Everyone snores occasionally. Even a baby or a beloved pet may snore! But heavy snoring can affect the quantity and quality of your sleep. Sleep deprivation has significant consequences: excessive sleepiness, irritability, and lack of productivity during the day, as well as negative health reflection. And, if your snoring is so loud that your bed partner can't sleep, you may end up banished from the bedroom. Sleep partners of people who snore heavily often awaken over twenty times per hour.
Sleeping in separate bedrooms does not have to be the remedy for snoring. Discovering the cause of snoring and finding the right cure will improve your health, your relationships, and, of course, your sleep.
People who snore usually have too much throat and nasal tissue, or “floppy” tissue that is more prone to vibrate. The position of the tongue can also get in the way of smooth breathing. Evaluating how and when you snore will help you pinpoint whether the cause of your snoring is within your control or not. Keeping a sleep diary will help you determine the possible cause of your snoring.
Dangers of Snoring
Snoring is not just a nuisance for your bed partner (or, in extreme cases, for your neighbor). The sound of snoring can be highly disruptive to the whole family, and can be a warning sign that something is not quite right. Snoring can also be a symptom of sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening condition. While snoring is caused by narrow airways, sleep apnea is a true breathing obstruction. A person with sleep apnea wakes up many times a night to regain breathing, but usually remembers nothing at all about the awakenings.
1. Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Overweight, smoking, alcohol and drugs all exacerbate snoring.
2. Use a single low pillow. Sleeping on too many pillows can narrow the nasal passage. You can buy anti-snoring pillows designed to keep snorers on their side while asleep.
3. Try to sleep on your stomach, as snoring is less likely to occur in this position.
4. Review your medications. Sleeping pills, antihistamines and some other medications can increase snoring.
5. Consult with your doctor if you suspect that allergies and nasal congestion may be causing the snoring. Make sure your allergy medication is antihistamine free.
6. Try an over-the-counter nasal strip. These strips may widen the nasal passages and decrease congestion to reduce snoring.
7. Ask your dentist about using an oral appliance designed to reduce snoring.
8. Discuss the treatments for sleep apnea with a sleep-disorder specialist. These include surgery, radio-frequency treatment and a sleeping mask that aids breathing.