Snoring: The Facts, The Fiction & How to Stop with the Help of Zeus

Snoring is often parodied in society and considered a minor, humorous and even completely benign condition. Yet over a third of the world’s population would disagree, and not so easily see the funny side. In this article we explore the reasons why we snore, the impact on snorers as well as partners and review remedies, such as sleep aid devices, that can help stop snoring at its source.

“Snoring affects over a ⅓ of the world’s population” 

This surprisingly huge number reflects the fact that it is both the snorer and the snorer’s partner who can be affected; sometimes having a detrimental effect on the overall quality of life for both due in large to chronic sleep deprivation. 

“90% of those who sleep with a snorer don’t achieve R.E.M or deep sleep”

The partner of the snorer is often subject to multiple hours of sleep deprivation often more than the snorer. This can mean that relationships can be badly affected, in the UK it’s the 2nd leading cause of divorce, in the US it’s third. 

Snoring is prone to many misconceptions and myths such as that it is rare that women snore, that only older people snore, that snoring indicates a deep sleep, that side sleepers snore less it and that having a few glasses of wine or taking a sleeping pill will help to nod off snore-free. health information website Web MD helps to identify common snoring facts from fiction.

What is Snoring?

Snoring is the sound of obstructed breathing as an individual sleeps, and is caused by the tongue, mouth, throat or airways in the nose vibrating as muscles relax, airways narrow or even temporarily close. However, it is worth noting there is no single cause of snoring therefore no single cure. 

The degree and volume of snoring can vary; a bad snorer can be as loud as 140 decibels, which is louder than a chainsaw, a vacuum cleaner or even a lawnmower! For many people, infrequent snoring is normal and doesn’t require medical testing or treatment. Its main impact is on the bed partner or roommate who may be bothered by the noise. However, a primary snorer is classified as one for whom snoring occurs for more than three nights per week. Because of its frequency, it is more disruptive to them and their partners; however, it is not usually seen as a health concern unless there are signs of sleep apnoea, in which case diagnostic tests may be necessary. It is therefore usually the individual or the individual’s partner who looks for ways to stop or reduce the snoring.

Self-Help for Snorers: Endorsed by Experts

Finding the right way to stop snoring is difficult. There are many anti-snoring devices on the market, and some can be effective at reducing episodes of snoring and improving the quality of sleep. The range of devices varies from topical treatments to smart pillows that detect the noise of snoring. 

Here at Morgan IAT we have always prided ourselves on innovation; developing products that help wider society to improve their health and quality of life. We’re therefore delighted to announce the official launch of the Zeus Anti-Snore sleep aid to the consumer market.  The sleekly designed device has been developed in partnership with leading sleep doctors, most notably Professor Joerg Steier (Consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation).

Professor Strier is an academic studying in the field of respiratory physiology and sleep disorder breathing; an interest that has led to academic collaborations across 5 continents. Professor Steier trained in Medicine at the University of Leipzig, further working at the University of Alabama, gathering work experience in Zurich and Bavaria; then later working at the University of Essen in the Western German Lung Centre. 

He has also been awarded Chair of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at King’s College London, whilst also serving as President of the British Sleep Society (BSS).

Zeus Anti-Snore has also been trialled by sleep awareness charity Hope2Sleep to get initial feedback and reviews before the product was put on the market. Front the sample of frequent snorers who tried Zeus over the course of 14 nights it was found that;

“82% of participants experienced reduced episodes of snoring” 1

The Blissful Power of Zeus: How Does it Work?

Zeus Anti-Snore has been specifically developed for those individuals whose snoring is caused by vibration of the soft palate and tonsils within the throat (not nasal or allergy relating snoring). It works by targeting the muscles that help to keep the throat open. During sleep, these muscles can relax collapsing the throat so that the two sides come together and block the airway. Therefore as the snorer breathes out heavily to open the airways, the sides of the throat and tonsils flap and cause the noise.

Zeus works by applying mild electrical stimulation to skin-friendly pads attached under the chin. These gentle pulses contract the muscles in the throat associated with clear, open airways. Yet all without waking the user. The NHS recommends seeking a device that helps to ‘bring forward the tongue’ in cases of throat snorers. Zeus Anti-Snore aims to gently move the tongue to promote a more open airway. 

Watch our explainer video here to find out more about Zeus and how it works. 

Not only this, as part of our consumer launch we have also launched a full Zeus product range of 30, 60 and 90-day refill pads as well as a handy monthly 30-day subscription service so don’t have to ever have to worry about running out.

We’re also excited to share that we have recently been awarded a Grant from the National Institute for Heath Research (NIHR) to run a clinical trial for Zeus to be developed to use for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in association with Dorset County Hospital NHS Trust. 

For more information, FAQs and to shop all our Zeus products please visit zeussleep.co.uk or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

Why not explore more of Morgan IAT’s innovative projects that help positively impact society such as Salurate a concept test for pre-eclampsia, Realsim a VR treatment for stroke rehabilitation & our flagship product the Neurotherm machine, conceived in 1987 and now that helping treat up to 1 million patients globally.

1 – SOURCE: An independent study conducted by Morgan IAT &  Sleep Charity Hope2Sleep