How serious can snoring be? Can it pose a problem in relationships? Is there any need to visit a snoring specialist to find ways to stop snoring? Before looking for a doctor, you can try out the following simple techniques to stop snoring.
What Is Snoring?
Snoring is a noise some people make while they sleep due to a vibration caused by their upper airway tissues. Most times, snoring is not a serious health issue. However, if it becomes disruptive or is constant with other symptoms, there might be a need to have it medically checked out.
Why Do People Only Snore When They Are Asleep?
This is because when awake, the air entering the lungs faces no resistance as the throat tissues and upper airways are open. When asleep though, these tissues are relaxed and so is the tongue. They could block the airway enough for breathing to be met by resistance. This resistance results in a vibration, which if strong enough, would cause snoring.
Factors That Could Cause Snoring
The thing is that both male and female gender are prone to snoring regularly. Any or a combination of the following factors could be the reason people snore.
- Regular smoking and drinking of alcohol
- Being a middle-aged male
- A deviated septum
- A stuffy nose
- Sleeping on your back
- The use of muscle relaxants
- The structural features of the mouth and throat.
- Pregnancy
Simple Methods to Stop Snoring
If snoring starts impacting the quality of your life in any way, then you might need to find ways to remedy the situation. Here are some methods and lifestyle change you could adopt;
- Stop drinking alcohol
- Avoid the use of depressants and sedatives
- Try out some home remedies
- If you have congested or inflamed nostrils, then find ways to remedy it. You could do these with medicines, sinus surgeries, or other techniques.
- Try sleeping on your sides or stomach
- Try to keep your head elevated while you sleep
- Get an anti-snore pillow
- Work on maintaining a moderate weight. Statistics have shown that obese people are most likely to snore as fat tissues can make their airways narrow.
- Certain oral appliances like a mouthguard can help keep the airway open as you sleep
- Research throat exercises you can perform to help strengthen your throat muscles to prevent a collapse while you sleep.
There are no concrete studies to prove that throat exercises are indeed effective in remedying snoring. However, there is no harm in trying.
You could also stop snoring or at least make it highly inconsistent with good sleep hygiene practices. In essence, if you learn to de-stress, sleep enough, and maintain a good diet, you are less likely to gain weight and thus, less likely to snore when you sleep.
If after you’ve tried several methods to stop snoring but still can’t, you might have to visit a snoring specialist. Snoring might be an indication of some other problem. So, schedule an appointment today and find out.
