Snoring

Why do people snore?

Here are some causes for snoring:

If you’re interested in some research, there is a list of publications by Mayo doctors on snoring on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.

How to Stop Snoring

Many people who snore don’t actually believe that they do. The first step would be to convince them that they actually snore and that they need help. Snoring can actually be life threatening, but surely, help is available.

Choice Magazine provided a list of tested Anti-Snoring products and the info can be found here:

• Pillows
• Nasal Strips and dilators
• Essential oils
• Homeopathic products

Filed under: General Info | No Comments »

Here is an article explaining the link between alcohol and snoring (from http://www.snoringbegone.com/why-alcohol-causes-snoring.php )

Why Alcohol Causes Snoring

While many people in the world snore, few know exactly why their body does what it does, and how they can fix the problem. One of the most common causes of snoring is alcohol. Alcohol, a depressant, travels through all areas of the body and slows your brain’s response mechanism. In addition, alcohol relaxes the muscles of the body more so than normal sleeping does. Since your muscles are more relaxed while under the influence, your orophanyx (the back of your throat) begins to collapse more rapidly then when sober. This can be one of the root causes of why snoring occurs for an individual.

A more grave threat than merely sawing logs, however, is the chance that alcohol can cause regular snorers to induce a temporary case of sleep apnea - temporary stoppage of breathing while asleep. This is not the same as being clinically diagnosed with sleep apnea, as it occurs only when a “primary” snorer imbibes alcohol before bed. That does not mean that it is not an issue that requires addressing, however. If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night after a night of drinking with a shortness of breath, or feel extremely sluggish and tired during the daytime after a night of drinking, you may be a victim to alcohol-induced sleep apnea. If you don’t modify your lifestyle, the condition will only worsen, and sleep apnea is a tough problem to treat.

In addition to the factors above, alcohol is known to cause irritation of the nasal airway, as well as congestion that creates airway resistance while you breathe. If for some reason you are unable to stop drinking, one way to lessen the effects of alcohol on your sleeping patterns would be to make sure that you drink your last drink at least 4 hours before you go to bed. This grace period allows your body a chance to process the alcohol and reduce the effects that it may have on your sleeping, helping you to sleep without snoring.

In addition to alcohol causing problems with sleep disorders, it is also important to be careful while taking sedatives such as sleeping pills. They behave much in the same way as alcohol, causing your body to relax its muscles and inducing many of the same symptoms as alcohol. Anti-histamines have also been known to have negative effects when it comes to sleep disorders such as primary snoring and sleep apnea. If at all possible, you should avoid the consumption of any of these risk-factors before you go to sleep. When you snore, you not only affect yourself - studies have shown that bedmates can lose up to an hour of sleep per night and wake up as many as 21 times per hour when sleeping next to a snorer, in a problem known as Spousal Arousal Syndrome. So, don’t just do it for yourself - do it for your loved one! We wish you the best of luck for solving your problem. You can do it!

Filed under: General Info | No Comments »

This is from wikipedia:

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. The sound may be soft or loud and unpleasant. The structures are usually the uvula and soft palate. The irregular airflow is caused by a blockage, due to causes including:

• Throat weakness causing the throat to close during sleep
• Mispositioned jaw, often caused by tension in muscles
• Fat gathering in and around the throat
• Obstruction in the nasal passageway

Statistics on snoring are often contradictory, but at least 30% of adults and perhaps as many as 50% of people in some demographics snore. One survey of 5713 Italian residents identified habitual snoring in 24% of men and 13.8% of women, rising to 60% of men and 40% of women aged 60 to 65 years; this suggests an increased susceptibility to snoring as age increases.

Snoring is usually an involuntary act, but may also be produced voluntarily.

Filed under: General Info | No Comments »