26 Nov 2009
A new application that can be used at home is capable of monitoring snorers, which spells good news for individuals suffering from sleep disorders.
Researchers at Finnish institutions Tampere University and the University of Helsinki created the device, which analyses snoring sounds by using a computer with a microphone connection and a wireless microphone.
"People can record their sleep all through the night with a mobile phone or an MP3 player," explained Dr Vaino Virtanen.
"Analysis of the recording reveals the presence of abnormal sleep structures."
The development is particularly welcome because sleep disorders are very common, but they tend to be difficult and expensive to diagnose.
Raw data can be recorded for a period of ten nights, with the findings then transferred to a PC for analysis and graphical output.
According to the British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association, there are 10.5 million men and 4.5 million women in the UK who snore regularly, with the three main reasons for snoring being smoking, drinking and being overweight.
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