Snoring

It has been said that Snoring is a major contributor to an increased divorce rate!

I don't know the statistics behind this statement but I do know that someone who snores: (a) Usually won't admit it and (b) Could be showing symptoms of some other serious ailment.

We are not talking about normal breathing here, but a vibration in the back of the throat or nasal passages which may or may not cause sleeping problems, both for the person with the problem or their partner. (...or both!)

Even if you have to use a tape-recorder, you need to find out if you do snore, and then do something about it!

So what actually causes us to snore?

Snoring has been defined as:

“...the coarse sound made by vibrations of the soft palate and other tissue in the mouth, nose and throat, also known as the upper airways.”

What actually happens is that instead of the free flow of air to the lungs there is a sort of turbulence in the upper airways as you breathe in (usually!) which is caused by some sort of restriction in this airway passage. The restriction could be anywhere from nose to back of throat and it could occur during the day or only at night when you sleep. It becomes worse as we sleep because our muscle tone is relaxed and thus reduced as we sleep and these muscles may not be strong enough to stop vibration. (...which is why we don't usually snore when we are awake!)

Recent studies have indicated that the tongue plays a major role as well. However, snoring is not something we have control over, neither can it be cured, but it can be controlled.

Is snoring serious? ...besides 'puppy' waking up the neighborhood I mean!

Many do not consider snoring very seriously, in fact it is often the provider of jokes and humorous anecdotes. The fact is that snoring is an indicator of a physical abnormality and the resulting air constriction can result in some pretty serious ailments!

Those who snore have a disrupted sleep pattern and this can result in:

• Daytime tiredness,
• Lack of energy, a
• Lack of alertness
• Depression
• Airways being constricted and therefore oxygen limitations to the lungs, and ultimately the brain, will cause further problems, starting with sleep apnea (or Apnoea!) where one is constantly waking up, gasping for air.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a constant interruption to the sleep pattern during the night, and the constriction-->struggle for oxygen-->wake up to breathe cycle repeating itself hundreds of times a night! Each episode reduces the blood oxygen level and the heart has to beat faster. Such pressure on the heart, if left unchecked, will result in high blood pressure, enlargement of the heart and a variety of very serious heart problems.

Go Here to Find Out More About Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

What are some of the contributing causes of snoring?

Contributing to the variety of levels of snoring includes:

The anatomy of the mouth...as the tissues of the lower airways are involved, there could be reasons for narrow airways or airways with obstructions built in. Tonsils may play a part or the presence of a soft palette

Muscle relaxants...and the chief culprit here is Alcohol! A sedative substance that relaxes the soft tissue in the airways can start vibration occurring. This is particularly true of alcohol consumption just before sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea...snoring is the major symptom and those with sleep apnea also snore! The obvious advice here is....Get it seen to right away...go see your Doctor!

Problems up the nose...I know, it's no joke, (it's nose joke?) but the nose may have physiological abnormalities such as narrowing at the bridge or a crooked airways passage. (...known as the septum as in deviated septum!) Any nasal congestion would cause some snoring to occur.

What sorts of treatments are available?

Great question. There are many and they are varied depending on the underlying causes. In fact this is such a wide topic that we have given it it's own page, so if you go there now we will attempt to solve the puzzle!

Go Here to Find Out More About Treatments for Snoring.

Click to Find Out More About Natural Remedies for Snoring.

If you are suffering from snoring treat it seriously and visit your doctor for an early diagnosis, for it could become life threatening, but even if it is only minor, it may be an indicator of a far more important ailment. Don't take the chance, swallow your pride and talk to a health care professional!

Return to Sleep Help (Home) from Snoring