環(huán)球英語(yǔ) — 83：A Sleep Problem: Snoring
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Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.
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And I’m Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.
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Mike is a teacher. He lives in California. Mike had a problem. He was always tired. Often, he would fall asleep at work. He would fall asleep while watching television. He even almost fell asleep while he was driving his car! He slept all night. And he would even sleep for a short time after work. But he was still tired. Mike said his sleeping also affected his wife.
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“My wife told me that when I did sleep, I snored like a pig. But she also said that sometimes I would suddenly stop snoring. I would hold my breath in my sleep. She counted the seconds until I started breathing again.”
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Mike had trouble breathing as he slept. He rolled and turned in his bed. When he was awake, he was unhappy. He would become angry easily. Mike could not enjoy life.
Today’s spotlight is on snoring and the problems it can cause.
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Do you know someone who snores? Do you snore? Have you ever tried to sleep near someone who snores? Then you know the stress and emotional pressure it causes. It can also be the sign of a more serious problem.
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Snoring happens when a person sleeps. During sleep, air moves through the passages or airways in a person’s nose and mouth. It travels through these spaces and down into the lungs. Sometimes, these passages become loose. They are no longer firm. They move when the air moves through them. This vibration, this movement, makes noise. This noise is snoring. Snoring can be as loud as an airplane taking off into the air.
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Scientists have discovered that snoring may be connected to families. They found that children are more likely to snore if their parents also snore. But some sleep experts say that it is a family’s body type that make them snore. They say that if a parent has extra body fat, their children usually do also. Extra body fat, and large bodies make snoring worse. The person’s airways become smaller. This makes snoring worse. Old age also makes snoring worse. As a person gets older, their airways become less firm. This makes snoring louder.
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Snoring is more than just a noise problem. The same problems that cause snoring can cause sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea is when a sleeping person stops breathing for a short time. His airways are blocked. Usually, the person’s body struggles to breathe. A person will make a loud noise and then start breathing again. If he does not start breathing again, he will die.
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Sleep apnoea also causes the person’s body to wake from sleep often. A person with sleep apnoea will wake from sleep sixty [60] to one hundred [100] times in one night. She may think she slept well. But she will be tired during the day. Being very tired during the day can cause serious problems. Sleep apnoea makes driving accidents twice as possible. People may fall asleep while driving.
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Sleep apnoea can also affect the heart. If a person stops breathing, there is less oxygen in his blood. His heart must work harder to supply the body with oxygen-rich blood.
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Snoring can also affect the husband or wife of the person who snores. The noise from a man snoring can keep his wife awake. On average, the husband or wife of a snoring person gets one hour less sleep a night. When people lack sleep, they become less happy. This can put pressure on a marriage.
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So can anything be done to stop or reduce snoring and sleep apnoea? Well, sleep experts have created a number of ways to help people who snore. If you snore, here are a few ways to stop or reduce snoring.
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Start singing. Singing can make the muscles in your mouth and airways stronger. This will reduce the noise when you snore.
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Put a ball in the back of your pajamas, your sleeping clothes. This will prevent you from sleeping on your back. Lying on your back can increase the chance of snoring.
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Use nasal strips. Nasal strips are pieces of plastic that attach to your nose. The nasal strip holds open your nostrils. This makes breathing easier, and reduces snoring.
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Do not use a pillow under your head. This soft material bends your neck. A bent neck can increase snoring.
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Many devices can also help with snoring problems. One device is a specially made piece of plastic. It goes in your mouth. It prevents the tongue from blocking your airway.
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Another device is called a CPAP. This is the best device to stop snoring and sleep apnoea. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This device forces air into your nose and mouth. The air pressure makes it impossible to snore.
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Remember Mike from the beginning of this program? Doctors discovered that he had sleep apnoea. Today, Mike uses a CPAP and he no longer snores. He says that it has changed his life.
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“I no longer fall asleep at work or while driving. I wake from sleep early. I have more energy. I feel one hundred percent [100%] better.”
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Stopping snoring also made Mike healthier. His high blood pressure is lower. His wife is also happy that her husband has stopped snoring. Now she can also sleep well.
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But not everyone needs a CPAP machine. Doctors say that one of the best ways to reduce snoring is by living a healthy life. There are many avoidable things that make snoring worse. Smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and the chemical caffeine all affect snoring. Eating too much food can also make snoring worse. It is important to exercise and keep body fat levels low. A healthy body can help a person to have healthy sleep.
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Sleep is such an important part of life. Lack of sleep affects our bodies. It affects our minds. Lack of sleep affects our relationships with other people. And it affects the safety of those around us. The Spotlight team wishes you a quiet night’s sleep. Sleep Well!
