The common cold or chronic stuffiness from allergies can pose a real challenge to a good night's sleep and can even lead to sleep apnea. You really do need the full cooperation of your nose to get adequate oxygen during sleep. A stuffy nose reduces the capacity of your major air passageway; and it forces you to work harder for air, which can make it easier for the back of the throat to collapse. Scientists even believe nasal congestion can block receptors in the nose that signal the brain that it needs air. A bout of a cold virus is not a big deal, but if you're routinely stuffy, I highly recommend working with an ear, nose, and throat doctor to determine the cause of chronic congestion and eliminate it. A 1998 study at Penn State University's Division of Allergy showed that targeted use of nasal steroids (like Nasonex) to quell inflammation improved sleep and reduced daytime fatigue for people with chronic sinus congestion. But there are remedies you can try short of using steroids.
Amazingly, the simple little device called a Breathe Right Strip – a stiff Band-Aid that sits on the bridge of the nose and physically pulls the nostrils open – can be a big help for congested sleepers. More permanent remedies – such as identifying subtle food allergies – that target the source of congestion are key. Getting acupuncture and chiropractice treatments from experienced practitioners can often help chronic sinus problems.
GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
The reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus – which is increasingly recognized as the cause of a wide range of problems including chronic sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, and chest pain – does much of its dirty work during sleep and can be a major factor in sleep apnea. In a November 2007 study at Chicago Rush Medical Center's Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat Medicine, correcting the hyperacidity of GERD significantly improved sleep apnea, sleep quality, and daytime fatigue of 70 percent of patients.
The classic conventional remedy for GERD is acid-blocking medications. These certainly work. I recommend using antacids to get the problem under control if it's bad, and then targeting the causes of acidity. If necessary, have an endoscopy by a gastrointestinal specialist or ear, nose, and throat doctor to rule out significant anatomic abnormalities. Remedies other than antacids include elevation of the pillow, so that by decreasing the force of gravity, stomach acid doesn't backflow into the esophagus; and eliminating nighttime acidic foods (especially tomatoes), spices, caffeine, and alcohol.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a doubleedged sleep sword: it can interrupt sleep, which degrades pain-inhibition processes in the brain, making pain worse the next day. Sleeping less doesn't affect pain as much as sleeping poorly does. A 2006 study at Walter Reed Army Hospital found that pain reduced the quality of sleep in 55 percent of patients, poor sleep worsened the pain, and a poor quality mattress magnified both problems. Evaluate your mattress and don't just live with pain. There are a number of avenues to explore including working with a pain specialist (often resulting in the use of stronger pain medications), a physical therapist, hypnosis, acupuncture, and working to reduce inflammatory elements of the diet.
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Excerpted from The Source, copyright 2008 by Woodson Merrell. Used by permission of Random House Canada. All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.
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