Solutions for common sleep disorders

A quarter of Canadian adults don't get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep per night, according to the Better Sleep Council of Canada. While medical conditions can cause sleep difficulties, another major case is your environment. For many partners, a common culprit is their bedmate. Loud snoring, tossing and turning and disagreements over temperature can all lead to a less than ideal night of rest.
 
Separate bedrooms may be the best idea, says Dr. Glendon E. Sullivan, deputy director of the Atlantic Health Sciences Sleep Centre, based in Saint John, New Brunswick. "I think we all sleep better when sleeping alone," he says. However, he admits, the loss of intimacy and body warmth makes it "not a popular option."
 
Love your bedmate but hate the way his sleep style disturbs yours? Here are some common problems and proven ways to keep the peace – all through the night.
 
Problem: Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Snoring is an obvious problem: how can you fall asleep when your partner's sawing logs next to you?
 
But serious snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, a condition in which the snorer actually stops breathing for up to half a minute) are more than mere annoyances, says Dr. Henry Olders, a Montreal-based psychiatrist and assistant professor at McGill University who studies sleep disorders, "I've met a number of women who were terrified that their partner would not start breathing again – the fear of losing their husband is very real," says Dr. Olders.
 
Solution: The snorer needs to see the doctor.
He may be referred to a dentist or ear-nose-and-throat specialist experienced in sleep medicine.

"Snoring is often position-sensitive," says Dr. Olders. The snorer should sleep on his side; wearing a short with tennis balls Velcroed to the back helps prevent back sleeping. The long-suffering partner should try earplugs, says Dr. Sullivan. "They really do work," he says.
 
Problem: Periodic leg movement disorder.
Unpredictable leg and arm kicks are the second most common complaint after snoring, says Dr. Sullivan – and they're more common in women than men.
 
Solution: A larger bed.
If you stay on your side of a king-sized bed, you're less likely to get kicked by (or kick) your sleeping partner.

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