September is NOT for Snoring
If you have a spouse who snores, then you understand just how detrimental snoring can be to a healthy sleep schedule. Lying awake all night, listening to your partner snore has probably resulted in more than one grumpy morning googling snoring remedies. It is estimated that 45 percent of normal adults snore at least occasionally and 25 percent are habitual snorers. Snoring may occur nightly or intermittently. This being said, you are not alone in your consternation.
What exactly causes a person to snore? “While you sleep, the muscles of your throat relax, your tongue falls backward, and your throat becomes narrow and “floppy.” As you breathe, the walls of the throat begin to vibrate – generally when you breathe in, but also, to a lesser extent, when you breathe out. These vibrations lead to the characteristic sound of snoring.” (National Sleep Foundation) While this disturbance may seem minor, expect perhaps to the people who can hear you, it may be indicator of a larger problem at hand.
When left unabated, snoring can lead to interrupted sleep which translates into poor daytime function. Furthermore, “Heavy snoring may be associated with obstructive sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder and a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many other health problems.” (Read more at: https://www.sleepeducation.org/essentials-in-sleep/snoring/overview-and-facts) In fact about half of people who loudly snore, also have obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring isn’t only worrisome in adults, snoring children may be a sign of problems with the tonsils and adenoids.
Is there a way to solve this snoring problem? Absolutely. There are a myriad of snoring remedies on the internet. However, the most straightforward course of action is to contact the physicians at Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates. After an examination of the nose, mouth, throat, palate, and neck, a snoring specialist can reveal the cause of the snoring. Or, one of our doctors may suggest a sleep study in a laboratory or at home may to determine the exact cause.
However, here are a couple tips from our snoring specialist to help you and your partner experience a full and restful night’s sleep:
Sleeping on your back increase your likelihood of snoring.
Alcohol (or other depressants) cause your throat muscles to relax which may cause you to snore.
Congestion from a cold or allergies can also cause you to snore.
For more information please visit our page on snoring & sleep disorders.