So many Canadians aren’t getting the sleep they need to live healthy, happy and productive lives. Whether it’s from overindulging in unhealthy habits (ahem, nightly Netflix binges) or health conditions like sleep disorders, there are a variety of issues that can (and do) impact your ability to experience the restorative properties of sleep on a regular basis.
But what if your habits or health aren’t the problem? What if the real problem is your bed partner? You know, the one who keeps you awake with snoring that’s more akin to a gas-powered lawnmower on its last legs. To say that all those sputtering, wheezing, snuffling and snorting noises aren’t conducive to a good night’s sleep would be the understatement of the year. Not to mention all of the shoves, pokes, kicks and elbows you’re forced to throw their way just to tap the proverbial snooze button so you can catch a few more Zs before the night is over.
At wit’s end with all that noise? Smart Nora is here to help.
How Smart Nora targets snoring
Smart Nora is an innovative sleep solution that doesn’t require any of the typical straps, strips, masks, mouthguards, or apparatuses commonly used to treat snoring. Instead, a thin, expandable sheet-like insert is tucked under your pillow. Attached to a patented sound detection device placed on your bedside table, Nora can detect early snoring sounds and react accordingly. When snoring is detected, the pillow insert inflates upwards, like an accordion—without the music, of course!
Snoring typically occurs due to vibrations in the throat as muscles relax and partially collapse during sleep. The narrowing of the throat then causes blockages to the air passing through the throat, resulting in the snoring sound. With the inflating pillow insert, Nora expands to stimulate and shift the throat by adjusting the sleeper’s position when snoring is detected. So, instead of letting snoring volume gradually increase to the point where the snorer either wakes themselves or their partner, Nora targets those early sound cues and shifts appropriately to combat the incoming noise.
Will Smart Nora help me get a better night’s sleep?
Nora is advertised as ideal for side, back and stomach sleepers, and the pillow insert covers the length of your pillow to allow for shifting or preferred spots. Additionally, the technology is designed to be compatible with all kinds of pillows, whether they’re soft, firm, puffy or thin. The customizable sound detection unit, Pebble, offers sensitivity and inflation settings. It’s advised that the process may take 5 to 7 nights to find optimal settings for the product.
In a study of 58 participants and 527 nights of data, Smart Nora has seen promising results. According to their independently validated study via SleepScore Labs, 78% of users said the product is better than solutions they’ve tried in the past, and 90% said the adjustment to using Smart Nora on a nightly basis was easy. For snorers, 20% found an increased ability to sleep through the night, 30% awoke more rested, and 38% had fewer nightly wakeups for any reason.
For partners with snorers, 31% reported an increased ability to sleep through the night, 33% woke up more well-rested, and 30% reported a reduction in perceived sleep disruption. Clearly, Smart Nora has worked well for some users, and there are plenty of online reviewers who are eager to recommend it.
Did you know that snoring can be influenced by several factors such as excess body weight, smoking, overconsumption of alcohol, and sleeping on one’s back? Snoring can also be an early sign of a serious sleep disorder—sleep apnea.
With appropriate lifestyle changes, you may be able to reduce your frequency of snoring and risk of apnea. However, continued snoring despite these adjustments may indicate the need for a more targeted approach. Book a complimentary sleep consultation with us if snoring is getting the better of you (or your partner). You’ll be enjoying the sweet sound of silence before you know it.
