Snorinator - Creator Interview

 I recently had a chance to interview Lloyd Ecker, Entrepreneur and Inventor of the Snorinator.  The Snorinator | The Best Pillow to Stop Snoring | The Snorinator™

 Why was the Snorinator created?

When I came out of the shoot in 1953, I didn’t cry, I snored! For the next 65 years I tried every snoring product under the sun. Nasal strips, mouth tape, nose clips, throat and nose sprays, chin straps, nostril vents, and three different mouthpieces. If someone told me that a partridge in a pear tree might have worked, I would’ve tried that too!

By 2019 my snoring had reached an epic level of ear shattering. I was cracking mirrors. My wife, Sue, even got a call from a neighbor once asking how long our nighttime construction was going to go on. Finally, she tried a set of those noise-cancelling earphones, but those didn’t work either. I was still coming in loud and clear. 

Enough was enough. My wife couldn't take it anymore and kicked me out of our bedroom and into the den. Then, after being in purgatory for three years, I saw a commercial about an implant devise that was surgically attached inside the throat to stop snoring. So, I went to a sleep doctor with the hope that this implant would be my ticket to get back into the bedroom. 

The doctor told me, all I had to do was take a sleep study test to qualified for the implant. I got this wire kit in the mail and Sue helped me get everything attached. I looked like I was on a table in the laboratory of Dr. Frankenstein. Somehow, I got a couple of hours of sleep that night and woke up hopeful that I was on the path to solving my snoring problem.

I didn’t qualify. It looked like I was going to be doomed to sleep in the den forever. 

As a last-ditch effort, I decided to do my own research on snoring. I found two causes of snoring that were new to me. The first was that it got worse for people over 50 years old. The second was sleeping on your stomach or side. 

There was nothing he could do about my age, but I found it very interesting that someone's sleeping style might cause snoring. So, I looked up, "Sleeping styles to help stop snoring". God bless the Internet! That’s where I read about a Dr. Fowler, who in 1888 helped his patients breathe easier by having them sleep in an upright position. That opened their airways, and because of that, it would help stop snoring.

Armed with this discovery, I started fooling around with a dozen different pillow combinations to try to test out Dr. Fowler’s theory. When none of those worked, I decided to make my own memory foam design from scratch. One year later, after eighteen versions of my prototype, my wife was happy to report that I finally came up with a pillow that worked. Sue welcomed me back into our bedroom and I haven’t snored since!

What are some of the negative effects of snoring, even if someone sleeps alone?

During all those years, every morning I’d wake up with a horrible dry throat and feel exhausted.  Every night I felt like I’d done an all-nighter because of my interrupted sleep caused by snoring. 

While I was doing my research, I also got educated by the Mayo Clinic website on other complications from lack of sleep.

• Daytime sleepiness

• Frequent frustration or anger

• Difficulty concentrating

• A greater risk of high blood pressure, heart conditions and stroke

• An increased risk of behavior problems, such as aggression or learning problems.

• An increased risk of motor vehicle accidents due to lack of sleep

What makes the Snorinator better than just stacking pillows or sleeping in a chair?

I tried just stacking pillows and also sleeping in a chair. Neither of these worked for me because I was a very restless sleeper. When I tried just stacking pillows or sleeping in a chair, I naturally reverted back to sleeping on my belly or side. And my snoring continued. 

The key to the success of The Snorinator is my patented Head-Nest. The Head-Nest, with its two-memory foam wings, keeps a snorer’s head set in place and comfortably inclined at the perfect 66° angle; the requirement for the High Fowler Upright Position. You just scoot into The Snorinator, adjust the head cradle, and it converts a restless sleeper, like me, into someone who gets a whole night of refreshing sleep, every night.  

I guess you could say, with The Snorinator, I invented a one-of-a-kind set of training wheels to relearn how to sleep upright. And, because of it, my snoring stopped and I’m back in my bedroom forever!

By the way, I worked with experts to design The Snorinator in 2 sizes. The large is for people up to 6’ 6” and the small is for people under 5” 6”. The pillow also has a big built-in cushion for the lower back to give extra lumbar support. After you scoot in, you melt into the memory foam and it really feels like you’re sleeping on cloud nine. 

I guess that’s probably why I’ve also been hearing from non-snorers who have discovered The Snorinator. They’re telling me that my pillow makes them very comfortable in bed while reading or answering emails. 

What are some other healthy sleep tips you can share?

Here’s some more from the Mayo Clinic:

• If you're overweight, lose weight. People who are overweight may have extra tissues in the throat that contribute to snoring. Losing weight can help reduce snoring.

• Treat nasal congestion or obstruction. Having allergies or a deviated septum can limit airflow through your nose. This forces you to breathe through your mouth, increasing the likelihood of snoring.

Ask your doctor about a prescription steroid spray if you have chronic congestion. To correct a structural defect in your airway, such as a deviated septum, you may need surgery.

• Limit or avoid alcohol and sedatives. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at least two hours before bedtime, and let your doctor know about your snoring before taking sedatives. Sedatives and alcohol depress your central nervous system, causing excessive relaxation of muscles, including the tissues in your throat.

• Quit smoking. Smoking cessation may reduce snoring, in addition to having numerous other health benefits.

Where can someone purchase or find out more information about The Snorinator?

The Snorinator has now launched on Indiegogo.com or you can go to TheSnorinator.com for more information or it will also take you to our page on Indiegogo.com.