Sleep

When you snore from time to time, more often than not, you have nothing to worry about. Snoring occurs when the air can’t freely move through the nose and throat during sleep. When this happens, the surrounding tissues will vibrate and produce the infamous snoring sound. Those who have too much nasal or flopping tissue in the throat are more likely to snore. The tongue’s position has also been known as a factor among those people who snore.

Those who snore on a regular basis however need to look for ways how to stop snoring. Those who suffer from the condition but don’t find ways on how to treat snoring can suffer from irritability, daytime fatigues, and other health complications. As if not enough, snoring might also keep bed partners awake and this might lead to relationship problems as in the long run.

Types of Snoring and What it Can Indicate

Monitoring the snoring pattern can help determine the reason behind the condition. More importantly, it can also help accurately identify the best treatment option for the condition. For instance:

Closed-mouth snoring – can indicate a possible problem with the tongue

Open-mouth snoring – may be related to the throat tissues

Snoring when lying on the back – this often is indicative of mild snoring and can respond well to lifestyle changes and the right sleeping habits and position

Snoring in all positions – this can indicate that your snoring is severe and will require a more thorough treatment

Bedtime Remedies to Help Stop Snoring

Changing the sleeping position. Elevating the head at least 4 inches will not only ease breathing, it can also encourage the jaw and tongue to move forward. Nowadays, there are pillows that are specifically designed to help prevent snoring. They are often designed to ensure the neck muscles are not crimped.

Sleeping on the side instead of the back. Attach a tennis ball to the back of your T-shirt so when you roll on your back, the discomfort of having the tennis ball will cause you to sleep on your sides. It would also be a good idea to wedge a pillow with tennis balls behind your back. Eventually, sleeping on your side will become second nature to you.

Consider using an anti-snoring mouth appliance. These devices are designed to help open the airway by brining the tongue and the lower jaw forward during sleep. Your dentist can create a bespoke mouth appliance just for you so paying them a visit is recommended.

Clearing nasal passages. If you happen to have a stuffy nose, it would be a good idea to rinse your sinuses with saline before bedtime. Nasal strips, nasal decongestants, and neti pots can also help you breathe more easily during sleep.

Lifestyle Changes to Help Stop Snoring

Losing the excess weight. Losing the excess pound can also help minimise the fatty tissues in the back of the throat. This can help decrease, if not totally eliminate snoring.

Quitting smoking. Those who smoke have been observed to also have a higher chance of snoring. Smoking can irritate the membranes found in the throat and nose and can block the airways. While this is a habit that’s hard for many people to kick, it is considered to bring instant relief from snoring.

Avoiding sleeping pills, sedatives, and alcohol. All three have been known to relax the muscles in the throat and interfere with breathing. In line with this, consider it ideal to inform your doctor about prescription medications you are taking so they can assess if they are contributing to your snoring or not.

Checking what you eat before bedtime. Some research indicate that consuming certain foods like soy milk or dairy prior to bedtime can make snoring worse. Consuming a large meal is believed to also have the same effect.

The harsh or hoarse sound created when air flows beyond the relaxed tissues in the throat is called snoring. Almost everyone snores every now and then. However, for others, snoring has become a chronic problem and finding a way how to treat snoring is warranted.

In mild cases, once patients find a way how to stop snoring, the condition can stop. In severe cases however, further evaluation is needed as the snoring can be an indicator of more serious health conditions.

Possible Causes

Snoring can be attributed to several factors like allergies, cold, alcohol consumption, weight, and the anatomy of the individual’s mouth and sinuses, among others.

When a person’s sleep progresses from light to deep, the soft palate (muscles found in the roof the mouth), throat, and the tongue relaxes. When the throat tissues are relaxed enough, the airway is blocked and it vibrates.

The more narrowed the airway is, the more forceful the airflow will be. As the vibration of the tissues increases, the snoring also grows louder.

The following are some of the key factors that can affect the airways and can result to snoring:

• The anatomy of the mouth

As mentioned earlier, having a thick and low soft palate can narrow down the airway. People who are overweight or obese may also have extra tissues in the back of their throats that can cause narrowing of the airway. Likewise, if the uvula (the triangular tissue that hangs from the soft palate) is elongated, the airflow can become obstructed and vibration can increase.

• Nasal problems

A deviated nasal septum (crooked partition between the nostrils) or chronic nasal congestion may also cause or contribute to snoring.

• Alcohol consumption

Snoring can also occur when too much alcohol is consumed before bedtime. Alcohol can relax the throat muscles and decrease the person’s natural defences against obstruction of the airway.

• Sleep position

Snoring can become more frequent and loud when one sleeps on their back as gravity’s effect on the throat can narrow down the airway.

• Sleep deprivation

Not getting ample sleep may also result in throat relaxation and eventual snoring.

Common Symptoms

In many cases, snoring is linked with a sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, not everyone who snores are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. If the following symptoms occur with snoring, it would be a good idea to visit your doctor for further evaluation.

• Breathing pauses during sleep

• Excessive sleepiness during daytime

• Morning headaches

• Sore throat upon waking up

• Hypertension

• Chest pain during the night

• Choking or gasping at night

• Snoring that’s loud enough to disrupt one’s bed partner

Obstructive sleep apnea is typically characterised by loud snoring followed by periods of silence when breathing stops. The pause or reduction in breathing may signal patients to wake up and most awaken with a gasping sound or loud snort.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea may also often experience disrupted sleep. The pattern of breathing pauses can also occur several times during the night. In addition, some studies show that those with obstructive sleep apnea experience breathing slows and stops at least 5 times every hour.