Snoring: Causes, Remedies and Treatment Options
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 2022/04/12
Category Topic: Snoring (Publications Database)
Page Content: Synopsis Introduction Main Subtopics
Synopsis: Information regarding snoring, including why people snore and various ways and methods used to help stop snoring.
• Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation to snorers and those around them, as well as daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of focus and decreased libido. It has also been suggested that it can cause significant psychological and social damage to sufferers.
• Besides the 'noise' of snoring, more complex conditions such as sleep apnea can be consistent with the symptom of snoring. This means you stop breathing for periods of more than 10 seconds at a time while you sleep. Sleep apnea is serious, but there are treatments that can help.
Introduction
Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to vibrate as you breathe, creating hoarse or harsh sounds. Frequently, people who do not regularly snore will report snoring after a viral illness, after drinking alcohol, or when taking some medications.
Main Document
Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation to snorers and those around them, as well as daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of focus and decreased libido. It has also been suggested that it can cause significant psychological and social damage to sufferers.
Snoring is caused by a blockage and usually due to one of the following:
- Obstruction in the nasal passageway
- Fat gathering in and around the throat
- Throat weakness, causing the throat to close during sleep
- Mispositioned jaw, often caused by tension in the muscles
Besides the 'noise' of snoring, more complex conditions such as sleep apnea can be consistent with the symptom of snoring. This means you stop breathing for periods of more than 10 seconds at a time while you sleep. Sleep apnea is serious, but there are treatments that can help. Children can also have sleep apnea. If your child snores frequently, have your health care provider check for sleep apnea.
Almost all treatments for snoring revolve around clearing the blockage in the breathing passage. This is the reason snorers are advised to lose weight (to stop fat from pressing on the throat), stop smoking (smoking weakens and clogs the throat) and sleep on their side (to prevent the tongue from blocking the throat). Surgery is also available as a method of correcting social snoring. Some procedures, such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, attempt to widen the airway by removing tissues in the back of the throat, including the uvula and pharynx. Devices such as nose clips can dilate the nostrils, and other devices can alter jaw mechanics to keep the jaw in an optimum position. Different aids and practices may work for different people. Some of the more common causes along with simple ways to cure them are listed below.
Medical Problems
There are several medical conditions that can cause snoring.
Allergies for instance can cause swelling or inflammation of the air passage. Adenoids and tonsils are also causes of snoring, especially if they are large. Many times a cold or sinus condition will block your nose causing you to breathe through your mouth, which can cause you to snore.
Being Overweight
Many people are overweight due to not exercising enough, eating too much, or a combination of both. It is common knowledge that that overweight people are more apt to snore than ones that are slimmer. The primary cause of their snoring is because their throats are fleshier and therefore have more blockages that can narrow the air passages. The simple way for an overweight person to cut down on their excessive snoring is to lose some weight.
Smoking
There are many reasons not to smoke, and among them are the modification to your throat.
Over time, mucous will build up in the throat to ease the smoke and nicotine passing through it and reduce inflammation. A larger than normal amount of mucous can be released, which will cause the small blood vessels in the lungs to swell along with the throat. When this occurs the air ways are again being blocked causing the increased snoring. Sleep apnea is also a problem caused by these blockages and can cause breathing interruptions. Irregular breathing patterns cause these interruptions. This results in snoring and poor sleep.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol relaxes the throat muscles, which as we learned will be the immediate issue of excessive snoring. By eliminating any alcoholic beverages just before bedtime, you can avoid many of the concerns associated with the snoring.
Sleeping Positions
Due to gravity pulling on their tongue and throat muscles, people who sleep on their backs usually have more issues with snoring than ones who sleep on their sides.
Along with gravity, the throat is in a more restful position, which causes parts of the throat and tongue to drop and restrict the airflow, causing a person to snore. By sleeping in an elevated position, there will be some relief. The recommended amount is about 30 degrees. With this elevation, your diaphragm is relaxed, and the tongue won't restrict the air flow through the throat area.
Sleep Patterns
Going to bed at the same time and getting 7 or 8 hours of sleep will help keep your snoring in check.
When your sleep pattern is interrupted, your breathing will become unbalanced, which can cause snoring. Noises from your bed partner or other things will also cause unbalanced breathing and snoring. Try to make your sleeping area as quiet as possible. Sometimes soothing sounds or white noises from a recording will help mask other disturbing sounds.