TheSleepAmbassador

A colleague just shared this review of the Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds. I took a look because Bose makes great products. https://www.imore.com/bose-noise-masking-sleepbuds-review

However, reading the comment of a happy user left me concerned. She stated, "One of my own personal sleep challenges has been my husband's snoring, and Bose sleepbuds have eliminated that issue entirely. While they aren't perfect, they are a must-have product for me, and they might be for you as well." Yet, by silencing his snoring, the risk that he has Obstructive Sleep Apnea is being pushed out of bed. In fact, her silence may be contributing to the attendant health risks associated with UNDIAGNOSED and UNTREATED OSA. His noise just may be speaking to her...and to him....to seek evaluation.

I have not looked closer at the product and the attendant literature provided. I would like to think that Bose provides a disclaimer or recommendation for those who snore to seek diagnosis and treatment. In any case, this scenario is indicative of how in the quest for sleep silence, someone else may need to be heard!

Thank you for your post. As an advocate of the work of MyApnea.org and as The Sleep Ambassador®, www.thesleepambassador.com, I am on a quest to help people sleep better and to raise awareness and foster a call to action for those at risk for sleep apnea (as well as other sleep disorders). As for mouth taping, thank you to Dr. Burhenne for conveying the importance of nasal breathing and how/why mouth taping can help. I mouth tape, along with wearing my oral appliance for mild sleep apnea. I initially used paper tape (for me, 3M's "Nexcare Sensitive Skin" was the most gentle) as in Dr. Burhenne's video. That said, I was happy to learn that there are alternatives to using paper tape, strips actually designed for the express purpose of mouth taping. I find them superior to paper tape and very effective. The ones I use are called SomniFix. Full disclosure, I consult to the company. And if mouth taping sounds unappealing to you for whatever reason, try paper tape or the strips first during the day or evening to get used to them and, as Dr. Burhenne suggests, to see if you can breathe through your nose and are comfortable. There is also a small "vent" on the Somnifix strips which can help adapt to mouth taping, although ultimately you do not want to breathe through your mouth. For my lip structure, I need to curl my lips in ever so slightly to alleviate the SomniFix vent from allowing air flow through my mouth when I am using the strips for sleep. Here's to a great night's sleep and nasal breathing. And here is an article I wrote about proper breathing: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/are-you-breathing-properly-are-your-children/ Sweet dreams, Nancy