Snoring is one of those inescapable facets of life we all have to deal with at some point. You either wake up in the mornings with a dry, scratchy throat and a pounding headache or you wake up to your partner’s bloodshot eyes staring you down with murderous intent for depriving them of that sweet, sweet sleep.
You might notice that you feel sluggish and groggy, then chalk it up to getting older before you drink a gallon of coffee in preparation for your morning commute.
Snoring is often thought of as just an embarrassing inevitability for some — that you just happen to be one of those people if you snore. Life goes on, the world keeps turning, and you make peace with the fact that your partner has an allotment in their budget devoted specifically to disposable ear plugs. Unfortunately, annoyance and a sore throat aren’t the only consequences that can come from a life of snoring.
A Little Snoring Never Hurt Anybody, Right?
Actually, it might.
One of the top health risks of snoring is an increased likelihood of strokes and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to the disorientation of your neck during sleep. The pressure placed on your carotid artery can cause a buildup of plaque, eventually leading to stroke. The disrupted flow of air moving in and out of your throat during sleep can cause pressure changes that can draw gastric acid up into the esophagus.
Believe it or not, your snoring not only puts you at risk but the general public as well. When you experience fatigue from a night of restless sleep or cause your partner to lose sleep because of excessive snoring, it can have deadly results. When your body suffers from lack of sleep, you are more susceptible to stress and irritability, leading to unsafe and impatient driving.
This can compound the dangers of getting behind the wheel while suffering from decreased performance and vigilance due to drowsiness. Each year in the U.S., it is estimated that at least 1,500 people die while an additional 40,000 are injured in automobile accidents involving sleepy, fatigued, or drowsy drivers.
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring can be caused by a host of factors, many beyond your control. For example, your physical makeup plays a huge role in the likelihood that you will be someone who snores — having a family history of snoring, having a naturally narrow airway, even the anatomy of your mouth itself can determine whether or not you will be a less-than-ideal sleep partner.
Luckily, you aren’t necessarily stuck with a losing hand when it comes to what can cause you to snore as there are several factors that you can exert a bit more control over. For example, being overweight is also a major cause of snoring. Excess weight around the neck has the potential to cause the throat to narrow when lying down to sleep, which can lead to higher instances of snoring.
Though controlling weight can be frustrating, committing to a healthier lifestyle and finding a diet that is maintainable will not only help decrease your risk of snoring but will lead to an overall more enjoyable life. Alcohol consumption can have a negative effect in regards to snoring as alcohol further relaxes the muscles in the throat. Even the position you sleep in can lead to an increased likelihood of snoring!
What Can We Do?
Luckily, there is some recourse in the battle against snoring. As mentioned earlier, one of the best things you can do when trying to curb your snoring is to get your body weight down to a normal level for your height and age. There are other quick solutions that you can implement immediately to help reduce the risk of snoring, as well.
Do you remember how alcohol can relax your muscles? Because of that fact, avoiding or limiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages before bed can help you get a more restful night’s sleep. Refraining from drinking before bed also allows your body to enter REM sleep more easily and for a longer duration.
Sleeping on your side if you tend to sleep on your back can also help significantly. This is because side sleeping puts far less stress on your throat helping to keep your air passages clear and allowing for normal breathing during sleep.
Drinking non-caffeinated tea containing peppermint or goldenseal, which both help relieve nasal and chest congestion, before bed may also help. This not only reduces congestion but helps you relax and get you in the mood to sleep.
There are also many snoring exercises you can engage in to help strengthen the muscles in your mouth and throat that are quick, simple, and absolutely free. Though the thought of puckering your lips in a fish face for 10 seconds at a time may make you balk, many oropharyngeal exercises can be done discreetly and at your convenience. The stronger those muscles become, the less likely they are to relax or collapse during sleep, and they can play a crucial role in preventing chronic snoring.
If none of these tips work in helping you reduce your snoring, it could be a sign of a more serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea. If you think you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, see a doctor for further evaluation.
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