New Ideas on How to Stop Snoring

Who has the Loudest Snore? Enter the Contest!
The Guinness Book of World Records^(tm) lists Melvin Switzer of South Hampton, England, as the record holder for the loudest snore. At 92 decibels, Switzer's snore could be compared to the roar of heavy traffic at a busy intersection and louder than the U.S. limit for noise allowed in the workplace. The snoring experts at the Breathe Right company are convinced that somewhere in America there's a snorer who can set a new world record, and is seeking entrants in Breathe Right's "Search for America's Loudest Snorer" contest to find out. So, whether you're a snorer yourself or try to sleep next to one each night, you can enter via three easy ways:

1) Pick up the Phone - Call 1-866-YOU-SNORE (1-866-968-7667) to record the snoring offender in action. Or snorers themselves can leave a "confession" about their snoring woes. All callers will receive a coupon good toward the purchase of the new throat spray.

2) Send us an E-mail - E-mail a written description (50 words or less) and/or an audio clip of the snoring (15 seconds or less in a MP3 or wave file) to yousnore@breatheright.com.

3) Mail a Letter - Mail a written description (50 words or less) and/or an audio tape (15 seconds or less) of the snore to: Breathe Right "Search for America's Loudest Snorer"

Contest, c/o L. Hawkins, 676 North St. Clair, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60611.

All e-mail and phone entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST on Dec. 31, 2002, and mail entries received by Jan. 7, 2003. One grand-prize winner will receive a year supply of Breathe Right products, $10,000 bedroom makeover and-since Breathe Right nasal strips are an official locker room product of the NFL-a trip for two to Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego, including two tickets for the game, airfare and hotel.

Breathe Right Snore Relief throat spray is now available at mass merchandise retailers, drugstores and supermarkets nationwide. The new product, packaged in a two-ounce bottle, has a suggested retail price of about $11.99. To ensure that every snorer finds the best possible solution for his/her snoring problem, all Breathe Right Snore Relief throat spray packages will include free Breathe Right nasal strips, instructions to try the products together and individually, and a coupon good for a future Breathe Right product purchase.

Dec. 20, 2002 - Snorting, gasping, whistling and wheezing might be noises common at the zoo, but when it happens in the bedrooms of more than 80 million Americans – many of them senior citizens - it's called snoring... and it's hardly music to the ears, according to a new survey.

The study found that typical snoring is loud at best and earsplitting at worst. The survey by CNS, Inc., makers of Breathe Right nasal strips and a new product, Breathe Right Snore Relief throat spray, also revealed that people will try just about anything to stop the snoring.

More than half of snorers and their bed partners surveyed rated the average loudness of the snoring as a seven or above on a scale of one to 10. Forty-six percent of respondents described the snoring as "loud enough to wake someone from their sleep," forcing 41 percent of sufferers to sleep in a different room from their snoring partners. In addition, about 20 percent of respondents said snoring negatively affects their sex life.

Snoring can be such a nuisance that respondents reported trying almost anything to silence their slumber, including mild measures like aromatherapy and clothespinning their nose shut to more drastic attempts like holding their breath until they passed out and breaking their nose. Unfortunately, most snorers (60 percent) and their partners (71 percent) have not sought professional advice on how to alleviate snoring.

"Snoring is a common problem, but it's also a medical condition that should not be ignored," said Jeffrey Hausfeld, M.D., medical director of the Washington Center for Laser Medicine and author of Don't Snore Anymore: Your Complete Guide to a Quiet Night's Sleep. "In fact, studies show that snoring not only disrupts sleep, it can lead to an increased risk of accidents due to lack of sleep. And, snoring is sometimes linked to sleep apnea, which is a serious medical condition that you should talk to your doctor about."

What's the Source of All This Snoring?
For many snorers, their noses are the cause, while others have their throat-or both-to blame for this nightly nuisance. Most snorers (39 percent) and their partners (42 percent) described the snoring at question as coming from both the throat and nose. In order to provide a solution to the two major causes of snoring, CNS is introducing a throat spray to its line-up this fall.

Drug-free Breathe Right nasal strips, which the company says reduce snoring by opening congested nasal passages, already are the #1 solution for snoring relief, according to AC Nielsen. Now, for people whose snoring is contributed to/by throat issues, there's Breathe Right Snore Relief throat spray. “The drug-free throat spray is clinically proven to reduce the loudness, frequency and duration of snoring by combining natural oils that lubricate the throat with a natural astringent that temporarily helps firm loose tissue to reduce vibrations and lessen noise,” the company says in a news release.

"For many people, snoring is caused by an upper airway problem that could be attributed to either nasal congestion that causes you to breathe through your mouth or by loose or vibrating throat tissues," confirmed Dr. Hausfeld. "Solutions like Breathe Right nasal strips or Snore Relief throat spray may offer a safe, drug-free alternative. These products can allow you to breathe better during the night, which leads to sleeping better and feeling better the next day. If your snoring pattern has certain characteristics or goes on unabated, consult your doctor."

Company sponsored research shows that by using Breathe Right nasal strips or Snore Relief throat spray, or both products together, up to 85 percent of snorers can get relief. Both products are clinically proven to improve the quality of sleep for both the snorer-and those around them.

Dr. Hausfeld offers the following advice to help treat you or your significant snorer:

Watch your weight and quit smoking. In addition to increasing the likelihood of snoring, being overweight and smoking are serious risks to overall health.

Avoid consuming alcohol before bed. Alcohol causes throat muscles to relax, which can constrict air passages. (Almost 11 percent of "sufferers" attributed their partners snoring to alcohol consumption.)

Sleep on your side. Sleeping on your back increases your chance of snoring. Stack pillows behind you to inhibit you from rolling on your back during your night's sleep.

If an upper respiratory illness, cold or allergy is worsening your snoring, try a drug-free Breathe Right nasal strip or nasal saline spray. These work by opening your nose and can reduce or eliminate your snoring.

If you think your snoring is caused by loose, vibrating throat tissue, try Breathe Right Snore Relief throat spray, a drug-free over-the-counter remedy that can help to reduce snoring loudness and frequency.

Avoid over-the-counter antihistamines or decongestant nasal sprays they can worsen the loudness of your snoring by drying mucous membranes of the nose and throat or by causing "rebound congestion" of the nose.

CNS, Inc., based in Minneapolis, designs, manufactures and markets consumer health care products, including the Breathe Right^® nasal strip and FiberChoice^® chewable fiber tablets. The company focuses on products that address important consumer needs within the “aging well/self care” market, including better breathing and digestive health. Its common stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the ticker symbol "CNXS." More information about CNS and its products is available at www.cns.com.