What is snoring?

Snoring occurs when air cannot easily pass through the mouth or nose. When air is forced through a blocked area, the soft tissues of the mouth, nose, and throat collide with each other and vibrate. The vibrations produce a rumbling, snoring, or humming sound.

Snoring can disrupt sleep. Loud and prolonged (chronic) snoring may be a sign of a serious disorder called obstructive sleep apnea. A wide range of surgical and non-surgical treatments can stop or reduce snoring.

How common is snoring?

Snoring is very common. Anyone can snore at some point in their life. It is more common in men over the age of 50 who are overweight or obese.

Who is most likely to snore?

Almost everyone snores from time to time, including babies, young children, and adults. Some people are more prone to snoring than others. Risk factors for snoring include:

Role of Age – Snoring is more common with aging because muscle tone decreases, causing the airways to narrow.

Role of Alcohol and sedatives – Drinks that contain alcohol and some medications relax muscles and restrict airflow to the mouth, nose, and throat.

Role of Anatomy – A long soft palate (at the back of the roof of the mouth), enlarged adenoids, tonsils, or a large tongue can make it difficult for air to flow through the nose and mouth. A deviated septum (displaced cartilage in the nose) can block airflow.

Role of Gender- Snoring is more common in men.

Role of Family history: Snoring tends to run in families. If you have a parent who snores, you’re more likely to snore, too.

Role of General Health – Nasal congestion due to allergies and the common cold block the flow of air through the mouth and nose. Pregnant women are more prone to snoring due to hormonal changes and weight gain.

Role of Weight- Snoring and sleep-related breathing disorders are more common in people who are overweight or obese.

What is the reason for snoring?

When you breathe, you push air through your nose, mouth, and throat. If the airway is restricted, tissues, including the soft palate (back of the roof of the mouth), tonsils, adenoids, and tongue, vibrate against each other as you force air through. The vibrations make a rumbling, rattling noise. Many conditions and factors can block airflow. This includes:

• Alcohol and other sedatives relax muscles and restrict airflow.
• Bulky soft tissue including enlarged adenoids, tonsils, or tongue.
• Excess body fat puts pressure on the soft tissues and narrows the airways.
• Pregnancy hormones that cause swelling in the nose.
• Low muscle tone and weakness of the muscles of the mouth, nose, or throat.
• Nasal congestion and swelling due to a cold, flu, allergies, or airborne irritants.
• Structural differences in the mouth, nose, or throat reduce the size of the airways.

How is snoring diagnosed?

Your provider will ask you several questions, including how often you snore, how it feels to snore, and how your diet and lifestyle affect your sleep. During an exam, your provider will check your blood pressure, listen to your heart, and examine your mouth, nose, and throat.

To assess your sleep patterns, your provider may order a sleep study (polysomnogram). You may be able to do the sleep study at home, or you may need to spend the night in a sleep center. A sleep study evaluates –

• Brain wave motion.
• Breathing patterns, including periods when you stop breathing or gasp for air.
• Heart rate and oxygen level.
• Movement during sleep, such as arm or leg movements or jerking and turning.
• Sleep cycles and snoring.

  What are the non-surgical treatments for snoring?

Your provider may recommend treatments to improve your posture or open your airway while you sleep.

Treatments for snoring include –

Role of Lifestyle changes –  Avoiding alcohol before bed, changing your sleeping position, and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce snoring.

Role of Medications –  Cold and allergy medications relieve nasal congestion and help you breathe freely.

Role of Nasal Strips –  Flexible strips adhere to the outside of the nose and keep the nasal passages open.

Role of Mouthpiece –  Wearing a mouthpiece while sleeping keeps your jaw in the proper position to allow airflow. Your health care provider may call it an oral appliance or mouth guard. A mouth guard used for other purposes, such as sports, will not resolve snoring.

How can I stop snoring?

• You may be able to stop snoring by making changes to your lifestyle, Diet, and Daily Actions. To reduce snoring, you need –
• Ask your provider about medications to relieve nasal congestion.
• Avoid alcohol and other sedatives before bed.
• Maintain a weight that is healthy for you, stay active, and get plenty of exercise.
• Raise the head of your bed a few inches to change the angle and improve airflow.
• Sleep on your side, not on your back.
• Try a snoring-reducing pillow that keeps your head and neck in the correct position while you sleep.

What is the point of view for people who snore?

Occasional snoring due to a cold or flu is usually harmless. But very loud or frequent snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, which is a more serious disorder. Long-term snoring increases your risk of health problems, for example –

• Decreased level of oxygen in the blood.
• Difficult to focus.
• Fatigue
• Heart attack.
• High blood pressure.
• Shock
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Others cause.