SibelmedThunderous snores from the other side of the bed is a recipe for mutual morning grumpiness, less than ideal for maintaining a harmonious relationship.
Thankfully, a smart new device purports to leave duvet shaking snores firmly outside the bedroom door; helping those who suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Somnibel is a plaster-sized snoring buzzer that can be attached to a person’s forehead and is said to reduce OSA snoring by a third within days. A sweet dream indeed for those left tired and irritated by the decidedly unmusical sound of their partner’s nasal cavities.
PAAs reported by the MailOnline, 60 per cent of OSA cases are aggravated by people sleeping on their backs, which is precisely where this gadget kicks in.
This nifty little snoring buzzer vibrates once a person rolls onto their back; shifting them right back onto their side. At this point, the buzzing stops, hopefully allowing for a restful sleep for both you and your better half.
Created by medical equipment company Sibelmed, the Somnibel aims to provide ‘an innovative treatment for sleep apnea and positional snoring’; given validation through a clinical trial involving 128 patients.
According to the Sibelmed website:
It is a Medical product that consists of a small piece of equipment weighing 17 g that sticks to the forehead using a single-use hypoallergenic adhesive.
The device lightly vibrates when the patient sleeps in the supine position to induce him to change body position, reducing the occurrence of respiratory events while sleeping, whether as a result of positional apnea and snoring.
SomnibelThe Somnibel snoring buzzer was reportedly developed in collaboration with clinical teams from Araba University and the Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital of Lleida in Spain. Participants showed a 31 per cent drop in apnoeas within the very first week.
Ear, nose and throat specialist at Sheffield University, Professor Jaydip Ray, told the MailOnline:
Simple snoring is a common social and medical problem that adversely affects many people.
Easy to use, unobtrusive wearable devices using miniaturised accelerometers are a welcome solution for many of them. This initial study is encouraging.
SomnibelAccording to the NHS, OSA is the most common form of sleep apnoea and can result in mood swings and concentration difficulties in a person’s daily life.
Although the Somnibel isn’t yet available to buy, it reportedly won’t be long until you can give it a try for yourself.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.