Photo Courtesy of Pixabay.com
Snoring can be a real disturbance, both for your health and your partner that is trying to get some rest. If you snore more than a few times a week, the condition is considered chronic and can be interfering with your sleep patterns and putting you at possible risk of more serious conditions like sleep apnea.
Although most cases of snoring are relatively harmless apart from annoying your partner, it can have effects on your general health. Snoring can keep you from getting the rest that you need, which can compromise your immune health. If you are concerned about other complications from snoring or wondering what is chronic nasal obstruction, this article will help you find answers.
When your throat tissues become relaxed, they create an obstruction to the natural air passage. This blockage causes a vibration as air is trying to enter and exit your lungs resulting in a snoring sound. The good news is, there are several things that you can do to help curb your snoring including changing your sleeping position and trying an ergonomic pillow. To find the right solution to your snoring, you need to know the cause. Let’s take a look at some of the leading causes of snoring.
Weight
People that are carrying excess weight often find that they develop a problem with snoring. If you are overweight, it’s likely that you have an excess of fatty tissues built up around your throat and neck tissues. This extra tissue and lack of muscular integrity can restrict your throat, causing vibrations. If you want to help your snoring, you should follow an exercise and diet plan to shed the extra weight that could be making your snoring worse.
Age
As your body ages, it naturally loses some muscular control. In the case of snoring, the relaxed and loose muscle tone in your throat could lead to increased vibrations. The main muscle of your mouth, the tongue, tends to relax more fully as you age, falling back into the throat when you sleep, creating a natural blockage.
Nasal Obstruction
Snoring is primarily caused by some form of blockage to the natural passage of air in and out of the lungs. If you have seasonal allergies or chronic sinus issues, your throat and nose tissue would be swollen and inflamed. This swelling can obstruct air. You may also have more problems with snoring if you have a deviated septum creating uneven breathing passages.
Sleep Position
If you are a back sleeper, it’s more likely that you may have trouble with snoring. Positioning yourself to sleep on your back, automatically puts your throat, tongue, and neck in a reclined position. This positioning makes it more likely that your tongue will create a blockage in the air or a vibration of the soft tissues. Sleeping on your stomach or your side could help relieve your snoring.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can cause you to have increased problems with snoring. The relaxing properties of having a few drinks can cause your tongue and throat tissues to soften and create a blockage in your throat. To reduce your snoring, limit your alcohol intake and avoid drinking heavily before you go to bed.
Snoring may not be a life-threatening problem, but if left too long can develop into an issue with sleep apnea, fatigue, and heart problems. Find the cause of your snoring and make the changes necessary to help you and your partner get the quiet rest you need.
Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.
