snoring pillow supports and positions the head and neck to improve alignment. The BLACKSTONE pillow is designed with a reinforced head and neck roll causing the throat to open the airway passage. Whether sleeping on your side or back the BLACKSTONE pillow can help you to stop snoring tonight and feel less fatigued all day.

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Your doctor may then refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor (otolaryngologist) or sleep specialist for additional studies and evaluation. This may require that you stay overnight at a sleep center to undergo an in-depth analysis of your sleep habits by a team of specialists.

If your child snores, ask your pediatrician about it. Children, too, can have obstructive sleep apnea, though most don’t. Nose and throat problems, such as enlarged tonsils, and obesity often underlie habitual snoring in children. Treating these conditions could help your child sleep better.

• Your mouth anatomy. Having a low, thick soft palate or enlarged tonsils or tissues in the back of your throat (adenoids) can narrow your airway. Likewise, if the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate (uvula) is elongated, airflow can be obstructed and vibration increased. Being overweight contributes to narrowing of your airway.
• Alcohol consumption. Snoring can also be brought on by consuming too much alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol relaxes throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction.
• Nasal problems. Chronic nasal congestion or a crooked partition between your nostrils (deviated nasal septum) may be to blame.
• Sleep apnea. Snoring may also be associated with obstructive sleep apnea. In this serious condition, your throat tissues obstruct your airway, preventing you from breathing. Sleep apnea is often characterized by loud snoring followed by periods of silence that can last 10 seconds or more. Sometimes, complete obstruction does not occur, but rather, while still snoring, the airway becomes so small that the airflow is inadequate for your needs. Eventually, the lack of oxygen and an increase in carbon dioxide signal you to wake up, forcing your airway open with a loud snort or gasping sound. This pattern may be repeated many times during the night.

Snoring is common. Almost half of adults snore at least occasionally. Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to vibrate as you breathe, creating hoarse or harsh sounds.

Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol close to bedtime or sleeping on your side, can help stop snoring.

In addition, surgery is available that may reduce disruptive snoring. However, surgery isn’t suitable or necessary for everyone who snores.