Waking Up To The Effects Of Secondhand Snoring (NAPSA)—If you have trouble finding the way to dreamland at night, you might want to talk to your partner. That’s because you (and your shuteye) may be suffering from what researchers call “secondhand snoring.” Snoring affects 30 percent of people in the U.S. Secondhand snoring—being kept awake or having your sleep disturbed by a snoring partner—affects about 73 percent of people who sleep with someone whosnores. Studies have also shown that partners of people with sleep apnea (a condition characterized by excessive, sporadic snoring) can lose as much as an hourof sleep per nightor a full night’s sleep per week. “Snoring noise levels are not loud enough to damage hearing,” says Ed Woo, a vice president at Howard Leight, a company specializing in hearing protection. “But secondhand snoring can be painfully disruptive.” Woo’s company recently introduced a hightech earplug called Good Night, made specifically to help people who suffer from secondhand snoring. The plugs are madeof a soft foam with a smooth outer skin and small diameter. They readily fit into small ear canals, making them particularly suitable for women, who tend to suffer from secondhand snoring the most (60 percent of males age 40 to 65 snore). Can’t Catch Your ZZZs? Nearly three-quarters of people whose partners snore say it keeps them up at night. Woo says users have reported the earplugs filter out snoring noises but that they have no trouble hearing other important sounds, such as alarm clocks. The earplugs are expected to be helpful for people who get an earful from their snoring partner every night. That’s significant, because getting too little sleep can lead to a numberof problems, includingirritability, edginess, inability to tolerate stress, and problems with concentration and memory. In more severe cases, sleep deprivation can lead to behavioral, learning or social problems, frequent infections, blurred vision, vague discomfort and changesin appetite. To learn more about secondhand snoring, visit the Web site www.goodnightearplugs.com.
