Aldi Is Selling An Anti-Snore Pillow For Under £5, But Can It Really Give You A Silent Night? | HuffPost Life

A sleep expert gives her verdict.

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Life Editor at HuffPost UK

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Aldi is selling a snore pillow that will supposedly stop your partner keeping you up all night for less than £5.

The Slumberdown Anti Snore Pillow is designed to raise the head during sleep to keep the airways open, ensuring the night can go by “without too much noise”.

Aldi isn’t the first place to sell snore pillows. In fact, Amazon recently reported a significant year-on-year sales uplift of the products (up 43% in 2017). But the supermarket’s offering is cheaper than a lot of competitors.

So, if there’s a snorer in your household, could this be the cure you’ve been dreaming of?

Aldi

According to Maryanne Taylor, sleep consultant and founder of The Sleep Works, when we drift off our muscles relax and if there is a partial blockage in the airways during this time, snoring occurs.

“Snoring can originate from the mouth, tongue, nose or throat and determining
which area a person is snoring from is helpful in order determine best treatment options,” she tells HuffPost UK.

“A mouth snorer breathes through the mouth instead of the nose. A tongue- based snorer is when the tongue falls to the back of the throat when asleep, which blocks the airway. Nose snoring is when the nostrils are congested or collapse which causes a blocked airway. Finally, throat snoring is caused by vibration of the soft tissue at the back of the throat.”

Because of these different types of snoring, Maryanne says snore pillows will not help everyone.

“The basic idea behind a snore pillow is about positioning. They are created to position the head so it is pulled back slightly, aligning the neck muscles and opening up the airways. They are designed to encourage side sleeping rather than back sleeping which can exacerbate the snoring,” she explains.

“They are likely to be most beneficial to people with mild snoring issues and re-aligning the sleep position can help alleviate the snoring.”

She adds that some people actually find these pillows uncomfortable and cannot sleep with them, as it raises their head too much, especially if they like to sleep on their stomachs.

“It is certainly worth trying to see if there is any benefit initially and if no improvement, investigate other options,” she says.

Maryanne recommends the following lifestyle changes, which can help to reduce or end snoring:

:: Weight loss - a small amount of weight loss can improve symptoms by opening up the airways.

:: Reducing alcohol and smoking – smoking can cause excessive fluid build up in the throat which exacerbates symptoms while alcohol causes throat muscles to relax which also impacts on breathing.

:: Changing your sleep schedule – going to sleep late can aggravate the symptoms, so stick to a regular and consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.

:: Try yoga breathing – practicing controlling your breathing can help open the airways and allow for increased passage of air in and out of your body.

In addition you should try to sleep on your side rather than your back and use
a nasal spray at bedtime to clear your nasal passage at night.

10 Top Tips For An Amazing Sleep

Take A Tip From NASA(01 of10)

There are sleep apps and then there is the Sleep Genius app. Created by the world’s leading authorities in neuroscience, sleep sound and music, it was developed following research helping NASA get astronauts to sleep.

Using a combination of neurosensory algorithms and sounds delivered through scientifically composed music it creates ‘an optimal sleep environment’ to balance REM and non-REM sleep. Clinical trials of the app were shown to be 77% effective in improving patients’ sleep patterns. It’s got to be worth a go, surely. (credit:PeopleImages via Getty Images)

Breathe Through Your Left Nostril(02 of10)

Left nostril (Ida) breathing is a traditional yoga technique that is said to promote relaxation and aid the onset of sleep. “This breathing technique helps calm the mind,” says Cheryl MacDonald yoga elder and founder of Yogabellies.

“While lying in bed, close your right nostril with your right thumb, your other fingers stretched straight up pointing towards the sky. Rest your left hand on your left knee forefinger and thumb touching with other fingers straight and outstretched (Gyan Mudra). Close your eyes and concentrate on your ‘third eye’ (between the eybrows.) Begin to breathe long and deep through your left nostril only. Continue for three minutes.” (credit:Veronique Beranger via Getty Images)

Hum(03 of10)

“Another yoga technique that can help calm the mind and induce sleep is ‘Brahamarri, or ‘humming bee breath’,” says MacDonald.

“Lying down in bed, take a few deep breaths. Take the hands to the ears, elbows pointing out. Inhale through both nostrils and then exhale making a humming sound like a bee. Allow the length of the breath to extend naturally and without force, humming until the body is empty of breath and then inhaling again. Practice for five minutes each day.” (credit:Kay Blaschke via Getty Images)

Rethink Your Caffeine Curfew(04 of10)

Most of us try to avoid drinking coffee too close to bedtime. But what many of us don’t realise is just how long caffeine stays in the bloodstream.

“When you take a drug, it takes a while to reach its maximum concentration in your blood then, over time, its concentration decreases. When it gets to half of the highest level it was at, this is called its half-life,” explains John Groeger, Professor of Psychology at the University of Hull.

“Coffee reaches its half-life about five or six hours after you drink it. So if you have two cups of coffee, it’s the same as having one five or six hours later. If you have two coffees at 5pm, it’s the same as having one at 10’o’clock.”

Self-confessed caffeine fan Groeger recommends having a lunchtime curfew. (credit:FogStock/Alin Dragulin via Getty Images)

Keep A Sleep Diary(05 of10)

Keeping a sleep diary can reveal just how much you’ve been sabotaging your own sleep patterns. On one page, record your sleep patterns, including how long it took you to get to sleep, how much you were awake during the night and how sleepy you felt the next day. Then, on the opposite page, make a note of any lifestyle factors, such as your coffee and alcohol intake, eating patterns, how much exercise you did, and the times of day you did them.

Over time, this should help you build a clear picture of how much sleep you need and the triggers that affect your sleep. That way you can tailor your sleep hygiene plan to meet your specific needs. (credit:George Doyle via Getty Images)

Exercise Every Day(06 of10)

“Try to exercise for 20 to 30 minutes every day. Daily exercise can help to use all of the energy you've stored from eating and so can help you sleep,” says Jade Wells, a Physiologist at Nuffield Health.

“When you workout is equally important because exercise can also cause a spike in adrenaline, which keeps your body in an alert state. For maximum benefit, try to get your exercise about five to six hours before going to bed.” (credit:Thomas Barwick via Getty Images)

Get A New Bed(07 of10)

According to leading sleep expert Professor Chris Idzikowski, buying a new bed could be more effective than sleeping tablets.

His New Bed Old Bed Study, commissioned by The Sleep Council back in 1998, measured the amount and quality of sleep people were getting on a new bed compared to their old one, found that, when replacing an uncomfortable bed, a new bed was associated with an increase of 42 minutes sleep.

By contrast, he said that research on Over The Counter (OTC) sleep aids has never shown a better improvement than 5-10 minutes extra sleep. (credit:Jamie Grill via Getty Images)

Rewind You Day(08 of10)

Giving your brain a simple, not-too taxing, task to focus on can be helpful way to distract your mind from ruminating on today’s awkward meeting or tomorrow’s insurmountable to-do list, helping to restore balance and calm the mind.

“Try to remember your day backwards,” suggests chartered physiotherapist and author of The Good Sleep Guide, Sammy Margo. “Sounds easy until you try it. Start from your bedtime routine and work your way backwards to when you woke up. You probably won’t make it to lunchtime!” (credit:Indeed via Getty Images)

Don't Worry About It(09 of10)

According to the Great British Sleep Survey 2012, 79% or those surveyed said they lay awake worrying about how long they'd been lying awake!

If stressing about sleep is what's keeping you awake, it could be time to break the cycle by switching your thoughts to something else. Try getting out of bed and engaging in an activity, such as light reading, and forget about catching those ZZZZs. Once your mind has calmed down, you might be surprised how quickly you feel drowsy. (credit:Dave and Les Jacobs via Getty Images)

Try Acupressure(10 of10)

Research suggests acupressure, which involves massaging certain pressure points on the body, could help to improve sleep quality.

Leading sleep expert, Professor Chris Idzikowski suggests: “Put your thumb on the point between your eyebrows at the top of your nose, where there’s a slight indent. Hold for 20 seconds, release briefly and repeat twice more.

“Next, sit on the edge of the bed and put your right foot across your left knee. Find the slight indent between your big toe and second toe and press in the same way.

“Finally, still supporting your right foot, find the point just below the nail on the upper side of your second toe. Using the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, gently squeeze the toe.” (credit:Tetra Images via Getty Images)

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