Dear Amy: My wife insists that we sleep in separate rooms. She says I snore — and maybe I do, a little — but sleeping alone makes me feel emotionally alone.

I’ve tried to compromise, asking her if we could stay together for a while first before splitting — but she will not yield, not even a little.

I was sad, but now I’m angry too.

After 20 years of marriage, I feel utterly rejected.

Help!

Sleeping Alone

Dear Alone: I read an article recently saying that “snoring rooms” are the latest thing in home design.  These little soundproof bedrooms give everybody a chance to get a decent night’s sleep if there is a snorer in the house. But the idea isn’t that the snoring room will become a separate bedroom– but more of an occasional refuge.

I agree with you that your wife’s actions are destructive, and your reaction is completely understandable. The charitable assumption is that your wife is so disabled by two decades of interrupted slumber that it has made her lash out.

But I don’t think this is really about the snoring.

Snoring is a relatively easy issue to grapple with, compared with what you two are facing — a lack of intimacy and exile to emotional Siberia.

Whenever a relationship changes so radically, it’s safe to assume there is something major going on.

You need to get to the bottom of this, and a marriage counselor could help.

The response that Amy gives “Sleeping Alone” assumes that the core problem is a lack of intimacy and that going to a marriage counselor would be the best solution. Though a lack of intimacy may have developed over the years of snoring, it is not intimacy that is the problem…

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Image by mlhradio via Flickr

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Think you’re getting enough sleep? Take the Great American Sleep Challenge and find out!

Are you tired of feeling tired? Do you want to make a commitment to getting the sleep you need but don’t know where to begin? Then it’s time to take the NSF Great American Sleep Challenge™!

The Sleep Challenge is designed to make it easy for you to determine whether you’re satisfied with your sleep, and if not, to make changes and put yourself on a path to getting the sleep you need. Remember - sleep affects all areas of life including your health, productivity, mood and safety!

The Sleep Challenge takes place from March 3 - March 31, 2008. To take the Sleep Challenge, simply check out one of the many activities below. Don’t forget that you can enter for a chance to win a prize when you take the Challenge!

As a doctor that treats Sleep Apnea and sees the toll that a lack of sleep plays on so many individuals, I thought it would be fun to pass this information on to you.

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“At midnight Sunday night, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) will launch the 11th annual National Sleep Awareness Week® (NSAW). This award-winning, public education and advocacy campaign will focus intense media and policy maker attention on the importance of good sleep as well as the signs and symptoms of chronic sleep disorders that affect millions of Americans.

NSF’s education and policy initiatives have quickly gained momentum and despite many challenges, we are making significant and measurable progress in increasing recognition in Congress and the media that sleep and sleep disorders MUST be part of public health and disease prevention programs.”

For my part in helping to bring awareness and help educate the public I am doing a live simulcast that will be available either via the web or live phone call. I’d like to invite any of my readers to this live event that will be held as follows:

EVENT:  Dr. Jonathan Greenburg - Sleep Apnea
DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 5th at 7:30pm Pacific
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast — it’s your choice)
TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW…
Live Sleep Apnea Simulcast-Dr. Jonathan Greenburg
I look foward to seeing you on the call!

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As a Doctor that treats sleep disorders like apnea and snoring, I am saddened to hear of another death like this young man that could have potentially been treated and he’d still be alive.

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While men significantly outnumber women when it comes to snoring, nearly a quarter of the female population is affected. Women are also less likely to suffer from sleep apnea, however, to those who are affected, treating the disorder can take the romantic edge off of any date.

Snoring can be a very sensitive issue, especially for women. It leaves people in a very vulnerable position and open to ridicule and rejection. I have had many female patients who have been in this situation and it can quite literally mean the end of a dating relationship.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the tongue, soft palate and tissues in the back of the throat block the airway.
When this takes place, the brain signals the body to wake so that breathing can resume. In addition to sleep deprivation, sleep apnea can cause a host of other serious medical conditions, including an increased risk of stroke, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and even heart attacks.

In order to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea you must be tested by a qualified sleep lab.

If you are a woman who snores, and are looking for help, there is hope! Your dating life can be revived. Just come on in and see me for a free consultation. My practice is located near Los Angeles.

What you will find is that some sleep apnea treatment may requires a patient to use a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure). This device forces air into the patient’s nose through a specially designed mask, however many patients are uncomfortable with this type of treatment and I have found that nearly half are CPAP intolerant.

Another great option for treating sleep disorders such as OSA is the use of an oral appliance. The basic oral appliance treats apnea by adjusting the position of the tongue moving the jaw forward, eliminating the risk that soft tissues will obstruct the airway. We have a patented and FDA approved oral appliance called the “FullBreath”, which has been shown to reduce apneic incidents by close to 85 percent.

It’s covered by most insurance, Medicare and we have financing available. Comment’s are welcome.

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Perhaps you have decided that your health is important. Living that “healthy lifestyle” by eating right, getting some exercise, losing weight, and living a more balanced life. You start the year with great gusto and a commitment to do the right things.

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I have a very special message for you this year.

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