The Art of Snoring
Do you snore?
While your bedmate may think every act of disturbing them with your snoring amounts to an ethical breach, you may also be surprised to learn that snoring increases the risk of death for you.
Everyone is subject to snoring occasionally, especially after a long and exhausting day.
However, if you're one of those people who experiences snoring as a regular occurrence, rarely any snoring remedies are sought out as the awareness is usually too low.
The number one cause of poor sleep quality is fatigue, which includes feeling tired and disoriented during the daytime.
Snoring Solutions
If you're a snorer, rest easy; we've found the best remedies for both your physical and mental anguish, and by using our Snore Solutions, snoring will no longer be an issue for you.
Snoring Explained
Snoring is defined as the vibration in the breathing system caused by the blockages of air. It is not an external ailment, but rather the auditory response of a sleep obstruction.
Snoring ranges from soft to thunderous sounds. It’s common for everyone but uncommon in its behavior.
Contrary to common belief, snoring can actually be a direct cause of sleep apnea due to its source of blockage being the same.
What does Science say?
While scientists advocate that snorers are sleep deprived, a thorough definition of snores explains the lack of movement of air through the respiratory tract during sleep causing it to vibrate, hiss, and create a rhythmic noise.
People who don't snore often believe that snorers are the ideal sleepers. However, snoring may seem like an angelic slumber, but snorers often end up undergoing recurring arousals to their sleeping and resulting in somnipathy such as awakening in the middle of the night and suffering from malignant snoring.
The four types of snoring
- 1. Open Mouth Snoring- When sleeping, weak throats lead the mouths to sag open and cause snores.
- 2. Open Mouth Snoring- When sleeping, weak throats lead the mouths to sag open and cause snores.
- 3. Supine Snoring-People who sleep on their backs tend to have a gravitational tendency to develop an obstructed breathing pattern due to their falling tongue during sleep.
- 4. Miscellaneous snoring-Many risks like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia, oversleeping, and heart disease can also be the hidden causes of snoring.
According to research, three-fourths of the population who snore also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, which also contributes to the adversities of an irregular circadian rhythm.
The common problem persists across all age groups affecting millions of Americans without a solution.
While studies show that males tend to be more likely than females to snore, obesity is one of the causes of the condition.
Moreover, serious illnesses like narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and cardiovascular diseases are common among people who snore.
What happens when you sleep?
During sleep, when people breathe, their throats naturally relax and numb the throat cavity, causing the walls to vibrate or displace the tongue so that they block up to 40% of the passage of breath through the throat.
Snoring can be caused by many factors including genetics, lifestyle choices, and even behavioral issues.
Causes and Risks of Snoring
Do you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea? Are you overweight? Are your throat muscles weak? Is your heart sick?
Snoring is usually caused by an obstruction to the respiratory tract. However, there are physical conditions that can aggravate or even worsen snoring.
We all snore and each snores for a different cause. If you believe your snoring has been an ongoing problem for some time now, the first thing you need to do is figure out why it occurs.
Furthermore, there are anatomical abnormalities, such as twisted noses, which can hinder smooth breathing and cause snoring or even sleep apnea.
Some important factors that cause snoring include are:
Weakness of the Throat
The reason why snoring varies from person to person has to do with the age of the body. As the degeneration begins at age 50 and older, the throat muscles become weak and cause sleep apnea.
The weakness of the throat can also be attributed to Gehrig’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Myasthenia Gravis.
Back Sleepers
One of the most common causes of snoring is if someone is a back sleeper. When we lie down on our backs, it is easy for our tongues to fall into our throats and cause us to partially pass air through them.
Snoring is caused by a number of factors, but one of the most common causes is an obstruction in the airway.
Back sleepers also suffer from other sleep disorders like hypnagogic hallucinations more than side sleepers.
To know more about Hypnagogic Hallucinations, click here.
Obesity
It has been noted as a significant cause of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as well. Gaining too much body fat may throw your tongue out of alignment. This is because of the sudden growth of fatty tissues around your throat, which tend to block your epiglottic opening.
Excess deposits of the gained fats halt the upper airways and lead to snoring and sleep apnea, consequently.
Substance Abuse
Often referred to as “natural remedies” for preventing snoring, but sometimes, individuals who have weak throats may experience a condition called sagging throat when they fall asleep after drinking alcohol.
Don't drink alcohol before bedtime if you want to prevent snoring.
It’s the same thing with most antidepressants and relaxant drugs like caffeine and nicotine.
Insomnia
Being sleep deprived has been called the omnipotent factor for snoring. If you're sleep-deprived, both your brain and your physical health suffer.
One reason for this is the over-relaxation of the throat muscles, which leads to snoring.
Read more about the boundless evils of lack of sleep here.
OSA
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most common reasons for snoring. It occurs when there is an obstruction to the upper airways of the respiratory tract during sleep.
OSA also causes people to wake up during the night and is a major reason why they need to consult a sleep specialist.
To read more about the hidden causes of the most tragic somnipathy- OSA, click here.
A misaligned jaw has been known for centuries, but it’s not just an anatomical anomaly; it’s also a major contributor to obstructing the respiratory tract.
Snoring Solutions: DIY Natural Home Remedies
Snoring is not just a problem for the person snoring; it affects everyone else too. People who snore often have trouble traveling because they're afraid of embarrassment when snoring loudly enough in front of others.
Whatever your reasons for curing your snoring are, our guarantee is that we can uproot it and heal it all through the dedication and sleep cycle discipline of our Snoring Solutions.
Correcting your Sleep Posture
One of the oldest truths about sleep postures is the fact that lying down on your back is one of the worst positions for good sleep.
If you're having trouble falling asleep at night, you can sew a tennis ball into the back of your PJ pants so you won't be able to sleep comfortably on your back.
Another easy way is to sew a sock onto the back of your shirt and then place a small object (like a tennis ball) into the hole.
Make sure to use a pillow if you sleep on your left or right sides for too long. Otherwise, your pelvis might slide down and cause an uncomfortable sleeping position.
Observing the tennis ball cure requires at least one month to correct the sleep posture.
Avoid picking up your dog’s favorite ball, just in case …
Exercise
One reason for snoring is the lack of regular physical activity which leads to an increase in fat deposits around the throat to block the airway.
If you know that you've gained a lot of weight, the next best thing to do is start working out.
Remember that if you're obese, then you may be at risk for developing sleep apnoea.
Elevate your Headspace at sleep
A good way to treat most sleep issues is by correcting the elevation of your head or legs.
Pillow under the neck can help relieve the bad sleeping position. It's important to choose pillows that aren't too hard or soft.
If you use an inappropriate angle of headspace when sleeping, you will only worsen your nightmares about insomnia.
Humidify your atmosphere
Dry air is an important factor in contributing to snoring. Congestion causes suffocation because it makes breathing difficult by making the lungs feel tight. Dry air makes congestion worse by causing the lungs to become drier.
A humidifier in the room would be the best solution.
If you don't enjoy humidifiers, it's best to pack your things and go to a tropical paradise where you'll be happy forever.
Yoga
If you suffer from severe cases of snoring, then yoga may be the best solution for you. One of the best treatments for snoring in yoga is pranayama, which means “the practice of breath.”
To do so, using your index finger, close one nostril while breathing through the other. For each nostril, repeat the breathing exercises for at least 5 minutes.
Pranayama increases blood flow, delivers oxygen to all parts of the brain, and may even help relieve the recurring fallback of the tongue into the throat.
Throat Exercise
Because the weakness of the throat is one cause of snoring, the most effective natural DIY remedies include practicing throat exercises before bedtime. There are some ideal ones to try out including-
- Project the lower jaw outward from the upper jaw and hold it there for 20 seconds. Repeat the same thing, just change "jaws".
- To exercise your tongue, use a tongue twirler. Try saying this sentence aloud: "These sheep shouldn't sleep in a shack."
- Bring in your molars and then separate them while counting until 50. Continue the same until you feel that your jaw has loosened.
Steam Bath
Steam baths or steam for the lungs with an essential oil such as eucalyptus will clear all blockages from your airways.
Furthermore, cleaning and keeping the room free from allergens can also significantly improve your breathing.
Avoid Nightcap and settle for chamomile tea or Water
Drinking alcohol is not a good solution for stopping snoring. Instead, drinking a cup of chamomile tea will help you get rid of the alcohol craving.
The effects of the herbs will ensure you get a good night’s sleep and prevent snoring.
If you're trying to get rid of the noise coming from your snoring partner, wearing 100 percent effective earplugs could help before they fall asleep.
Snoring Solutions: Medical Cures
If DIY remedies fail, then the next thing to consider is contacting a sleep specialist.
A polysomnogram (PSG) or simple observation of the patient during their sleeping patterns will help doctors determine if they need anti-snoring pills or other treatments.
Anti-snoring pill treatments are not a 100 percent cure for snoring, but surgery is.
If you have excess fatty tissue or underlying cardiovascular disease, a medical checkup, as well as the required surgery, can cure your snoring and remove it permanently.
Some ideal medical aids to explore for Snoring Solutions are
- Nasal CPAP- It pushes the airflow into the throat by using a mask for continuous positive pressure ventilation (CPAP).
- LAUP- In Laser-assisted uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (LAUP) C02 laser shrinks the uvula and makes small bruising tighten the tissue.
- Somnoplasty- A tissue removal procedure called somnoplasty uses radio waves that must be performed repeatedly. It doesn't involve any bleeding and takes only a few moments to complete.
- Palatal Implants- Commonly referred to as the Pillar procedure, it involves inserting three small stiffening rods into the back of the mouth to prevent the collapse of the soft tissue in the throat that triggers snorting.
A final word of advice for fatigued sleepers is called snorers …The best cure for curing your snoring problems is by sleeping well and respecting your sleep cycle.
As a degreed engineer, I love new technology as much as you do (perhaps more). I also understand how to sort the best products from the rest. My team and I spend dozens of hours each week reviewing the best & latest products for your bedroom. Many are tested in-house, and others we break down based on our technical understanding. Whether you need a bed-cooling system, an adjustable bed, or a new CPAP machine – we've got you covered.