Before my father was retired he had to wake up at 3 a.m. for work. After retirement, his early morning habit proved hard to break. Subsequently, the afternoons would inevitably find him snoozing on his recliner. Without fail, as soon as he'd hit a deep sleep he'd let out a massive snort, wake himself up, and grumble at my mom and I for "waking him up."
My dad's afternoon snoring puts him in the company of many others. How about you? Do you snore, too? Revolution Health offers some tips on snoring. Snoring is caused by a narrowing of the throat due to congestion, enlarged tonsils, or other issues. Conditions like asthma and obesity can also cause or exacerbate snoring. Contrary to what some might believe, snoring doesn't necessarily mean you have sleep apnea. But if you feel your snoring is excessive, it's a good idea to check with your doctor.

You can minimize your snoring by changing up some of your sleep routines. Try sleeping on your side and avoiding alcohol and smoking before bedtime. Also, if you have some weight to lose, dropping excess pounds will likely help your snoring. You can also see your doctor for other possible solutions such as a mouthpiece designed to minimize snoring.

Want to learn more? Chris tells us how excessive snoring may signal a health risk.

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I struggle with bouts of insomnia. Right now I'm in a phase where, as exhausted as I am, I'm up through all hours of the night. Then, after I finally catch a few hours of sleep I wake up and walk through the day like a zombie. It's a crossroads of sorts; I'm either going to snap out of it and get back to my normal sleep pattern or I'm going to go into what I call "full-fledged insomnia" and get to the point where I'm not tired at all and can stay up all day and night. It's a frustrating and unhealthy disorder that seeps into all corners of your life. Several years ago my doctor prescribed sleep meds for me, but I had an unusual and uncomfortable reaction. Though my doctor assures me there are other medications that would work better for me, I've been scared of trying them. I choose to manage my insomnia by environment, exercise, and diet. Usually it works, though like right now my insomnia still can rear its ugly head from time to time.

Many celebrities have fessed up to having insomnia, too. With their fast-paced and high-stress lives, it's no wonder. Most recently, Heath Ledger died from an accidental overdose of a combination of sleep meds, an antihistamine, and two pain relievers. In the weeks prior to his death he had openly discussed how desperate he was for sleep.

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Exhaustion is something I'm sure we all know a thing or two about. Most of us feel tired most of the time. But being chronically tired isn't normal, and can be a sign of something bigger going on in your body. If you're tired most of the time, here's a simple quiz you can take to see if it's problematic or not. If you score over 10, you should see a doctor about the possibility of a sleep disorder.

I scored a 7, which seems to be normal. I suspect my sleepiness is more to do with staying up too late engrossed in the latest book club book, not a sleep disorder. What about you?

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Having trouble sleeping? Feel like life is more painful than normal? New research shows the two might be related.

A recent study of 32 women discovered that those whose sleep was regularly disrupted had an altered perception of pain. Their bodies became less-capable of inhibiting pain signals, and they were more susceptible to "spontaneous" pain -- like aches, or cramps -- after having slept poorly.

But you night owls don't have to worry -- it's not the sleep loss that's the problem, just the interruptions. So new parents, doctors on call, and others who are forcibly awakened from sleep are most affected.

In fact, for chronic pain sufferers, researchers recommend restricting the amount of time that you're asleep as a possible treatment for insomnia. You may be tired, but you'll feel less pain after a few hours of uninterrupted sleep than you would after a night of tossing and turning.

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