According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the loudest recorded snorer emitted 93 decibels. Compare that to the following noises.
- Jackhammer = 85 decibels
- Lawnmower = 95 decibels
- Airplane = 118 decibels
Snoring can be very hard on marriages causing many couples to sleep in different rooms. It can have other consequences such as daytime tiredness, falling asleep while driving, and impaired mental clarity.
While snoring may be harmless, it can also be a sign of a more serious medical condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). People suffering from OSA can stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds and sometimes for one minute or longer. This can happen hundreds of times a night and the person may not even realize he has a problem.
During sleep the muscles of the mouth and throat relax and decrease the size of the airway. When the airway collapses completely, all airflow stops which creates an apnea (stopped breath). The sleeping person then gasps or chokes and the airway opens and he/she is able to breathe. This happens over and over throughout the night.
Medical research shows that sleep apnea has severe consequences, including:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents
- Increased risk of high blood pressure
- Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
- Increased risk of insulin resistance and diabetes
- Obesity
- Decreased quality of life
Because of the incidents of apnea, the person cannot get a good nights' sleep. It has been found that Sleep Apnea is more common among men and 28% of men over the age of 65 suffer from this disease.
As a Center for Dental Medicine, Dr. James Donley has received training in dental appliances to help with snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea. These appliances are designed and fitted to the individual. They reposition and stabilize the lower jaw. When worn during sleep, they help to keep the airway open and unobstructed.
If you would like more information on these devices for snoring and sleep apnea, please call Dr. Donley's office at (231) 744-6661.
These enzymes can spark the chemical reactions that are responsible for breathing, digestion, growth, reproduction and other very important bodily functions.
A researcher named Dr. Max Wolf, M.D. studied enzymes and hormones from the early 1930s and into the 1960s at Columbia University. Enzyme production diminishes in humans after the age of approximately 27 was his determination. In the past, humans would usually supplement their enzyme levels unknowingly by consuming fresh, raw, highly nutritional foods. By today's standards, though, modern preservation and preparation often destroy these essential enzymes, thus creating conditions of an enzyme deficiency that causes the body and normal functions of the body to break down somewhat.
So in order to get the enzymes needed we must supplement our diets with systemic enzymes - those that offer us system-wide benefits throughout the body - just as we may supplement with herbs, minerals and vitamins. A really good quality enzyme product is Vitalzym. The quality of Vitalzym can be anti-inflammatory (help with pain relief), helps with healing scar tissue, and helps with overall vitality, energy and strength.
Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts that speed up the rate from which a biochemical reaction proceeds but does not alter the direction or nature of the reactions. These enzymes are found throughout every cell of every living plant and animal, including human beings. Biocatalysts either begin a reaction or cause a reaction to speed up. So without enzymes, life would not exist. Enzymes are that essential.
Enzymes work by virtue of their shape, and these enzyme molecules can be compared by its shape to many short strings of pearls (amino acids) that are strung together. This long string folds in on it self as certain sequences of amino acids are more attracted to each other than to other sequences, thus giving the enzymes a specific shape.
Vitalzym provides the enzymes needed for each of the millions of biochemical reactions that make life possible, and is available at all three locations of the Health Hutt.
Five years ago, I took an exciting step in my life and became the new owner of the Omni Fitness Club. I pursued this career venture because I want to help others become more physically active, to enjoy the freedom of movement, of feeling physically fit, of having boundless energy and, best of all, feeling strong and confident both physically and mentally.
Several months into my new position, I felt (key word here) that I was working longer hours, that the work was never ending. I had time constraints that were pressing down on me, I felt I was spread too thin, I wasn't sleeping through the night and my energy was not the endless supply I thought it was.
I've never experienced this before, and the more out of control I felt, the more I gave up on my personal and recreational activities so I could devote even more time and energy to work.
I'm embarrassed to say that it took me a year and 10 pounds to realize that I had stopped doing something very important…regular exercise! I would get a quick workout in here and there, a run every now and then, but nothing that was consistent or could be considered a quality investment in myself.
I could not believe what I allowed to happen! The workloads had not really changed and the hours were the same, but I was not in the physical condition I was before. That's why I felt overwhelmed. I was allowing myself to become physically deconditioned…unfit! I had become my own worse nightmare: the excuse maker! I remember thinking that if I fell prey to one excuse after another (I don't have the time, I don't have the energy, I have so many other things that need to be done first) than what hope do others have with no frame of reference? Many people have no idea what it feels like to be physically fit and soar through their day. They just get through feeling sore, because they don't exercise, and they are none the wiser.
As much as I'd like to beat myself up over my physical complacency, I believe that I now have an even greater empathy for people who have a tough time committing to exercise. Life happens! We're busy, people count on us and we can be pulled in every direction, we have work and family commitments that are important…I get it.
However, after my personal experience with being sporadic with exercise, I realize the most important thing I can do for myself, my marriage, my business and everyone who counts on me is to take care of myself. Regular exercise is the only thing that can combat every single obstacle we face throughout the day. It provides more energy, which means more time (because you have more energy you find more time!), it reduces stress and anxiety, improves sleep patterns, improves mental clarity and increases productivity.
I know it's tough committing to one more thing, especially exercise. But life's a lot tougher when you don't!