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management Weight loss
Overweight patients should be encouraged to
lose weight until they reach an ideal Body Mass Index.
(see assessment)
Alcohol avoidance
Patients should reduce overall alcohol
intake and certainly minimise alcohol after 7pm to reduce
the muscle relaxing sedative effect during sleep.
Sedative drug avoidance
For similar reasons use of sedative drugs
such as sleeping tablets and some types of antidepressant
should be reduced to the minimum following advice and
agreement of the prescibing physician or General
Practitioner.
Sleeping position
It is well known that many snorers only make
a noise when sleeping flat on their back. It is often
helpful for the patient to be encouraged to sleep on
their side. Traditionally this has been done by stitching
a cotton reel in a pocket on the back of a pyjama jacket.
Those who do not wear pyjama jackets in bed can tie a
pair of women's tights around their chest with a golf
ball inside and positioned between the shoulder blades.
The discomfort caused when the patient rolls on his or
her back generally encourages them to turn on their side.
Regular use over a period of 6 to 8 weeks may be enough
to teach the patient new sleeping position habits.
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