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Things you May Not Know about Snoring in Women

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Snoring Issues In Women

Snoring is an annoying and dangerous sleeping disorder that affects millions of individuals all over the globe. Earlier, people used to believe that the sleeping disorder only affects men. Yet the reality is that snoring is common in both men and women, and irrespective of age too. So, if you assumed that snoring is an exclusive male health issue, then you are wrong.

It was presumed in the old days that snoring is commonly reported in men who are above the age of 35. However, studies conducted by sleep analysts and health care providers proved that teens, adults, seniors, and even kids, are all at risk of falling prey to snoring.

Recent researches also revealed that women of all ages might suffer from snoring. In accordance to that, an expert sleep analyst said, “Snoring is produced by vibrations of the soft tissues at the back of the nose and throat. The noise is created by turbulent flow of air through narrowed air passages.” Apparently, that can happen to anyone of any age and gender.

The sleep analyst also added that, “Snoring is not a risk to life but it can get serious when the same soft tissues block the air passages at the back of the throat interfering with the ability to breathe; it becomes risky as it happens while the person is sleeping and also affects the health.”

It is noted that women who suffer from snoring and other sleep disorders are often a little bit hesitant to seek help due to embarrassment. This is not a good move though, as sleep disorders like snoring could lead to many other serious health issues gradually. So, if you are suffering from any sort of sleeping disorder or if you snore regularly, then it best to reach out to a health care provider to get adequate medical assistance as soon as possible.

Sleep specialists say that snoring in women is usually caused due to menopause, pregnancy, and weight gain. However, several other factors like heredity, medication, nasal passage blockage, and cold nose might also lead to snoring issues. Below are a few major culprits that cause snoring in women.

Menopause

Expert health care providers and sleep analysts claim that the change that happens to the body of a woman throughout her life is enough to make her snore. The muscle tone in the throat of women gets considerably reduced when they reach the menopause stage. This in turn makes them prone to different types of sleep disorders, including snoring and sleep apnea.

Pregnancy

Some women may start to snore loudly or regularly during their pregnancy period. This is due to the expansion of the blood vessels in their body at that time. In addition to that, the weight gain that happens during pregnancy also contributes to the condition of snoring.

Obesity

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Snoring Related Issues

Women who are obese or overweight snore more when compared to those who are not obese. The loud sound made by obese women might even prevent their partners from enjoying a good night’s sleep. According to sleep analysts, “If one gains weight considerably then snoring can be a side-effect. Extra weight means extra fatty tissues and the fatty tissues obstruct the opening in the throat, leading to ‘high vibrations’ or snoring.”

Heredity

It might come as a surprise to many people when they hear the fact that snoring might also be due to heredity. Ancestors may pass down the sleeping disorder to their kids and even grandkids. Expert sleep specialists say, “It is fascinating but if we have a family history of people with smaller throat opening, then the future generations will most likely have smaller throats too.”

Heavy Medication

Another interesting thing to note is that the use of sleeping pills and heavy medication will also result in snoring. Sleep analysts and researchers say that, “Yes, sleeping pills help a person to sleep but the ones sleeping nearby lose sleep. Sleeping pills and other cough medicines relax the body’s muscles and lead to snoring.”

Nasal Passage Blockage

Just like in men, a cocked bone or a blocked nasal passage is another common factor that could trigger snoring in women. Health care providers say that, “Crooked nose bone in medical language is the deviated septum, which can cause snoring. Such cases should be consulted with the doctor.”

Other Causes

Another interesting thing to note is that the consumption of alcohol just a few hours before going to bed and regular smoking might also trigger snoring in women, just as they do in men. The good news here though is that you will be able to curtail the snoring issue to an extent by quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol before bedtime. Your health care provider may even ask you to invest in an anti-snoring mouthpiece to stop snoring.

The Link between Sleep Apnea and Type 2 Diabetes

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Dangerous Sleeping Disorders

Individuals who are suffering from Type 2 diabetes should realize the fact that they are a greater risk of developing a dangerous sleeping disorder, known as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition in which people experience regular pauses in their breathing patterns when they are asleep. In most cases, the breathing of sleep apnea patients gets disrupted for around a minute, but it can be more than one minute in some cases.

A recent study conducted by sleep analysts and experts in the field of medical science revealed that people who with Type 2 diabetes have a greater chance of developing sleep apnea at some point in their lives. The Director of the Diabetes Translational Research Center at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and the President of healthcare and education at the American Diabetes Association, David Marrero, Ph.D., shared a few valuable points on the connection between Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea.

He said that people who have fallen prey to sleep apnea should understand that the sleeping disorder would not just worsen diabetes, but also lead to many other serious health conditions such as cardiac problems, high blood pressure, and even stroke. Dr. Marrero said, “Untreated sleep apnea is associated with increases in glucose and poor quality of life stemming from chronic fatigue. It’s also associated with cardiovascular disease, which is why it’s so important for people to get their sleep apnea diagnosed and treated.”

Another interesting thing to note is that Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea often coexist in some people due to shared risk factors including obesity. As per the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the level of glucose control in untreated sleep apnea patients will be poor. So, if you or your partner is suffering from sleep apnea, get in touch with a healthcare provider to get proper medical assistance as soon as possible.

The Risks of Sleep Apnea

As mentioned, sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing when you are asleep. These breathing pauses or episodes, which are called as apneas, might wake up the person, as he/she is gasping for breath. This will lead to chronic tiredness and poor sleep, which will gradually affect your performance at school or office. Moreover, you will fall sleepy throughout the day, which increases the chances of accidents.

OSA or Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea. The airways of individuals who are suffering from OSA will be very weak and will collapse during sleep to block free flow of air. Some of the commonly reported symptoms of OSA are loud snoring, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, mood changes, and reduced libido.

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A recent survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation identified that more than 18 million people in the United States suffer from sleep apnea. The survey also pointed out the fact that thousands of such cases go undiagnosed, as people are not seeking help for their sleeping disorders. According to Dr. Marrero, this is because “many people aren’t aware that they’re struggling to breathe at night. Unless you recognize your symptoms, you can go for years without knowing you have it.”

The Link between Sleep Apnea and Type 2 Diabetes

Dr. Marrero said that the culprit behind sleep apnea and how it links to Type 2 diabetes actually has a lot to do with obesity. Several people who are suffering from Type 2 diabetes are insulin resistant, obese, and they usually have large deposits of visceral fat in their body. This extra weight forces the tissues in the throat and neck of such patients to fall during sleep, which in turn blocks the airway.

As per Dr. Marrero, sleep apnea may also considerably increase the blood sugar level in patients due to the stress associated with abrupt awakenings when they are asleep and chronic sleep deprivation. He said, “When you get stressed, your body releases stress hormones that can do things like release stored glucose into your liver.” He also stated that the rise in blood sugar levels of patients might also lead to insulin resistance.

Treating Sleep Apnea

Another study conducted by expert healthcare providers revealed that sleep apnea episodes, which happen during the REM or rapid eye movement, had relatively more detrimental effects on the long-term blood sugar control of patients. However, the good news is that studies have also found that wearing an anti-snoring mouthpiece for approximately 8 hours will considerably reduce the chances of diabetes and it will improve the blood sugar levels in your body.

If your snoring or sleep apnea related issues are not that severe, then making a few lifestyle changes and avoiding alcohol at least a few hours before going to sleep will help you to reduce or stop snoring. However, it is best to seek the help of an experienced healthcare provider to find out the right treatment plan for you.

The Distinctions between an Oral Appliance and Snore Guard Therapy

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Snore Guard Therapy

Oral appliance therapy is one of the non-invasive ways to treat mild to moderate cases of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the sleep disorder characterized by loud snoring. Usually, Continuous Positive Airway Therapy (CPAP) is used to treat severe cases of OSA. However, not everybody can tolerate CPAP or may not be comfortable putting on CPAP masks and/or listening to machine sounds. Besides, when its mask leaks air, it leaves the patient with a dry mouth, so some apnea patients tend to quit the therapy due to that too.

Oral appliances, although used to treat mild to moderate apnea, can also be used in combination with CPAP in order to treat severe cases of the sleep disorder. Commonly, such kind of medical approach is called a combination therapy.

Oral appliances in the market may resemble anti-snore devices, but it is important to keep in mind that oral appliance therapy differs to snore guard therapy when it comes to treating sleep-disordered breathing conditions like snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome, and OSA.

Both a snore guard and a dental appliance work on a similar principle though, that is, to advance the mandible or lower jaw to create more breathing space in the airway. This is what brings a better flow of air during sleep. Another type of oral appliance retains people’s tongue via a suction device worn at the mouth’s front, but it is rarely prescribed.

A snore guard is usually used to treat the breathing disorders in sleep such as snoring. Note that not all anti-snore guards in the market are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but some are. In fact, the FDA-approved ones can be very effective when it comes to alleviating snoring and putting an end to its side effects.

A dentist, who is trained in sleep medicine, will have access to the best snore guards. They use it as a therapeutic approach to treat snoring. Similarly, when discussing an oral appliance’s use with a sleep specialist, you can be sure that they will prescribe FDA-approved stop snoring devices. As for those over-the-counter oral appliances that do not come with the federal agency’s approval, they get withdrawn from the market sooner or later. This is because such dental devices fail to provide the proper therapy that sleep apnea patients need.

Both snore guards and oral appliances are usually made up of sturdy and hygienic raw materials, which are safe for use in people’s oral cavity. Since snorers and apnea patients tend to grind their teeth and clench jaws, an anti-snoring device is subject to wear and tear. Therefore, it is important to invest in durable devices.

A snore guard is typically easier to make, with fewer moving components. Some devices are prefabricated ones and may not provide a custom-fit. If a device is clinically approved and is customizable, it is relatively safe to use it to treat snoring. Still, it may not be built durable enough to maintain greater jaw advancement, which can be required to treat apnea.

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An oral appliance is usually more durable than an anti-snore guard is. It is typically built to advance one’s jawbone with a hinge mechanism, offering support. It often uses a mechanism to titrate or adjust the jaw advancement level to make sure the ideal fit for the user and effective treatment. Such kinds of mechanism can be an adjusting key or a latex band to hold the appliance in place. This adjustability makes it possible to even test an oral appliance’s effectiveness in a sleep center’s laboratory or a controlled environment to prove the respective therapy is working.

Snore guards do not necessitate several moving parts, so they are not as complicated to make as oral appliances. A close observation in a sleep center by dentists with sleep medicine expertise or sleep specialists may be required if you are using an oral appliance, but not so if you are using the over-the-counter device to treat apnea. Due to that, it is more affordable to buy the anti-snore guard as opposed to a dental or tongue retaining appliance prescribed to treat it.

Nowadays, insurance companies are realizing the advantages of an oral appliance to curb the sleep disorder, irrespective of its severity. They wisely offer medical plans with reimbursements in order to cover oral appliances as a first-line approach to treat sleep apnea. So such insurance plans will often cover frequent medical visits to fit a device, maintain it, and test it for therapeutic effectiveness.

Positive results for treatments are now the most important aspect for doctors, patients, and insurance payers. Treating apnea in a patient-centered environment is also no different. In case an apnea patient cannot keep on with the commonly prescribed Continuous Positive Airway Therapy, the oral appliance therapy option could be the one to treat the condition. Yet again, it is important to ensure patients work with medical professionals to get the right diagnosis and FDA-approved devices for their particular health concerns.

The Vicious Cycle of Obesity and Snoring

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Snoring Related Issues

Prof. Peter Cistulli, who is one of the most renowned sleep experts in the world, recently stated in an interview that more and more individuals are falling prey to sleep disorders such as snoring and sleep apnea. He believes that the sudden increase in the rate of these sleeping disorders is due to the global obesity epidemic.

Of course, obesity is one of the most severe health issues in the country today and the percentage of obese people in the country has considerably increased in the recent years. Another important thing to note is that people who are obese might develop heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, and other health disorders, and not just snoring and sleep apnea.

The Risk Associated with Sleeping Disorders

Prof. Cistulli said that one out of every five couples all over the world is forced to sleep apart due to the irritating and disturbing snoring sound made by either of the partners. If your bedmate is a loud or regular snorer, then you will surely find it extremely hard to enjoy a good night’s sleep. This will surely affect your work productivity because you will feel sleepy during the daytime.

The good news is that you will be able to avoid such hassles and issues by asking your partner to seek medical assistance from an expert sleep analyst or health care provider. If your partner is obese, then the health care provider will probably ask him/her to reduce weight by engaging in activities such as running and jogging.

On the other hand, if your partner is not obese, then he/she will be advised to make a few lifestyle changes and cut down dairy products from the diet. The health care provider might even ask them to stop smoking and to avoid drinking alcohol at least a few hours before going to the bed. If none of these methods work, then your partner will have to use a chin strap for snoring. This will surely help them to reduce or stop snoring.

The Extent of Sleep Disorders

Sleeping disorders like snoring and sleep apnea were once considered as disorders that commonly affect middle-aged men. However, recent studies and surveys conducted by experts in the field of medical science reveal that snoring affects approximately 50 percent of adult men whereas the condition of sleep apnea is found in 25 percent adults.

Another important thing you need to realize is that both sleep apnea and snoring are often linked to chronic health issues such as dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer. According to Prof. Cistulli, “In some ways, sleep apnea could be a missing link in our understanding of lots of chronic diseases that were previously unrecognized, or under-recognized – that is feeding into the development of these diseases.”

How Does Being Obese Make you Snore

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Anti Snoring Remedies

It is significant to realize the fact that the excess fat in the body of obese or overweight people does not just accumulate on their thighs or tummy. The excess fat in our body can get accumulated around the neck, jawline, and even on the face. The presence of excess fat around the neck will constrict the upper airway passages, especially when you are lying down, which in turn blocks the normal breathing cycle, and increases the risk of snoring.

In addition to that, the excess fat in your chest and middle areas of your body will put extra weight on the throat and lungs when you are lying down. This will also obstruct the airway passages and trigger the irritating and disturbing snoring sound when you are sleeping. However, if obesity is the major culprit behind your snoring issues, then you will be easily able to solve the issue by shedding a few pounds.

Snoring Remedies for Obese People

You might have probably heard about special weight loss diets and exercises to reduce weight from your family members, partner, or friends. You might probably find it very confusing and hard to figure out a diet that suits you. If that is the case, then simply follow the below regime.

  • Switch to a low carbohydrate diet
  • Eat dinner at least a couple of hours before going to bed
  • Avoid big meals and try to eat little

There are plenty of snoring remedies out there but it is best to consult with your health care provider before adopting any such technique. The medical expert will give you a clear idea on what snoring remedies are right for you and what actually works.

In most cases, regular and loud snorers are advised to wear anti snoring mouthpieces. These medically proven devices will bring your jaw forward while you are asleep, which will in turn prevent your tongue from falling back and causing obstruction in the airways. However, obese individuals are always advised to reduce weight for better results.

How Snoring Affects Sleep Partners and How to Control it

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Snoring Related Issues

Snoring occurs due to obstructions in the upper throat, especially when the lower jaw collapses or the tongue falls back blocking the airway. This leads to a vibration of tissues that occurs when the breathed air rushes past the throat portion.

Snoring is mild in its earlier stages, but when it becomes loud, it affects even bedmate of a snorer. Usually, people who snore do not know they have it. Even those who snore loudly perhaps do not realize the extent of it. That is when the role of a sleep partner becomes all the more important. Loud snoring can cause sleep disturbance to a bedmate and could even lead to hearing loss. So when it becomes loud, you actually have to find ways to reduce the noise level in your bedroom.

Depending on your requirement, you could try any of these things or a combination of any of them to achieve that, and sleep comfortably. Remember, sleeping apart is the last option.

Create White Noise

Several compact devices called white noise machines creates a low background noise, which can help to soften other sounds in a room. There are white noise fans too, which helps in masking the snoring sound. This way you can turn your attention away from your snoring partner.

Use Earplugs

These affordable and simple-to-use devices go a long way in improving your sleep quality, since they can effectively block out the surrounding noise. Make sure to look for a pair of earplugs that are comfortable to wear and fit well, so that they will not fall off even if you move on your bed.

Try Relaxation Exercises

Focus on breathing deep and other techniques for relaxation and meditation. These things are worth a try, as they can help you to calm down, relax, and get a relatively better sleep. Try them just before going to sleep so that you can reap maximum benefits out of it.

Use a Stop Snoring Device

The best way to sleep comfortably is to make your partner stop snoring. You can use anti snoring remedies or devices for that, such as a mandibular advancement device that advances the lower jaw and clears the obstruction in the airway for a free flow of air. Yet again, it is important to diagnose the actual cause behind the snoring issue before you recommend your partner any of the anti snoring solutions.

The Symptoms Risk Factors and Diagnosis of CSA

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Sleep Apnea And CSA

Sleep apnea is one of the most common sleeping disorders that affect millions of people from all over the world. People who are suffering from this condition will not be able to enjoy a good night’s sleep because their breathing will get automatically stopped when they are asleep. A series of repeated pauses, known as apneic events, is responsible for the sudden stoppage of breathing in the case of sleep apnea patients.

Sleep apnea can be divided into three categories: complex or mixed sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea and it usually occurs when the muscles in your throat relax due to snoring or other related issues.

Central sleep apnea is other commonly seen disorder that occurs when your brain does not send the right signals to the muscles, which control breathing. On the other hand, mixed or complex sleep apnea is a combination of both central and obstructive sleep apnea but they are not that common.

The condition of sleep apnea can bring serious health disorders and diseases to the patient if left untreated. For instance, people who are suffering from sleep apnea are at a greater risk of heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, stroke, and more. In addition to that, some people with sleep apnea also fall asleep during the daytime, as they are unable to sleep at night. This in turn increases the chance of accidents while driving.

Central Sleep Apnea

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Central Sleep Apnea

The condition of central sleep apnea is very much different from obstructive sleep apnea. In the case of CSA, the breathing of patients is disrupted when they are asleep due to the way in which their brain functions. This is because the brain will not send signals to your muscles that are responsible for breathing.

This type of central sleep apnea is typically several serious illnesses. The lower brainstem of patients who are suffering from central sleep apnea will not function smoothly. The pause in breathing due to central sleep apnea may last for about 20 seconds in just infants.

The Risk of CSA

The condition of central sleep apnea is reported to be a lot more common in older adults, particularly the ones who are above the age of 65. These people suffer from CSA because of their other medical conditions and due to their sleeping patterns. Another important point to remember is that men are at a greater risk of central and obstructive sleep apnea than women.

It is true that being overweight is considered as a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea by both sleep analysts and health care providers. However, several experts in the field of medical science claim that being obese is not a risk factor when it comes to central sleep apnea.

Central sleep apnea is generally associated with a number of health conditions and disorders. However, one particular form of CSA is not associated with any diseases and its cause is still unknown to healthcare providers. Some of the most common conditions that are associated with central sleep apnea are the following.

  • Neurological diseases like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
  • Kidney failure
  • Hypothyroid diseases
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Brainstem damage due to stroke, injury, or encephalitis

Symptoms of CSA

Diagnosing CSA

Blood Oxygen Levels

Even though snoring is one of the mainly reported symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, it is usually not present in individuals who are suffering from central sleep apnea. However, sudden and short stoppages of breathing when you are asleep are common in patients with both OSA and CSA. Some of the lesser-known symptoms of central sleep apnea are as follows.

  • Mood swings
  • Difficulty to concentrate and poor memory
  • Headaches in the morning
  • Waking up at regular intervals at night
  • Feeling tired during the daytime

Diagnosing CSA

If you have any of the above-mentioned symptoms or if you are unable to sleep properly at night due to snoring or other sleeping disorders, it is best to get in touch with a health care provider as soon as possible. The health care provider will initially assess your medical history and run a few tests to see if you are suffering from any form of sleep apnea or not.

In some cases, health care providers may also ask you to undergo an overnight sleep study, which is known as polysomnogram. This test is usually performed under the supervision of expert technologists or sleep analysts. During the test, the healthcare provider will monitor the following body functions of your body.

  • Blood oxygen levels
  • Airflow
  • Breathing patterns
  • Heart rate
  • Muscle activities
  • Eye movements
  • Brain’s electrical activities

Once the test is completed, healthcare providers will count the number of times your breathing is impaired to identify the severity of your sleep apnea.

What is Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome

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Snoring Related Issues

Snoring occurs during sleep due to a partial blockage in the upper airway, as a result of receding tongue or relaxing jaw, and the vibration of tissues. When the underlying causes of snoring start to progress from comparatively safe sound to being the sleep disorder called sleep apnea, which poses numerous risk factors or health concerns, it often develops first into Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome.

Snoring is a sign that some sort of resistance is happening in one’s upper respiratory system. The more this resistance, the more the breathing effort required to overcome the same. Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome happens when one’s breathing effort changes from being a snoring sign to a harmful sleep disorder. Not all people with the health disorder snore during sleep, even as symptoms may sound similar to heavy or labored breathing.

Reasons behind the sleep disorder are similar to that of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome can be caused by narrowed airway, loose fatty throat tissues that recede into the airway, or even the tongue’s position that fall back. Those who suffer from this sleep disorder necessitate more breathing effort, which is similar to breathing through a straw.

Similar to sleep apnea, the patient’s brain in such a case has to arouse itself from deep sleep stages to increase the effort for respiration. When our brain is aroused constantly from deep sleep phases, it becomes unable to perform other significant tasks it has to finish so that one can feel refreshed in the morning. This is what leads to symptoms chronic fatigue as well as excessive sleepiness during the day, two symptoms comparable to OSA.

It is also seen that people can move from snoring to Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome due to aging and weight gain. While the former causes reduced muscle tone in the throat, the latter increases fatty throat tissues that cause more resistance to airflow. Women during pregnancy’s third trimester are also susceptible to develop the sleep disorder due to weight gain.

The disorder has the following consequences on a person’s sleep patterns and health.

  • Frequent waking up in between sleeping hours
  • Difficulty in going to sleep or staying asleep
  • A risk factor for chronic insomnia
  • Excessive sleepiness during the daytime

There are several treatments for Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, which comprise CPAP too as a last resort. The main treatment comprises the use of snoring solutions, like mouthpieces or similar dental appliances used to treat OSA. The treatment also centers on those concerned with making behavioral and lifestyle changes. They include sufficient exercise and correct eating methods prior to bedtime to prevent weight gain, abstaining from alcohol as well as sleep sedatives, and positional therapy.

3 Reasons Why Snoring Occurs and How to Alleviate it

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It is a known fact that snoring not just causes sleep disturbances to both the snorer and the bedmate, but also leads to several severe health conditions. For instance, loud snoring is a symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, which is characterized by breathing cessations during sleep and waking up gasping for breath. An apnea cycle could last from a few seconds to up to an hour in sleep. When snoring is loud and is an apnea symptom, a patient runs the risk of everything from lapses in concentration during the day to cardiovascular disease.

It is important to diagnose and understand the root cause of snoring to get the right remedies for it. Although even allergies and teeth structure can lead to snoring, the following are the main underlying causes of the health condition.

Mouth Breathing and Snoring

This refers to when one breathes through the mouth instead of the nose during sleep. It is recommended to identify if that is the reason why you snore with a medical checkup. Your snoring is likely due to mouth breathing if you snore only when the mouth is open. If so, keeping the mouth closed is the way to alleviate snoring. For that, you can use a chin strap for snoring.

Nasal Blockages and Snoring

If one’s nostrils are congested or if they collapse during sleep, it could cause blockages in the airway. One test to understand that is to close the nose’s one side by pressing it with the finger and then trying to take a breath with the mouth closed. If the nostril sags, then using a nasal dilator could help alleviate that and snoring. However, if nasal congestion is the reason behind constricted breathing, then probably allergies are causing that.

Tongue Falling and Snoring

When the tongue recedes into the throat’s back, it blocks the airway and thereby causes snoring. One way to test if that is the cause is to stick out the tongue as far as you can and grab it amid the teeth. If your snoring is alleviated in that position, it is likely due to tongue falling back into the throat. To prevent that, you can use a Mandibular Advancement Device to keep the lower jaw forward and keep the tongue from blocking the airway. Using a stop snoring mouthpiece will prevent that and will provide a free flow of air during sleep.

3 Common Tips Dieticians Give to Help People Alleviate Snoring

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Tips To Stop Snoring

Snoring occurs when the jaws relax during sleep, causing a partial blockage in the upper airway, and forcing the soft tissues vibrate against the roof of the mouth. The sleep-disordered breathing or the snoring sound can be a cause for annoyance to the person sleeping beside you. It is said that even those who snore, although they not aware of it, wake up momentarily hearing the noise, only to fall back and resume sleep.

There are many ways to clear snoring, including exercising and making changes to bad lifestyle habits, which possibly leads to it, but it is important to make dietary changes to bring a difference to your sleep quality. It may even help to meet a dietician and talk about your snoring and it is likely he or she may recommend you the following changes to your diet. Together with anti snoring aids that advance the lower jaw forward for a free flow of air, ensuring healthy diet and making recommended changes to the lifestyle can bring about a peaceful sleep.

Reduce Salt Intakes

To be precise, you would have to abstain from eating anything that is high on salt. They may include salty biscuits, snacks, and even salty or cheesy popcorn. Excessive salt consumption can build body fluids. As a result, when you lie down on the bed, the fluids in your body make its way up to the neck and that narrows the upper neck airways. So, it is best to avoid salt in the daytime and even before bedtime.

Consumption of Dairy Products

A dairy product such as cheese or consuming milk straightaway can build up mucus in the throat as well as in the airway passages. This can hinder the normal breathing process, even more if you consume milk or dairy products right before bedtime. If you cannot abstain from using dairy items, consider avoiding it at least after having dinner, or try soy milk as an alternative.

Say No to Alcoholic before Bedtime

The throat muscles have a tendency to sag even in an averagely healthy person, but if you drink alcohol before going to sleep, it can relax throat muscles even more so as to cause snoring. An easy fix is to avoid alcohol completely, but this is a suggestion if you cannot make that change quickly and unexpectedly.

Why Obese People Snore and How it Can Be Controlled

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Weight Loss And Snoring

When the lower jaw relaxes during sleep, it causes a block in the upper airway, and when the inhaled air rushes past the constricted airway, it vibrates the soft tissues in the mouth leading to the snoring sound. There are many ways to alleviate snoring, but the most popular one is by advancing the lower jaw or mandible forward for a free flow of air. However, medical practitioners also recommend one to make changes in lifestyle along with the use of anti snoring devices for better relief.

Being overweight is closely linked to snoring since that causes excess fat deposits around the neck, which makes the tongue to recede back towards the throat. That can apply pressure to the airway’s lining. When one gains weight over time, the tissues in the upper throat becomes softer. This makes the tissues in the mouth to sag when sleeping on the back, leading to the snoring issues.

Since excessive fat applies pressure against the lining, the airway becomes narrower and blocks free flow of air. Further, the excess weight makes the chest heavier and that makes the inhalation process much harder too. So the recommended changes in lifestyle can include substantial adjustments to the diet and exercises to reduce weight in due course.

Studies say that obese people breathe deeply since lungs expand to make room for the airflow; even the diaphragm is pushed down to provide the lungs sufficient space for the expansion. When the diaphragm contracts though, it pushes against the abdomen and other adjacent organs. Briefly, this means that the fat body has to struggle for inhalation and that leads to deep breathing and louder snoring.

How Weight Loss Helps Reduce Snoring

Usually, weight tends to build up around the abdominal organs in obese people. When they lose weight, the accumulated fat goes away. That makes inhalation easier since the diaphragm does not have to make way for the lungs to expand. This, in turn, means that the body will not have to work hard to take in the air and get oxygen to the lungs.

Weight loss also reduces neck’s circumference. Henceforth, the pressure in the airways will be less, the vibration will be alleviated, and that will reduce loud snoring at night. Consult a dietician to know what all to include in your diet for a quick and healthy weight loss, as well as learn about the physical workouts to get rid of the excessive weight you are troubled with.