Snoring?

Dear Readers,

I have started my series on sleep and sleep disorders with the topic, Snoring?

Snoring is  not a sleep disorder but many times it has kept so many people from sleeping and even apart in some cases as bed/roommates seem to have a huge challenge coping with it. This article breaks it down for you and you might just find a solution here. Enjoy!  

Source:www nbclatino.com

Have you been told you snore when you sleep? Or have you been awakened by your own snoring?  What is snoring? Why do you snore? How can you make stop?

What is a snore?

Dictionary.com defines the word snore as follows;

1.      (v) to breathe during sleep with hoarse or harsh sounds caused by the vibrating of the soft palate

2.      (n) The act, instance, or sound of snoring.

Why do you snore?

According to the Mayo Clinic, the following conditions can affect the airway and cause snoring:

·         Your mouth anatomy. Having a low, thick soft palate can narrow your airway. People who are overweight may have extra tissues in the back of their throat that may narrow their airways. Likewise, if the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate (uvula) is elongated, airflow can be obstructed and vibration increased.

·         Alcohol consumption. Snoring also can be brought on by consuming too much alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol relaxes throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction.

·         Nasal problems. Chronic nasal congestion or a crooked partition between your nostrils (deviated nasal septum) may contribute to your snoring.

·         Sleep apnea. Snoring also may be associated with obstructive sleep apnea. In this serious condition, your throat tissues partially or completely block your airway, preventing you from breathing.

 Certain individuals snore so loud that it is almost impossible to sleep in the same room with them and depending on the cause of your snoring there might actually be solutions.  Here are a few tips from Web MD that might just work for you.

1. Change Your Sleep Position.

Lying on your back makes the base of your tongue and soft palate collapse to the back wall of your throat, causing a vibrating sound during sleep. Sleeping on your side may help prevent this.

"A body pillow (a full-length pillow that supports your entire body) provides an easy fix," Slaughter says. "It enables you to maintain sleeping on your side and can make a dramatic difference."

Taping tennis balls to the back of your pajamas can also stop you from sleeping on your back, Chokroverty says. "Or you can recline the bed with the head up and extended, which opens up nasal airway passages and may help prevent snoring. This may cause neck pain, however." If snoring continues regardless of the sleep position, obstructive sleep apnea may be a cause. "See a doctor in this case," Chokroverty says.

2. Lose Weight.

Weight loss helps some people but not everyone. "Thin people snore, too," Slaughter says.

If you've gained weight and started snoring and did not snore before you gained weight, weight loss may help. "If you gain weight around your neck, it squeezes the internal diameter of the throat, making it more likely to collapse during sleep, triggering snoring," Slaughter says.

3. Avoid Alcohol.

Alcohol and sedatives reduce the resting tone of the muscles in the back of your throat, making it more likely you'll snore. "Drinking alcohol four to five hours before sleeping makes snoring worse," Chokroverty says. "People who don't normally snore will snore after drinking alcohol."

4. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene.

Poor sleep habits (also known as poor sleep "hygiene") can have an effect similar to that of drinking alcohol, Slaughter says. Working long hours without enough sleep, for example, means when you finally hit the sack you're overtired. "You sleep hard and deep, and the muscles become floppier, which creates snoring," Slaughter says.

5. Use an acupressure ring

   Acupressure rings work by putting pressure on your points associated with your palate and breathing. Ask about the rings next time you’re at a pharmacy store near you.

Here’s to quieter nights than usual. Have a great weekend.