Though snoring is often the subject of jokes at family gatherings or on vacations, it can actually be quite serious. Throat vibrations caused by congestion, extra throat tissue, or over-relaxed muscles lead to snoring. And in turn, this can lead to a poor night’s sleep.
Symptoms of Snoring
It’s hard to mistake the signs of snoring if you sleep with someone else in the room. But if you’ve never woken yourself up with snoring and still suspect that you might have sleep apnea, check out these symptoms:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Choking or gasping during sleep
- Moodiness or irritability
- Excessive fatigue during the day
- Headaches
- Frequent nighttime urination
You may also increase your risk of snoring if you have recently gained weight or stopped exercising. This can increase the amount of relaxed tissue in your face, neck, and throat, which may lead to snoring.
Snoring is Serious Business
Snoring in one or both partners can damage a relationship or marriage, commonly portrayed in commercials and other media. If a snorer has to share a room with others, the noise can also ruin a night’s sleep before a work presentation or vacation day.
Obstructive sleep apnea (a condition affecting 75% of people who snore) also increases the risk of heart disease, and possibly even Alzheimer’s. This is because the sleep necessary to prevent these conditions is interrupted on a regular basis. If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, you may need to seek treatment or changes to your lifestyle.
Treating Chronic Snores
Check with your doctor before starting over-the-counter snoring treatments. Not many of them work as well as they are advertised, unfortunately. Try to make lifestyle changes instead, or natural solutions.
- Change your sleep position. Sleeping on your back causes your tongue and soft palate to collapse, and is one of the most common reasons for snoring. To adjust your sleeping position, you may want to use a body pillow to help you sleep on your side. You also may have to attach tennis balls to your pajamas to make it impossible to sleep on your back. However, if changing your sleep position does not help, you may need to talk to your doctor about obstructive sleep apnea.
- Reduce or avoid alcohol. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat, increasing the chance of snoring. This is especially true for drinking within five hours of sleeping.
- Get enough rest in the first place. Rather than working long, hard hours without the sleep to match can also increase your snoring. Sleeping like this makes your muscles even more relaxed because of the depth of your sleep.
- Reduce nasal congestion. Whether part of allergies or a cold, congestion in your nose can cause snoring or make it worse. Prior to bedtime, try remedies like a hot shower or saltwater nasal rinse. Keep in mind that only this particular snoring culprit vanishes with nasal strips.
If these do not work, you may have to consult with a doctor about different treatments or more specific lifestyle changes.
Here’s to many good nights’ sleep!