How Snoring can be Managed Effectively for Better Sleep

What is snoring?

Once in a while, everyone snores. However loud snoring noise is a nuisance to your partner or family and might be a symptom of an underlying problem. Snoring is a sleep disorder where one produces noise while breathing as they sleep. The cause of snoring is the blockage of the breathing cavities thus blocking the free air movement through the nose or mouth. The snoring might be so soft that it does not affect the people next to you or may be so loud or shrill thus irritating everyone around. It is therefore crucial that you know how snoring can be managed effectively.

Snoring might be exacerbated by allergic reactions causing inflammation of the tissues surrounding the breathing cavities. It occurs in more than forty percent of adults worldwide. In twenty-five percent of the adult population in America, it is consistent especially in males.

Snoring especially in children is a sign of a deep-lying sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a condition where one experiences moments of either no breathing or slowed breathing occurring for more than 10 seconds while sleeping frequently. The OSA is associated with the following feeling tired often during the day, laziness, feeling drowsy during the day and either being too sleepy or lack of sleep.

How can one manage snoring?

Snoring is a condition that can easily be managed or reduced by a change of habits, behaviors or modification of sleeping conditions. Snoring is managed using simple methods that are mostly non-invasive not unless it is very severe. The methods that can easily be used to manage snoring include:

• Ensuring that your bed and bedroom are free from irritants/ allergens that cause inflammation of the breathing cavities. This can be done using several methods like use of anti-snore pillows, sprays, tablets, use of non-allergenic mattresses and beds and also by keeping our bedrooms free from dust mites, pets, and other allergens though frequent cleaning. Snoring can also be managed by opening of the nasal passages by managing flu, colds and running nose.
• Change of sleeping positions. Sleeping on the back increases the chances of snoring. To get a snoring free night try as much as possible to sleep on the side.
• Will losing weight stop me snoring? Managing our weight because snoring starts or is made worse by weight gain.
• Reducing the intake of alcohol and sedatives but increasing the intake of fluids.

How can one treat snoring?

Snoring is treatable. Experts, however, recommend that one visits a qualified sleep physician for a recommendation of the best device or treatment method for you. The following methods can be used to treat snoring either while combined or one as recommended by your physician:

• Use of mouthpieces that keep both the soft palate and tongue in position. These mouthpieces are called mandibular advancement devices.
• Getting an implant onto the soft palate. This makes the palate stiff and thus does not collapse onto the breathing cavity.
• Mandibular advancement surgeries to ensure the breathing pathways open well.
• Use of CPAP devices and masks
• Use of chin straps
• Downloading the anti-snore applications.

What are the marital and social problems associated with snoring?

• Snoring can cause depression especially if it becomes the source of ridicule or family problems.
• It can cause spouses to sleep in different beds, bedrooms or ever separate.
• Snoring can lead to drowsiness leading to poor performance or accidents
• Sleep apnea associated with snoring can be costly to treat or manage.