Monthly Archives: April 2022

National Stop Snoring Week 2022

Nation Stop Snoring Week 2022

The week beginning 18th April 2022 in the UK is commonly known as being national stop snoring week. The whole week is dedicated to trying to get the annoying snorer in your life to kick the habit once and for all. The bed you sleep on, be it a high sleeper bed or a deluxe Limelight bed, does not have a direct effect on why or how you snore. There is much to be said about why we snore and how we can stop doing it.  

It is advised that around 15 million people in the UK snore, with a further 30 million people being affected by someone who snores in their life. Statistically, it is advised that men snore louder and more often than women and people aged between 50-60 years old snore more often. 

In this blog, we will highlight why people snore, what it could mean and ways to stop doing it. 

Why Do You Snore? 

When it comes to why someone snores; there can actually be multiple reasons. Identifying why you might be snoring is actually extremely effective as you can then conjure different ways to stop this potentially annoying pastime. Some of the reasons you might be snoring can include: 

Alcohol, Smoking or Medication- Alcohol, smoking or certain medications such as Diazepam, can significantly relax your muscles leading to the resulting loud snoring. Snoring mainly occurs when the muscles in your airways relax and start to vibrate as air passes through. 

Blocked Nose or Sinus Problems– If your airways are blocked or if you have a runny nose, this might result in snoring. This is because the blocked airways make it difficult or virtually impossible to inhale creating a vacuum in your throat which in turn leads to, as you might have guessed by now, snoring. 

Being Overweight or Generally Out of Shape– If you have fatty tissue or generally poor muscle structure; you might be a snorer because of this. However, it might surprise you to know that you don’t always have to be overweight to have a weight related snore problem. If you carry excess weight specifically in your neck or throat, this can in turn make you snore.

Your Age– Whilst you can change some of the reasons you snore, some reasons are completely out of your control. One such reason is your age. As you become older, your throat becomes narrower and the muscle tone in your neck decreases. This, rather unsurprisingly, results in snoring.  

Sleep Posture– Certain ways you sleep can result in snoring. Sleeping on your back, which coincidentally is one of the popular sleeping positions in the UK, can cause your muscles to relax and in turn allows you to snore. 

Your General Genetic Makeup– Very much in the ‘you have little control to no control over’ category; your general genetic makeup can make you snore. For example, men have narrower air passages than women which means they are more susceptible to snoring. Additionally, a cleft palate, enlarged adenoids or other physical attributes can increase the likelihood of you being a snorer.    

Hereditary– While the act of snoring is not necessarily hereditary, most of the factors, such as the way you are built most definitely are. 

What Does It Mean? 

You might live with a snorer or you might be one yourself, however, you might never have asked; what does it actually mean? 

To put it simply, snoring occurs when the muscles in your throat relax causing tissue to vibrate as air passes through it as you breathe. Whilst the worst effect of snoring is usually annoying your partner and dramatically impacting their sleeping pattern which can be devastating by itself; snoring can showcase issues which are more severe. 

Snoring can indicate sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious condition where your sleeping is briefly interrupted multiple times during your nights sleep. General snoring should not affect you during your sleep, however, if throughout the day you are suffering from extreme fatigue and tiredness then this could be a tell-tale sign of you are suffering from sleep apnea.

Ways To Stop Snoring

If you are, or if you know someone who snores, you need not to worry as all hope is not lost. There are a few tried and tested techniques you can use to stop snoring once and for all. This includes: 

Ensuring Your Stay Well Hydrated– On average, men and women drink about 15 cups of various liquids a day. This might not seem very important as far as sleeping is concerned but staying well hydrated can drastically improve your quality of sleep. You are dehydrated, secretions in your nose become stickier which can create more snoring. 

Opening Your Nasal Passages– As you might have already guessed, opening your nasal passages can help you stop snoring. There are many ways to do this. Some of which include taking a hot shower before bed or using a nasal spray. 

Focus On Hygiene– Bad sleep habits, such as working long hours without sufficient rest or not changing your bed sheets often enough, can result in your becoming a snorer. 

Changing The Pillow– Following on nicely regarding having good sleep hygiene and habits, allergens can live on your pillow which can enlarge your throat due to an allergic reaction. The enlarged airways can not only make it hard to breathe; but you will probably start snoring as a result of this. Frequently changing your pillow can be a great way of combating an allergen build up. 

Changing Your Sleep Position– If you sleep on your back, statically speaking you are more likely to snore. If this is your preferred sleeping position, you might want to adopt a new sleeping position. 

Lose Weight– As previously alluded to, being overweight can have a negative effect on you being a snorer. As such, you might want to consider losing weight to combat the snoring habit. 

Stop Drinking Alcohol (Especially Before Bed)– Sedatives and alcohol relax your muscles leading to snoring. This point we have already touched upon. To decrease the likelihood of you snoring, you should stop drinking alcohol as frequently. This rings especially true for drinking alcohol 3-4 hours before bed as this has a much worse effect.

Contact Us 

Are you looking at ways to improve your sleeping arrangements and say goodbye to snoring in your life once and for all? Please get in touch with us. 

While you are at it, why don’t you check out our fantastic range of products which include sleek metal double bed frames and stylish day beds. 

Preparing For The Perfect Night Sleep

Preparing For The Perfect Night Sleep

In our previous blog; we have touched upon the importance of getting your full 8 hours of sleep a night. From generally improving cognitive functions to surprising aesthetic differences, there are many reasons to improve your sleeping pattern. 

Whilst there is no simple way to maximise your cheap leather bed (using just one example) ready the perfect night sleep, there are some clinically proven methods to help you get a better night sleep. 

One of the most effective ways to do this is by meticulously preparing for the perfect night sleep.  

Waking Up In The Correct Manner 

Whilst many believe preparations for the best night sleep start only an hour or so before bed; the true preparations start as soon as you wake. 

You actually awake from sleep much easier if you construct your room in a way that makes waking up more easier. 

Pay particular attention to how far your alarm is. If you have to physically get out of bed to turn the alarm off, you might find this rather annoying especially if you are still slightly in the slumper of awakening. To counteract this; you might want to position your alarm clock within arms length. 

Or, you might want to invest in an alarm that can be turned off via voice control. By doing this, you will not need to get out of the comfort of your bed or fumble around trying to locate your buzzing alarm. 

Waking up in the morning can have a drastic impact on how you are prepared for the days activities and even the quality of sleep you get that night. 

Perform Daily Activities Which Will Tire You

Preparations for sleep should subconsciously be carried out throughout the day. You should perform tasks or activities that gradually tire you out. Whilst this not only improves your productivity during the day; it helps rest much easier at night. 

It is helpful to participate in some exercise or even perform other physical tasks such as cleaning. 

Whilst mentally tiring tasks can make you feel tired, studies have found that it does not encourage your body to get a good night’s sleep the way physical activities do. 

It is a fine balancing act. Do not overwork yourself. This can lead to fatigue throughout the day and can actually be a detriment to your sleep rather than a helpful advantage. 

Set a Time And Stick To It

Many experts advise you should establish a set time to go to sleep. Habits are one of the most authentic ways to ensure you get the perfect 8 hours of sleep. 

Choosing a selective window to fall asleep in can be potentially problematic. There are numerous ways to counteract this though. Mould the sleeping pattern around your daily schedule. If you need to be at work for 9am and you normally wake up at 7, you can go to sleep as late as 11. 

This can be perfected through trial and error. You might find you prefer going to bed later and waking up later or vice versa. It is of paramount importance to find a pattern that suits you and your busy lifestyle. 

Limit Caffeine Before Bed

Now you have a set sleeping schedule, you know which time to avoid caffeine from. It is recommended that you should stop drinking caffeine 4 to 6 hours before going to sleep. 

Caffeine is obviously a stimulant. Excessive consumption of caffeine can lead to irritability and, more importantly in regards to this list, struggles getting to sleep. 

You should also monitor your general caffeine over the course of your day. Frequently consuming a lot of coffee or tea can lead to alertness for a time but once the effects of caffeine wear off, it can actually make you more tired than usual. 

Relax Your Mind 

Relaxing your mind in anticipation of sleep is easier said than done. There is no set science for putting your mind in a position to carefully away into REM. However, you can try one of the below techniques that have worked for other eager sleep junkie: 

  • Listen to relaxing music before bed
  • Brush your teeth
  • Control How Much Food You Have (You don’t want to wake up hungry but if you are too full you might feel sick)
  • Drink Water (But not too much)
  • Switch Off Your Phone Well Before Bed
  • Avoid Screens (Unless you are watching something that relaxes you) 

 Tidy Your Bed Before Hand

They say a tidy room is a tidy mind. If this common saying rings true then having a clean and tidy room can help to clear and prepare your mind. 

If this is the case; you might want to make your bed, put away any clutter and organise your room so everything is easily accessible and aesthetically pleasing. 

 Still Need Help Getting to Sleep? 

If you still need help getting to sleep, do not hesitate to contact us. You might be in need of some new sleeping arrangements. At UK Bedstore, we have got you covered. From fresh double bed frames to stylish metal beds, we will have something for you.