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Snoring (March 3, 2006, Hour One)

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Program Summary

You may have thought your grandfather’s snoring was pretty funny, but for millions of people it’s not a laughing matter, either for the snorers or the people who have to sleep with them. Snoring causes millions to lose sleep night after night, resulting in constant fatigue and lack of energy. In some cases, snoring can be a symptom of a far worse condition, sleep apnea, in which a sleeper’s airway closes and breathing stops temporarily, waking the sleeper up. This can happen hundreds of times of night. No wonder they’re tired!

Snoring doesn’t discriminate. Though aging and weight gain do have some correlation with the tendency to snore, anyone can be affected. Old people, young people, kids, heavy people, thin people, people of all races and religions---no one is exempt. Snoring happens when incoming air hits the soft palate and uvula and makes them vibrate. Seems simple enough, and it would also seem simple to correct. Not so. All kinds of gadgets and treatments have been invented to cure snoring, even a radical and painful surgery that involves removing the uvula. But none of the over the counter devices work, say these sleep experts. And invasive surgeries are now less appealing than procedures to control rather than cure snoring, which can be a progressive condition. The take home message is to get a good medical diagnosis, to find out whether you have a simple snoring problem or a more series sleep apnea condition. In the meantime, keep fit, keep your weight down, and try sleeping on your side.

Guests

Mark W. Mahowald, M.D., professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota; chair of neurology at the Hennepin County Medical Center, and director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Captain Pete Michaelson, M.D, head and neck surgeon at the Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Bases in San Antonio, Texas

Related Links and Resources

BBC - Health - Conditions - Snoring
Mayoclinic.com: Snoring
National Institutes of Health: MedlinePlus: Snoring
National Sleep Foundation

For Discussion:

• How is snoring produced? What factors seem to contribute to the tendency to snore?

• What are some the “curesâ€� that people have come up with? How do they claim to stop snoring? Do they work in scientifically controlled studies?

• What does the surgery to help snoring involve? Is it still used? Why not?

• What are the new techniques that are being used to control snoring? How do they differ from the surgery?

• Do you know anyone who snores? Have they tried any of the snoring “remediesâ€�? What were the results?

• What is sleep apnea? Why is it dangerous? Do you know anyone who suffers from it? What has been done for them?

Activities

Sawing logs. For a simple, straightforward explanation of snoring , check out Kidshealth. This article describes the snoring process, what it may signal physically, what can make it worse, and what to do about it. Common Sleep Problems (Teenshealth) discusses snoring and a number of other sleep disorders that can affect your everyday life. Have students interview friends and family who live with a snorer about how it disrupts their own lives.

Deez, dem, doze. Get some really interesting statistics about snoring and other sleep disorders at Sleepytime from the Whyfiles, like the fact that the western part of the U.S. has fewer snorers than any other region. For students who live with a snorer, have them keep a record of that person’s snoring: when he/she snores, how often, how long, how loud, whether they seem to suffer from apnea, what their physical condition is, what factors might contribute to their snoring. Compare the records in class and make a table of the results.

Lettuce, tomato, and Mayo. The Mayo clinic provides good information on Snoring such as when to seek medical advice and why kids who snore should be checked for allergies or other medical conditions. You’ll find a diagram of the snoring process. The Screening and Diagnosis page offers a grading scale that students can use while keeping their snoring record. The Treatment page has easy-to-understand descriptions of various snoring control procedures.

Your worst nightmare. The British Broadcasting Corporation web site has several good articles, where you can learn not only about snoring, but also about the serious problems it can create for other members of the household (When snoring becomes a nightmare; 'Snoring forces me to sleep alone', which has pictures of the snorer wearing a sleep apnea mask.) Another article discusses the effectiveness of snoring cures. (Snoring cures success 'exaggerated')

Don’t get caught napping! Visit these other Science Friday Kids’ Connection pages for more on sleep and the brain:
Sleep On It (November 4, 2005, Hour Two)
June 11, 2004, Hour One: The Sleepy Brain
December 6, 2002, Hour Two: The Secret Life of Pond Scum
September 24, 2004, Hour One: Making Memories
February 9, 2001: Hour Two: Learning and Dreaming

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

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