Do you snore, when you sleep?
Are you making your partners’ nights sleepless?
With those tea kettle, steam shovel, unromantic sounds?
Nothing serious, very common and usual. According to British snoring association there are 4.5 million females in U.K and 10.4 million men.
Let not snoring hinder your sleep or your relationships.
What is snoring?
Just Noisy breathing while you sleep.
Occurs both in men and Women and even children.
From National Sleep Foundation “90 million American adults-37 million on a regular basis have this problem”
This condition leads to obstruction in your daily activities resulting in tiredness and sleepiness throughout the day.
What happens when you sleep?
When the throat muscles relax during sleep, our tongue falls back narrowing the passage and the walls of the throat start vibrating as we breathe, the narrower the passage the greater the snoring.
What factors aid snoring?
- Blocked nasal passages– obstruction due to allergies, sinus infections, or deviations in the wall between the nostrils.
According to lead study author Robert Deeb M.D. with the department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery at Henry Ford.
“Snoring should be attended to like sleep apnea, high blood pressure or any cardiovascular disease”
- Relaxation in the throat and tongue muscles due to deep sleep, alcohol consumption and ageing.
- Thick throat Tissue– This can occur due to overweight and tonsils.
- Quite a long ovule– The tissue hanging at the back of the mouth can reduce the opening from the nose to the throat. Vibrations, makes these dash against each other causing snoring.
What are the 7 Effects of snoring?
- Breathing difficulties might occur, and if more than 10 secs can cause OSA (Obstructive sleep apnea) condition to be consulted with the physician.
- Awakenings due to snoring even if the snorer does not realize, can spoil the quality of one’s sleep and their activities throughout the day.
- Can lead to weakness, fatigue, low blood oxygen and severe headaches.
- Sleep apnea can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems and stroke.
- Noticeable difference in sexual functionality.
- Fetal issues can be caused in pregnant women. Health issues both in the mother and the newborn might occur.
- Increases your chances of premature death.
What is sleep apnea?
Breathing interrupted during sleep leading to stop breathing repeatedly, Which causes the lack of oxygen to the brain and rest of the body.
How do you know if you have sleep apnea?
- Breathing through the mouth or loud breathing
- Dry mouth, throat, headache, extreme mood swings and obesity.
- Excessive day time sleep, nightmares.
- Energy levels low during the day
- Forgetfulness
- Losing interest in sex.
Nobody can see oneself sleep. People wake up several times in their sleep without ever realising it. No one complains about not breathing, they just say they don’t have good sleep.
Why men snore more than women?
- The space behind the tongue called the oropharynx is more in men than in women. So men tend to snore more than women.
- Women have stiffer necks than men so do not easily collapse.
- The tongue palates of women are softer
- Less anatomical variances lessen snoring in women.
What causes snoring in women?
- Genetic history plays a major role some can be born snorers as their grandparents or parents.
- Congestion due to allergies or infections may block airways due to mucus causing snoring.
- Sleeping on ones back causes easy collapse of muscles leading to snoring.
- Consumption of alcohol or drugs may increase snoring.
- Smoking increases congestion of airways causes snoring.
- Obesity aggravates snoring
- Pregnancy can cause snoring due to nasal congestions and weight gain during the process.
What is the ideal sleeping position to reduce snoring?
- Always keeping the head in a raised position can minimize snoring.
- Firming up the skin around your neck by tucking a pillow under your chin for motionless sleepers for others a chin strap can help. This creates a tension and reduces the vibration of the throat tissues as you breathe.
- Adding extra pillows to keep your head raised also helps to avoid nasal congestions and opens up the airways. Usually cervical pillows serve this purpose.
- Sleeping on your side can improve quality of your asleep. Of course avoid sleeping on your back.
- Sleeping with your upper body elevated up to 7”-12” with cushioned foam bed also helps.
What are the throat exercise to reduce snoring?
Call out the vowels a-e-i-o-u thrice loudly for 3 mins in a day.
Touch the back of your top front teeth with the tip of your tongue.
Purse your lips with your mouth closed
Move your jaw to the right with open mouth for 30 secs.
Press your cheek muscle away from your teeth 10 times on each side using your index finger.
These exercises are helpful only if done on a regular basis.
What are the easy tips to stop snoring?
- Keeping your upper body raised as you sleep
- Keeping your head raised
- Sleeping on your side
- Taping your nose open with nasal strips.
- Neck braces usage to keep your chin extended for better opening of airways.
- Maintain a clean bedroom
- Avoid heavy dinners or alcohol before sleeping
- Give up smoking
- Use a good humidifier or steam vaporiser to avoid dry air in your bedroom.
Natural remedies to avoid snoring
- Peppermint oil and golden seal
- Spearmint and fenugreek
- Eucalyptus and peppermint
- Vitamin C
What are the 10 benefits of good sleep?
- Reduces stress
- Improves memory
- Regulates blood pressure levels
- Increase immunity to fight infections
- Reduces craving for high calorie diet, helps to avoid obesity.
- Excellent mood levels
- Reduces chances of diabetes
- Prevents cardiac diseases
- Sleep acts as a natural painkiller during injuries
- Contributes to a sharper brain all day through
What can I eat to reduce snoring?
- Soy milk can be consumed instead of cow’s milk which increases congestion.
- Consume honey added to tea before you sleep to reduce swelling of throat tissues.
- Avoid red meat and opt to fish as meat contains saturated fat which causes spasms in the arteries.
- Consume less of carbohydrates in your diet
- Tea reduces congestion so add it to your daily diet
- Onion acts as decongestants
- Avoid butter and include olive oil in your diet it tends to lessen arterial inflammation
- Always stay hydrated
- Peppermint, Turmeric and Garlic in your diet
Why do children snore?
Snoring cannot be always considered unhealthy. 7% to 10% snore every night, 2% have heavy snoring. If condition persists better consult a sleep specialist or paediatrician.
Constant sleep apnea might lead to delayed growth. And heart problems.
How to find out children suffering from sleep apnea?
- Sleeping in unusual positions
- Loud snoring
- Pause in breathing, gasping or complete wakeups
- Heavy sweating while sleeping
- Headaches during the day
- Day dreaming
- Bed wetting
- Nervousness
What are the causes?
- Tonsils
- Obesity
- Allergies or infections
- Cold or stuffy nose
How to stop children from snoring?
- Modifying the Childs sleeping position
- Roll them to their side and check
- Using vaporizer to treat blocked noses
- Keeping the Childs head and shoulder raised
- Using a good air purifier to relieve child from allergies.
- Clearing nasal congestion with nasal drops after consulting a physician.
What are the suitable snoring solutions?
For children
Chin straps Works even if jaw is not well aligned. Good for occasional snoring. Worn across the chin, looped behind the ear. If snoring is severe then advanced device like Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADS) is preferable.
Mandibular Advancement Devices – Worn inside the mouth holding the tongue and lower jaw forward. Provides space for breathing and prevents snoring. Completely safe as made of microfiber alignment. Provides gentle support to the jaw. Highly comfortable.
Nasal strips -If snoring is due to allergy works well by opening nasal passages and cleaning blocked airways
Continuous Positive Airway pressure(CPAP)
Suitable for children with sleep disorders. Though takes time for the child to get used to it.
Works on the concept of pressure applied on the child’s airways to keep it open, with the help of a mask attached to a CPAP driver.
For adults
Anti-Snore device– One can also try this anti snore device. A smart solution to snoring without any alterations to our sleeping positions or any disturbances.
This device is active all night so you and your partner can sleep without any intervention. Padded pillow alters your head position when you start snoring before your partner wakes up.
What’s so special?
- Blends in any surrounding.
- App adapts to your snoring patterns.
- Simple setup procedure.
- Can be inserted into any pillow.
- All electronics away from you causing things to happen naturally.
- Easily portable.
- Noiseless.
- Reduces volume and frequency of snoring, in a natural way.
Check out this aid to be an anti-snorer.
Anti-snoring mouth piece to hold lower jaw forward to open up your airway. Adjusts accordingly to the shape of your mouth. Slightly smaller sizes available for women.
Good Morning Snore Solution Mouthpiece Bundle – $104.94
Benefits
- Adjustable according to mouth size.
- Microfiber gentle on skin.
- FDA cleared improves breathing and health.
Anti-snore chin strap – made of fabric quite flexible under your chin and wrapped over the head giving chin support to keep a closed mouth while sleeping. Not suitable for nose snorers.
Advantages
- No insertion in mouth required, so not to worry about discomfort, if you have tooth pain even dentures.
- Easy to clean and store.
- Long lasting non-clinical device.
- Color safe, washable.
Not suitable when you have a blocked nasal passage or cold as you are forced to breathe through your nose.
Should be replaced every 2 years though might last beyond.
Anti-snoring drops – Helps to moisturise dry mouth and sore throats which might trigger snoring. Enables easy breathing. Based on Aromatherapy technique. Rub it on your chest, nose and neck and inhale. Essential oils it fights congestion and inflammation in nasal passages.
Air purifiers – Treats and purifies the air from causing allergies. Easy portable and light weight. Can be used multiple times. Regular cleaning of the outside mandatory.
Anti-snoring nose clip – Aids in stop snoring by applying the nose sensory nerves. 100% drug free simple, light to insert. Most preferred device. Enhances air flow in the nasal passages.
Does breathing exercises help to avoid snoring?
Yoga breathing asana could be a good aid to avoid snoring as it helps to lessen stress and anxiety and also clears blocked air passages. Enhances oxygen flow and you tend to get a good night’s sleep.
“Let’s make our snore sleep “.