Snoring: Ways to Control It

This blog post is essentially going to be talking about all that you need to know in regards to snoring.

So snoring basically is a very harsh sound that you make while sleeping.

It is when the air is flowing against your relaxed tissues and causes them to vibrate,

Snoring isn’t a very harmful condition. In fact at some point in time, everyone has snored/

However while it taking place sometimes is not a cause of worry. For others it can be an issue when it is chronic and needs immediate attention.

This article is all about this condition and ways to control snoring.

I will be looking into the specifications on what sets this habit in a person, how to identify the reasons and ways to control it.

So let’s begin:

What is Snoring?

This is basically the condition in which your upper airway gets blocked.

The habit of snoring can set in at any point in life. It does not have to be only during the adult years. In fact snoring can happen at anytime.

Sometimes the snoring is mild and not harmful. Other times, it can be severe and chronic. Also it can lead to bad breath.

The important thing to know here is that snoring can also point towards a more serious condition. You need to look into your condition and how the snoring is happening to see if it needs professional attention or not.

There are different remedies and treatments you can opt for, but we will get to those later. First, let’s talk about the symptoms:

Symptoms of Snoring

Snoring is majorly associated with a condition which is called the obstructive sleep apnea ( OSA).

But that doesn’t mean that all kinds of snoring relate to OSA. However if you notice that are some other symptoms associating with it, then it can be an issue of OSA. These symptoms include:

• Having breathing pauses in your sleep which become consistent.
• Getting sleepiness during daytime. This means you can’t control the tiredness taking over your body.
• Waking up with a case of mild headaches.
• Feeling a sore throat when you wake up.
• Getting a very restless sleep throughout the night.
• Gasping and choking during night time.
• Feeling high blood pressure especially during the night time.
• Getting a sensation of chest pains, especially during the night.
• The volume at which you snore is so loud that it always wakes the person who is lying next to you.

Now that you have a fair idea on what is snoring and what are the causes. I want to talk to talk about the causes as well:

Causes of Snoring

Snoring is something which is not common. It is when air is flowing through your mouth.

The nose gets blocked and there are quite a few reasons which is interfering with how the air flows, making it a hard process to come over. Some of the common causes for the condition include:

Blocked nasal airways

Have you heard of the deviated septum? It is when there is some major issue with the nostrils walls and don’t form a smooth line of passage.

Those with an issue with the deviated septum cannot breathe smoothly. Also sometimes your snoring is because of an allergy. This is usually more common when there is allergy season happening.

If you have a sinus infection, that can also lead towards problems towards the blocking of the nasal airways.

Issues with Muscle Tone in Throat

Did you know that snoring is also relating to the way the muscles are in your throat and tongue? If you want to control snoring, you should make sure that these muscles are not very relaxed. If they are, it can also collapse into the airway.

This will lead to continuous and uncontrollable snoring.

Throat Tissue Problems

You will notice that those who are overweight are more likely to suffer from the condition in which their throat tissues become overly weighty. It becomes hard to be able to breathe and inhale properly.

You will notice that those who have large tonsils suffer from the habit of snoring even more so than those who do not.

To control snoring in such cases, it is best that try to lose the extra weight. It will help with the alignment of the throat tissue.

Also adapt a healthy diet and avoid the worst foods for your teeth and oral health.

The Effect of Uvula

Did you know that this soft palate holds lot of purpose in your body? It is actually that dangling tissue that comes in the back of your mouth.

What happens is that it can become narrow as when it is constricted. You will find it hard to breathe. And when that happens you cannot breathe through your nose but have to do so by breathing through your mouth.

It is not always easy and those with issues of a long soft palate will suffer immensely from the breathing concerns.

How it impacts your breathing is that when you are breathing, it will be causing for them to vibrate and they bump. This leads to the blocking of the airway.

Alcohol Intake

Doctors have stressed this plenty of times. Your alcohol consumption is also a cause of concern. Those who drink alcohol aplenty will face issues when it comes to breathing properly.

This is because the muscle relaxers will make the muscles in your mouth to relax. It particularly means that you will not be able to breathe properly with your nose. And you would have to make use of your mouth.

The Way You Sleep

Believe it or not. Your sleeping patterns matter a lot. You should ensure that you are getting a good night’s rest. This is very important. If you are not sleeping proper long hours, you will quickly get drained.

Also how you sleep also is essential. If you are sleeping on your back, it will make you snore loudly. It is always better if you sleep on the side. You should also look into the kind of pillow you are using.

The pillow should not be either too soft or too large as both these kinds can make issues for how you rest your head.  Keep your throat muscles in a better condition by not depriving yourself of sleep.

Make sure you are not depriving yourself of proper rest as that will cause concerns which will need immediate attention. If your throat muscles get too relaxed, that means you are not getting enough z’s.

Don’t do that to your body and ensure a good night’s sleep.

So there you have it. A detailed look into what are the causes of snoring. Now let me get to the good news.

There are a few simple home remedies which can ensure great results and are effective. These are:

Home Remedies to Control Snoring

Look into some of these tried and tested home remedies which ensure that you are able to get a good night’s sleep.

These solutions can provide quick solutions and help to relieve the symptoms. But sometimes it takes more than that.

Your condition can be chronic and to control snoring, you will need to go into the depth of the problem and find a more permanent solution.

Check out these simple ways and see if they work for you:

• You should sleep on your side. This is one of the best remedies. Sleeping on your back restricts the passage even more. So relive yourself of this problem and rest on your side.
• Also it will really help of you are able to elevate your head and keep it higher on the bed for a few inches.
• Making use of elastic strips is also helpful. There are different kinds in the market. They can be worn for longer time periods. And especially should be worn when you are about to hit the bed.
• Create a sleeping schedule and you should stick to it.
• Make use of decongestants. They are effective as they clear the airways. But you should use them sparingly.
• If you use for more than 3 days, it should not be without talking to a doctor first.

Other Treatment Options

Look into fixing your Chronic Allergies

Did you know that allergies are extremely harmful. They impact your airflow. You don’t get to breathe properly through the nose and have to use your mouth.

When this happens you snore more often.

You should talk to your doctor and make use of over-the-counter medicines which allow you to have quick relief in no time.

Get Nose Sorted

To control snoring, you need to understand and analyze if a deviated septum is the reason. Sometimes the only way to combat a blocked nose if to go for a surgery to clear the condition.

Jogging Helps

It is helpful if you take a little jog around the block. You should make it into a daily habit. It doesn’t even have to be vigorous. Just a few sprints across the block can be helpful.

Using Palatal Implants

So this basically relates to making use of what you will call ‘pillar procedure’.  How it works is that you have to insert braided stands of polyester filament. When it gets put into the mouth’s palate, it tries to stiffen the soft palate which directly impacts snoring.

Yoga to Control Snoring

Turns out you can also control snoring by practicing yoga as well. Having a nasal situation is always worrisome. Thankfully if you make use of some practices like Jala Neti, it works great to make your nasal passage more clearer.