Unfortunately for many people snoring is one of those annoying problems that never seems to go away. It occurs when you shift from a light sleep to a deep sleep, as the muscles and soft tissues in the back of the throat relax and begin to vibrate causing a narrowing of your airway. It is characterized by noisy breathing through the mouth and nose and can affect anyone, young, old, men or women although it is more prevalent in men.Generally the person snoring doesn’t even know it and their partner is the one to make them aware!
A very widespread condition associated with snoring is that of sleep aponea. This is where breathing frequently stops and starts. This can be a very grave and potentially life threatening condition so please contact your doctor if you feel you have these symptoms.
Causes of snoring
Causes of snoring depend on different factors. But finding the cause can go a long way to treating the problem. Lifestyle plays a very key part. If you are overweight, smoke or drink too much alcohol your chances of snoring are much greater.
Medicines like antihistamines, muscle relaxants, or pain medications all relax the muscles and can result in snoring. Likewise, people who suffer from allergies are more prone to the condition because the pollen and airborne particles start to block their nasal passages.Overly large tonsils or adenoids, medical conditions and asthma can all heighten the chances of snoring too.
How to Stop Snoring
Forever, people have been trying to find ways to stop snoring. Countless remedies have been tried.It is important to remember what works for one person may not work for another but keep working to find a solution.Sleeping on your side, not on your back is one of the most commonly suggested ways to stop snoring.This can be very difficult when you’re asleep and you are not aware of the position you are in! Engage the help of your partner to let you know if you are snoring. Giving up alcohol before bedtime, losing that extra weight and quit smoking may be all that you need to do to stop snoring at night. If your snoring is associated with blocked nasal passages then try breathing steam before bedtime or use a decongestant. Alternatively you could try a snoring device.
Snoring Devices
There are about 300 anti snoring devices on the market but before spending any money on one it is a good idea to first visit your doctor who can helplo you to determine the actual cause.Anti snoring devices operate in many different ways.Nasal strips work to open up the nasal passageways. Others like throat sprays and drops help with dryness of the throat.A humidifier in the room can assist in keeping the air moist. Neck pillows and body pillows which help keep your neck in a better position are other devices used. Some of these have mechanisms to support sleeping on your side. Another is a mouth piece which helps to keep the lower jaw from dropping, and the tongue from relaxing too much, keeping the airway open. Mouth pieces can be either open-mouthed or closed-mouthed.Identifying the right one for you depends on the position you most commonly sleep in and you will want to get expert help to make your decision.
The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Appliances (CPAP) are a very common snoring device for those who suffer from sleep aponea. This works by using a special mask attached to a pump which produces pressure to help stop the throat from collapsing
