Snoring 101 – Everything You Need To Know

Imagine waking up to your partner, and as you open your eyes and say good morning, they comment on how cute you are when you snore, or how they could barely sleep because of it. It is quite an awkward situation.  However, you are not alone. More people, men, and women snore. It might seem embarrassing, but you don’t have to be ashamed. There are instances when you cannot control your snoring. If it is too severe, you might wind up disturbing yours or your partner’s sleep. Here are some guidelines to snoring that you should definitely take a look at.

The biology of snoring

We all know what snoring sounds like. In some people, the sound is louder and harsher. This is all dependent on several factors. If you are not careful, snoring could turn disruptive. Basically, when air passes through your throat and causes the relaxed tissues to vibrate, it produces that harsh, coarse sound. Keep in mind; these tissues in your throat are partially blocking your airways and reduce the allowance for regular air flow. You may notice the range in snoring from different individuals. This is because in individuals where snoring is intense, the air passage is very restricted and the airflow is quite forceful. The vibration of the relaxed tissues will increase, and the sound thus becomes louder. Granted, most of us snore once in a while, in some individuals, it is a significant cause of concern.

What causes snoring?

There are several causes including the fundamental anatomy of your mouth or issues with your nasal passages such as a deviated septum may contribute to snoring.  It can be influenced by your lifestyle and consumption behavioral. You will find that most people who have serious snoring issues are overweight or often consume alcohol, especially at night. Some of your sleeping habits such as your sleeping position greatly influence snoring. There are positions known to make it worse.

Are you at risk of snoring?

If you fall into several of the categories of people at risk of snoring, then you might want to continue to the remedy section. Here is a quick guide to the at risk of developing snoring

• Nasal problems like a defective septum or other structural issues put you at high risk of being a snorer. Even those who experience congestive issues and have problems with delicate sinuses are at a greater risk.
• Men are more likely to become snorers that women. However, a large percentage of women snore.
• Alcohol consumers are also at risk. Consuming alcohol especially at night time will relax your throat muscles and increase the chances of obstruction hence snoring.
• Overweight people are likely to develop snoring. Obesity is linked with developing obstructive sleep apnea.
• It runs in the family. Like many other conditions, heredity puts you at risk of developing snoring.

Remedies for snoring

Snoring doesn’t just affect you or your spouse during bedtime; it becomes a nuisance and puts you at risk of developing other disorders and complications.

Short term remedies

Get enough sleep in the right position

Adjusting your sleeping habits could help relieve chronic snoring. When you lie on your side, you experience fewer obstructions and conversely less snoring. If you do not trust yourself to be on this side position all night, try attaching tennis balls to the back of your pajamas. This way the discomfort the cause will force you to sleep on your side.

Avoid alcohol

Limit your consumption of alcohol and other sedatives. These usually depress your nervous system, and your body functions become staggered. When your throat muscles and tissues are at this over relaxed state, they are more likely to obstruct the airways as compared to a more sober alert state.

Long term remedies

Lose some weight

This one of the more effective permanent solutions to snoring. Not to say that leaner people do not snore. However, losing the extra tissue will reduce the probability of obstruction as you sleep. You will also display better sleeping habits with some exercise. This way, your body will be less sleep deprived. It might take some work bust shedding off an excess

Invest in a good mattress pillow mashup

With the right mattress, you not only combat sleep deprivation but also reduce the likelihood of snoring. There are certain degrees of firmness and other features suitable for snorers. Amerisleep mattress come in a variety which you may review and choose from. You may also invest in finding a pillow to support your head as you sleep. With the right elevation, you minimize the degree of airway obstruction and prevent snoring.

Speaking to your doctor

With the right help from your healthcare provider, you may access to treatments for nasal congestion or obstruction. This way, you can breathe properly and effectively reduce snoring. Apart from these treatments, your doctor may recommend strips or nasal dilators to ease airflow resistance. Make sure to exhaust all your questions about possible external therapies.

Machines for snoring?

If you or your doctor feels that your snoring might need some serious help, you can get a machine to help you out. CPAP machines; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, work to keep your air passages open. They are primarily used by people with snoring induced by sleep apnea. Using continuous positive airway pressure, they prevent blockages during breathing, the result of which is reduced or eliminated snoring.

Devices like snore guards are also useful to open your air passages but do not work for sleep apnea These different gadgets not only benefit you but also help reduce the degree snoring will interfere with your partner’s sleep. You may want to speak to your doctor if you suspect sleep apnea and find ways to ease yours and your partners’ sleeping environment.

Final word

You may feel helpless with your snoring state, but there are some simple ways you can remedy it. Do not wait until it becomes a chronic condition. If either of you notices some snoring coming up, you could try some of these remedies in conjunction with doctors orders.