Snoring

Overview

Snoring literally drives millions of women around the world crazy every night. Some women snore as well, but this condition is much more common in men. Snoring is caused when the air from the mouth or nose makes the tissues in the throat to vibrate on its way to the lungs. Snoring can be caused even during daytime, but only when a person is indulged in a deep sleep.

Severity and loudness of snoring will differ drastically between men, and even on a night-to-night basis. A rapid increase in weight may affect snoring. When a person is extremely tired, the snores sound worse or louder. Snoring, a common cause for lack of sleep, is the main symptom of the sleep disorder called sleep apnea, which produces periods of breathlessness during sleep. If you suddenly stop breathing, gasp, or choke during sleep, this is caused by snoring. Conditions such as falling asleep at inappropriate times during the day or while eating is a very serious malady and needs an emergency visit to the physician, to determine the cause and the possible treatment for this condition.

This is caused by the relaxation of muscles in the roof of the mouth at the back, more commonly called the soft palate. The muscles in the tongue as well as the throat relax, and may block or narrow the airway. During respiration, the soft palate and the uvula (the flap of tissue that hangs down from the soft palate over the back of the tongue) vibrate against the back of the throat resulting in snoring. At the time of snoring the tonsils and adenoids may also vibrate increasing the loudness.

As it is very common, it's not considered as a symptom or sign of an illness or disease. However, it can be an indication of increase in body weight and can also be the side effect of smoking. While snoring can either be loud, soft, harsh, raspy, or intermittent, it can hinder the sleep and leave not only the snorer but also the bed partner tired and grumpy in the following morning.

Treatment

If you try to find methods to reduce the amount of snoring, please note that it requires the full cooperation of both partners. Snoring can also be temporarily cured by using nose strips, nasal sprays, or even better pillows. Avoiding alcohol and other sedatives at bedtime can further lessen the amount of snoring. Drug-free nasal strips that help widen the nostrils are also available to help reduce this discomfort. Also, sleeping on the side or on the stomach may help to alleviate it. You can also have a surgery for correcting social snoring. There are various natural treatments like acupressure that reduces snoring to a maximum extent.