Do you regularly spend your nights sawing logs while your partner quietly struggles to not suffocate your with the pillow? Well, there's at least one good thing about snoring: It burns more calories than regular plain old silent sleeping.

According to experts, a loud snorer burns, on average, 2,000 calories a day while at rest, while the slight snorer burns a mere 1,626. Though I'm guessing that's little consolation to said partner.

Before you defend your noisy sleeping habits as good for your waistline, keep in mind that snoring is actually more likely to cause weight gain. According to a study out of England, "Changes in body weight are associated with changes in sleep-disordered breathing severity. It is unclear whether weight gain is simply a cause of sleep-disordered breathing or whether sleep-disordered breathing may be associated with alterations in energy metabolism that, in turn, lead to weight gain."

The natural conclusion? Stop snoring. Oh, it's not that simple? Dang.

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Summer is just about at it's end (believe me, it pains me to even write that), which means that kids who went to overnight camp are probably on their way back home. Just the same, freshman college students have just headed off for their new campus life, most likely sharing a dorm room with a person they've only met over the phone or through Facebook. In both cases, these kids probably have a tale to tell about the dreaded snorer they may have had to share a bunk with. And while the snoring they were forced to tolerate may seem like nothing more than an annoyance, it may actually be a sign of a bigger health problem for the snorer.

An article in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine reports that snoring may lead to chronic bronchitis for a good number of people. The study found that snoring places a great deal of stress on the airways, thus increasing inflammation. In fact, researchers discovered that people who reported snoring six or seven nights per week were 68-percent more likely to develop chronic bronchitis than silent sleepers.

So, if you happen to have a snoring roommate (or spouse), perhaps you should suggest they speak with their doctor about it. If nothing else, you'll finally be able to get some rest while they're at their appointment.

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Want to learn a little more about your inner self? Try paying attention to how you sleep. According to eDiets, your sleep position can say a lot about who you are.

For instance, if you prefer the fetal position, you might tend to be shy and reserved on the surface, but soft and sensitive on the inside. On the other hand, if you sleep in the "freefall" position (on your stomach with your hands up around your head), you might tend to be loud and assertive, though you balk at criticism.

I really don't know how much of this is true, but it's kind of fun to see if your sleep position matches your personality. Mine came pretty close ... how about yours?

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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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At That's Fit, we've discussed the importance of good sleep many times. A restful night's sleep can boost your energy, help manage stress, and can even help you maintain a healthy weight. But there are a lot of notions about good sleep that may or may not be true. To help you decipher fact from fiction, Revolution Health busts some of those sleep myths.

• Myth: Health issues have no relation to sleep. Fact: Other health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and depression can lead to sleeplessness or disrupted sleep patterns.
  
• Myth: The older you get, the less sleep you need. Fact: The average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep. Older adults may have more disturbed sleep, so a short nap during the day can help them catch up on their body's need for sleep.
• Myth: Snoring isn't harmful. Fact: While, for some people, snoring is nothing but a nuisance, it can be a sign of sleep apnea.
  

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I'm leaving for Seattle in a few hours, prepped and ready to shoot a corporate bit for Pepsi. At any rate, part of the travel arrangements involve sharing a room with a guy that I've been forewarned about: He Snores. Great. There goes the possibility of getting any sleep. But, inasmuch as his snoring may be a single-night sleep disruption for me, it may signal a bigger health problem for him (and, no, I don't mean that it may cause me to kill him in his sleep).

According to an article published in the current issue of Women's Health, snoring may lead to chronic bronchitis for a good number of people. The article references a study featured in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, which found that snoring places a great deal of stress on the airways, thus increasing inflammation. In fact, researchers discovered that people who reported snoring six or seven nights per week were 68-percent more likely to develop chronic bronchitis than silent sleepers.

The article also presents a potential solution: Placing nasal strips on a snorer's nose. This may help widen the nasal passage and reduce the nighttime ruckus. Note to self: Buy a pack of nasal strips at the airport and offer them as a "gift" to my traveling companion.

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A deep sleep is something we all crave, but with the demands of our busy lives, it's often maddeningly elusive. But according to this article on Prevention, a good night's sleep can be yours, provided you identify the sleep thieves in your life and address them. What are the sleep thieves, you ask? Here are a few things that might be keeping you from your slumber:

• And over-active mind
• Disrupting your sleep schedule by sleeping in on weekends
• A noisy or restless sleep partner
• Hormones
• Hunger

To find out more about fighting over sleep thieves, click here.

For me, avoiding caffeine and alcohol is essential to a good sleep, and a cup of herbal tea before bed never hurt either. How do you make sure you get the best sleep possible?

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Asthmatics usually feel like their goal is to breathe more, because attacks can leave us feeling breathless. But according to practitioners of the Buteyko method, what we all should be doing -- asthmatic or not -- is breathing less.

Over breathing, or chronic hyperventilation, has been linked to a litany of health problems, including asthma, but also conditions like allergies, snoring, sleep apnea, and heart palpitations, among others. The Buteyko method teaches patients to breathe less through reduced breathing exercises, slowly and naturally raising body's CO2 set point. In clinical trials, asthmatics saw a 90% drop in the use of bronchodilaters and reduced the use of inhaled steroids by about 50%. (Buteyko practitioners do not recommend stopping any asthma medications and encourage patients to use emergency inhalers when necessary. When symptoms improve, patients are taught only to reduce the use of preventer medication ONLY with the help of their doctor.)

My own asthma flared this spring and refused to respond to an increase in medications, which led me to Buteyko. I read a book and ordered a DVD, but ultimately ended up meeting with a trainer anyway and was glad I did. In the month that I've been learning the techniques, I've seen my own reduction of bronchodilater use and hope that as I get better and more consistent with the reduced breathing exercises, I see an even bigger reduction of symptoms.

For more information about Buteyko or to find a practitioner, visit the Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health.

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There are a lot of gadgets out there that can help you on your road to fitness, but sometimes -- in the quest to marry form and function -- things get a little weird. Take, for instance, the Treadmill Bike (pictured). Created, I think, for gym rats who want to get out and experience nature, the Treadmill Bike lets you take your favorite cardio machine outdoors. How this is different from actually taking a walk (or a bike ride), I'm not exactly sure.

Need to buy a gift for the health nut who has everything? What about a wristwatch that zaps snorers in their sleep? Or a massager that claims to firm and shape breasts? Or a (snerk) Absorbent Fart Cushion for their office chair? (I'm sure that would go over well.) These gadgets might make you laugh, but will they improve your health? I just can't say.

If I had to choose one gadget I might actually own, it would be the ropeless jump rope. Jumping rope inside a house can be notoriously challenging, yet just jumping in place doesn't feel right. I think these might help you keep pace while you jump (they even come with an electronic "slapping" sound that imitates the sound of a jump rope hitting the floor), without destroying your living room. What about you? Do you own any weird fitness gadgets?

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People suffering from sleep apnea may soon have another option for getting better sleep. A new two-piece device called the Thornton Adjustable Positioner II (TAP II) is designed to hold the lower jaw forward while a person sleeps and has had positive results in reducing major snoring events per hour and also in helping to keep patients from running low on oxygen during the night.

There are more than 300 devices out there designed for this very purpose, but why not add one more? Snoring is an ongoing problem for as many as 45% of adults, so obviously there's always room for new and better treatments. Let's just hope this one doesn't become "random device number 301," and that it actually has a big impact and helps a lot of people.

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This week is National Sleep Awareness Week, and to celebrate the Loyola University Health System's Center for Sleep Disorders is encouraging all people who have any kind of sleep disturbance (snoring, gasping for air, waking up still tired, etc) be checked out for possible sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea affects more than 18 million people across the U.S., and although it's easily treatable it is also very serious when left undiagnosed. Risks increase for heart attack and stroke, not to mention all the negative effects from sleep deprivation.

So take some time this week to talk to your doctor if you think you may be at risk -- your heart will thank you.

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All the jokes and sitcom situations making light of couples fighting over one or the other's snoring habit may not be so funny after all: a recent study suggests that snoring not only interferes with getting enough sleep, for all people involved, but can also tear relationships apart. And sadly, the two play off each other -- lack of sleep making both parties tired, irritable, and less likely to be interested in intimacy.

There are treatments for chronic snoring, including everything from simple earplugs to more drastic measures like surgery. Experts warn that splitting into separate bedrooms should be viewed as a temporary fix for a problem like this one, and both should agree on a clear "plan of attack" for returning to a shared situation as soon as possible. For many couples, the time spent catching up on the day and visiting with each other while getting into bed is some of the only "alone time" they get all day.

So if this is something you're dealing with, be proactive! Don't let a little snoring action ruin your relationship.

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If your child snores, it's a more serious problem than just being a distraction for other family members. Snoring has been linked to poor sleep quality, and poor sleep quality can result in trouble learning and other behavioral problems commonly misdiagnosed as ADHD. If your child is prescribed a stimulant like Ritalin for poor sleep quality that's been misdiagnosed ADHD, it will only aggravate the problem. And to make matters even worse, poor sleep quality has also been linked to childhood obesity.

The solution might be surprisingly obvious: a recent article from Reuters:Health says that exercise can reduce snoring in overweight children, regardless of whether or not they lost weight. The snore-reducing effect of exercise may or may not have been related to the fact that the children were overweight, since all of the children in the study were overweight so it's difficult to tell. If your child snores, increasing the amount of exercise that your child gets is certainly worth a shot. He'll be healthier, whether or not it helps him stop snoring.

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