Snoring is a common problem that affects almost all people at some point in their lives. One thing that we all know is that if it happens frequently it may affect the quality and quantity of sleep not only for yourself, but to those nearby. Before looking at how to combat snoring, it’s important to know what causes it, and to do that, we need to understand what snoring is.
What is Snoring?
Snoring is the sound you make when air cannot move freely through the mouth or nose when you are sleeping. The airway narrows down, the throat becomes floppy, and as you breathe, the walls of the throat begin to vibrate. There are many reasons why people snore. Learning and identifying the reason greatly helps in finding a solution for this irritating problem.
Here are some of the general causes of snoring:
- Age can lead to snoring as the throat becomes narrower and more relaxed.
- The body's build is a factor to consider. Have you ever wondered why there are greater number of men who snore as compared to women? The reason is that men have narrower passages of air than women. Physical attributes such as a cleft palate, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, a deviated nasal septum or polyps that are hereditary can also be causes for snoring.
- Being afflicted with sinus or nasal problems in particular may also activate snoring because of blocked airways that make breathing difficult and it then creates a vacuum in your throat.
- The ingestion of medication, alcohol and smoking can also be a cause as each of them relaxes your muscles in general and that would include the throat.
- Being out of shape and overweight are also causes that contribute to constant snoring. Gaining weight around the neck may squeeze the diameter of the throat and make it narrower and collapse during sleeping.
- Sleep posture may be considered to be one of the main reasons why people snore. Lying on your back can cause your tongue and palate to collapse on the throat's back wall and trigger the snoring issue.
The Effects of Snoring
Snoring is not just a simple sleeping disorder but it can also affect your daily life. The symptoms are sometimes serious enough to make it a priority to cure. You may experience waking up in the morning not feeling well-rested at all, waking up in the middle of the night feeling confused, a drop in your level of concentration and memory, morning headaches and feeling excessively lazy and sleepy throughout the day. The good news is that once you know the reason why you are snoring, you will then find an anti snore solution to combat it.
Try these simple and effective solutions:
How to Stop Snoring
- Drink plenty of fluids and clear your nasal passages before sleeping.
- Avoid alcohol, smoking and drinking sedatives and try to switch over to a healthier lifestyle.
- Lose weight and keep healthy by exercising.
- Avoid extreme tiredness and fatigue by not working long hours, then dropping off to sleep. The muscles in the body will become floppier and make snoring a likely outcome.
- Switch to a new aloe vera pillow once in every six months to keep it free from allergens and dust mites. There are also some specially designed pillows to prevent or treat snoring but they may cause neck pain.
- Sleeping on your side also keeps your soft palate and tongue from obstructing the throat and airway and prevents snoring. There are several tips and tricks on how to get used to this sleeping position, and the most notable ones are purchasing a body pillow, reclining the bed with your head extended and upwards to open the nasal passages, or putting something uncomfortable on the back of your pajamas to stop sleeping on your back. The right choice of mattress can also help.
Once you are aware of your snoring problem and have taken the necessary solutions to stop it, the next best thing to do is to continue practicing a proper and sound sleeping habit plus maintaining a healthy lifestyle to keep the problem from coming back.
With patience, your snoring issues will disappear and you will experience the best sleep you’ve had in a long while.
