British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

Aaaarrrggghhh!

Most people are affected by noise exposure more than any other environmental stimulus. The most widespread problem created by noise is nuisance, but recent research has linked noise as a stressor that can produce a range of serious health effects.

There is good evidence to suggest that environmental noise affects us in the following areas:

• Annoyance and quality of life
• Sleep disturbance
• Psychosocial well-being
• Cardiovascular disease

Annoyance & quality of life

Noise is a subjective experience and feelings of annoyance are profoundly affected by personal attitudes and beliefs, including attitudes to the source of the noise to the environment in which it is heard. It is because noise is commonly perceived to be an avoidable form of harm and an intrusion into personal privacy that it creates such unhappiness. According to the London Health Organisation, road traffic is the largest single cause of noise pollution in London. Transport noise is associated with productivity losses caused by an inability to concentrate at work and tiredness caused by disturbed sleep.

Sleep disturbance

Insomnia and sleep disturbance caused by noise can affect the quality and quantity of sleep. Difficulty falling asleep, awakenings and alterations of sleep stages or depth, especially a reduction in the proportion of REM-sleep (REM = Rapid Eye Movement) are examples. It has been found that road traffic noise in excess of just 30dB is enough to induce sleep disturbance.

Psychosocial well-being

Insomnia and broken sleep are unpleasant experiences in themselves but also lead to secondary effects such as perceived sleep quality, increased fatigue, drowsiness, lower mood and poor performance the next day. Various studies have shown that people living in areas exposed to night-time noise have an increased use of sedatives or sleeping pills. Other frequently reported behavioural effects of night-time noise include the use of personal hearing protection.

Cardiovascular disease

Exposure to noise during sleep has been linked to a number of physiological effects: increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, changes in respiration, cardiac arrhythmia and an increase in body movements. Noise probably affects the cardiovascular system through the stimulation of hormones such as cortisol, noradrenaline and adrenaline. Although there is little research in this area the results are good enough to establish a credible link.

If noise is disturbing your sleep, the key to a better night's sleep is the ability to fall asleep quickly. To achieve this it may be useful to use good quality ear plugs with a high NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) to help you on your way.

In this Issue

• The Effects of Noise Exposure
• A Free Pair of Snore Calm Foam Ear Plugs
• Upgrade Your SomnoGuard AP
• Introducing Kleerway Nasal Strips

SomnoGuard AP Upgrade

An upgrade option for the Tomed SomnoGuard AP can now be purchased from our online shop.

The upgrade consists of titanium screws for optimum biocompatibility and safety. Reinforcing nuts are also included in each pack to stiffen the longer screws and lock the screws to prevent them self-adjusting. Along with the screwdriver supplied is the smallest spanner you have ever seen!

Upgrade suitable for all appliances purchased before June 2006. If you are unsure about suitability please contact us before making a purchase.

Kleerway Nasal Strips

Kleerway Nasal Strips - the serious contender for market leader are shortly to be released onto the British market. Kleerway Nasal Strips will help you breathe more easily during exercise and sleep. Every bit as good, if not better than the ubiquitous Breathe Right Nasal Strips, Kleerway will be about 1/3rd of the price.

In Tan or Clear, the most popular large size will be the first to be introduced, closely followed by small/medium.

Available only in 30s (the same price as the Breathe Right 10s) these new strips are bound to be an overnight best seller. The name to remember is Kleerway.

FAQ's, Links & our Web Site

Frequently Asked Questions - To help answer some of the questions you may have about Mandibular Advancement Devices and Sleep Apnoea, we have compiled two FAQ pages based on the submissions we have received through our online contact form.

• Mandibular Advancement Devices FAQ
• Sleep Apnoea & CPAP FAQ

Links - If you are interested in having your web site listed on our links page, please contact us with your details. We are always interested in exchanging links with other authoritative web sites.

Our Web Site - Product suggestions, new content, a different design, more special offers .... we are always looking for ways in which we can improve the service we offer you through our web site. Drop us a line if you have an idea or suggestion.

British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association • Castle Court • 41 London Road • Reigate • RH2 9RJ
Tel: 01737 245638 • Fax: 0870 052 9212 • E-mail: info@britishsnoring.co.uk

* The British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association is not responsible for the content of external internet sites and the views expressed within them may not match those of the Association.