What to do about snoring
When you snore only a few nights, it has no medical consequences. It is primarily annoying for the person sleeping next to you. However, if you snore frequently, you may develop a disrupted sleep pattern. Therefore, it is important to be well-informed about what snoring is and what you can do about it. Discover everything about it in the article below.
Definition of snoring
We have muscles in our body that keep the throat open during sleep. This allows air to pass easily through the throat while inhaling. In some situations, these muscles become looser, causing the throat to narrow.
This results in air being forced through a small opening. In other cases, there may be a structural abnormality in the throat, which also obstructs the passage of inhaled air. As a result, the uvula, soft palate, and mucous membrane of the throat vibrate. This vibration creates a sound known as snoring.
Causes of snoring
In principle, snoring can occur in anyone, both adults and children. Notably, snoring occurs nearly twice as often in men as in women. Several factors can increase the likelihood of snoring:
- Overweight, which causes more fat to accumulate in the throat, narrowing it.
- Smoking, which can lead to inflammation of the airways and mucous membranes.
- Abnormal structure of the upper airways, such as having enlarged tonsils or a large tongue.
- Weakening of throat muscles, often seen in older individuals.
- Sleeping on your back, which allows the uvula, tongue, and soft palate to fall backward.
- Certain medications, such as sleeping pills, which often cause muscle relaxation.
- High alcohol consumption, which weakens the muscles of the tongue, throat, and mouth.
- Underactive thyroid, which leads to relaxation of the muscles in the throat and tongue.
- Obstructions, which can cause narrowing in the nasal cavity or low air pressure in the throat.
When does snoring become a problem?
Snoring is annoying for yourself, but also for those around you. The sound level of snoring can reach up to 95 decibels, which sounds like loud shouting. This can disturb the sleep patterns of a bed partner and lead to tensions in a relationship.
Medical aspect
If someone suffers a lot from snoring, they may also develop a sleep disorder. This can eventually lead to fatigue, irritability, depressive symptoms, and concentration problems. Furthermore, loud snoring also carries an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Treating snoring
People who snore can often benefit from small changes. These may include avoiding alcohol in the evening, not sleeping on your back, quitting smoking, and losing weight.
For severe snoring, an investigation into the cause is necessary. If the cause lies in the nose, this can usually be resolved surgically. In children, removing the tonsils is often sufficient. Another option is a mouthguard to keep the airway clear during sleep.
Some tips against snoring
- Nasal spray for colds, which will open the nasal airways.
- Anti-snoring mouthpiece, which keeps the lower jaw slightly downward. The mouthpiece prevents the airways from narrowing during sleep.
- Anti-snoring sleep mask, which blows pressure into the nose and throat, keeping the throat open.