Snoring

Snoring is caused by a narrowing or partial obstruction of the soft tissues in the airway, which can include the throat, mouth, tongue, soft palate, tonsils, uvula, and epiglottis. During slumber, our muscles relax, including the soft tissues in the airway. This relaxation causes the tissues to fall into the airway and partially obstruct airflow. The tissues vibrate as air passes through them and cause the familiar sound of snoring.

Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a dangerous condition in which breathing is blocked completely during sleep, causing pauses in breathing that can last from several seconds to minutes at a time. Obstructive sleep apnea is linked to a number of health issues, such as high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. 

Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. A sleep specialist may recommend a sleep study test to determine whether you suffer from the condition and suggest treatment options. Regardless of whether it is a sign of sleep apnea, snoring can still be a nuisance, and treatment is available to help.

If you suffer from loud, chronic sleeping, consider taking the following steps:

• Sleep on your side: While you may toss and turn throughout the night, snoring is at its worst when you sleep on your back. A body pillow can prevent you from rolling over into this position. 
• Breathe through your nose: Breathing through the mouth during sleep can contribute to snoring. External nasal dilators (nasal breathing strips) can help keep nasal passages open, but in some cases, it may be necessary to discuss your condition with a doctor to determine the cause of difficulty when breathing through the nose.
• Get plenty of sleep: Deep sleep involves more snoring than light sleep. Sleep deprivation pushes the body to want more deep sleep than usual, increasing the amount of snoring, in turn. Getting seven hours of sleep every night is a general health recommendation, and a good guideline for snorers, as well. 
• Lose weight, if overweight: Obesity can also play a role in snoring, as excess fat around the neck can contribute to the problem. It may not be necessary to achieve your ideal body weight, even small amounts of weight loss can improve snoring. When losing weight, it is important to do it slowly, in a safe and healthy manner.
• Meet with a doctor or sleep specialist: A doctor or sleep specialist can review your medical history, conduct an examination, and recommend possible treatments to help reduce your snoring.

In addition to taking proactive steps to lessen your snoring, there are also a number of things you can avoid that worsen snoring, such as:

• Alcohol: You don’t need to avoid alcohol completely, but try to avoid it three to four hours before going to bed. Alcohol can further relax your muscles during sleep and worsen your snoring. 
• Sleeping pills: Sleeping pills often have a similar effect as alcohol, including the over-the-counter varieties you can find at your local store. Avoid them, if possible, and discuss your options with a doctor or sleep specialist. 
• Smoking: A number of health issues are linked to smoking, including snoring. Smoking irritates the inside of the throat and nose, resulting in swelling that can make breathing, particularly through the nose, difficult.
• Dehydration: While you shouldn’t drink so much water that you awaken throughout the night to use the bathroom, you don’t want to go to bed dehydrated. Dehydration causes the mucus in your throat to thicken, which can lead to more snoring.
• Pillows that tilt your head forward or elevate it too much: A pillow can make sleeping more comfortable, but too much of a good thing can cause problems. An overly-large pillow, or a stack of pillows, can tilt your head forward, causing snoring to worsen.