Causes and Treatment of Snoring
A starting point in understanding how to cure snoring is to understand what it is caused by. When we are awake the muscles in throat area are taut keeping the airway open and free of obstruction. However, when we are asleep these muscles lose their tone and can collapse causing an obstruction and vibrations result. These vibrations cause the sound of snoring.
There are, however, a number of other factors that increase the chances of snoring. These factors include being overweight, consumption of alcohol, allergies and nasal stuffiness, smoking, small or collapsing nostrils and sleeping position. Some of these, such as sleeping position, are easily rectified. Being overweight obviously involves a complete change in lifestyle so is obviously more of a challenge.
If you are overweight then this can cause a loss of muscle tone, particularly of note in this instance are the muscles around the throat. This means muscle tone is not sufficient to keep the airway open properly and can inhibit breathing. Likewise, alcohol causes unwanted relaxation of the muscles around the throat causing restrictions in breathing.
Sleeping with your mouth open will also increase the chances of snoring. The reason for this is that when you breathe through your mouth the air passes over the curved part of the soft palate which avoids turbulence and vibrations. If you breathe through the mouth then the air hits the back of the mouth full on and causes vibrations in the soft palate and therefore snoring ensues. Solutions for snoring in this instance could focus on changing the way in which the individual breathes, for example by use of a chin strap that keeps the mouth closed forcing the wearer to breathe through their mouth.
Restrictions in the nasal passages will cause people to breathe through their mouth while sleeping. One reason for this is an allergy causing nasal congestion. In this instance the best solution for snoring is to treat the particular allergy concerned. Another possibility is that the snorer has small or collapsing nostrils, in which case a solution is to use nasal dilators or nasal strips which hold open the nostrils in order to improve the airflow through the nose.
In respect of sleeping position, for those people who have a tendency to roll onto their back while sleeping solutions include arranging pillows around the body to prevent this occurring, or alternatively sewing a tennis ball in the back of pyjamas.
There are, however, a number of other factors that increase the chances of snoring. These factors include being overweight, consumption of alcohol, allergies and nasal stuffiness, smoking, small or collapsing nostrils and sleeping position. Some of these, such as sleeping position, are easily rectified. Being overweight obviously involves a complete change in lifestyle so is obviously more of a challenge.
If you are overweight then this can cause a loss of muscle tone, particularly of note in this instance are the muscles around the throat. This means muscle tone is not sufficient to keep the airway open properly and can inhibit breathing. Likewise, alcohol causes unwanted relaxation of the muscles around the throat causing restrictions in breathing.
Sleeping with your mouth open will also increase the chances of snoring. The reason for this is that when you breathe through your mouth the air passes over the curved part of the soft palate which avoids turbulence and vibrations. If you breathe through the mouth then the air hits the back of the mouth full on and causes vibrations in the soft palate and therefore snoring ensues. Solutions for snoring in this instance could focus on changing the way in which the individual breathes, for example by use of a chin strap that keeps the mouth closed forcing the wearer to breathe through their mouth.
Restrictions in the nasal passages will cause people to breathe through their mouth while sleeping. One reason for this is an allergy causing nasal congestion. In this instance the best solution for snoring is to treat the particular allergy concerned. Another possibility is that the snorer has small or collapsing nostrils, in which case a solution is to use nasal dilators or nasal strips which hold open the nostrils in order to improve the airflow through the nose.
In respect of sleeping position, for those people who have a tendency to roll onto their back while sleeping solutions include arranging pillows around the body to prevent this occurring, or alternatively sewing a tennis ball in the back of pyjamas.
