Is snoring innocent or not?

Who's having snoring problems?

In fact, we all snore at times, regardless of our age. Even one in ten children sometimes make a snoring noise at night. This happens especially when you have a cold or drink too much. As we get older, the mucous membrane in the pharynx becomes thicker, which can result in more frequent snores.

There are also differences between men and women. Men snore as much as 20 percent, while women only have one in 10.

What causes the sound of snoring?

During sleep, the organs and tissues relax, including those in the throat. The soft palate and the back of the tongue come close together and narrow the airway. In case of strong narrowing, the cock, tongue and throat walls can be drawn towards each other, causing vibrations and typical snoring noise. You can compare this with the emptying of a balloon: the narrower the opening, the more vibrations, and sound.

Factors contributing to snoring

1. Anatomical characteristics: Different physical properties can contribute to snoring, such as a too long hug, weak or too thick palate, a too tall tongue or a backward movement of the lower jaw. Even the shape of your neck can affect because it determines how easy air can flow through the airways. Narrowings in the airway can also be caused by inflamed throat tonsils, especially in children.
2. Lifestyle: You have some control over snoring. Smoking can irritate the throat and thicken the pharynx, which makes the airflow more difficult. In case of overweight fat accumulation around the throat can partially block the airways. Alcohol consumption also increases the risk of snorting shortly before bedtime.
3. Sleep position: Sleeping on your back increases the risk of snoring, because your tongue can fall backwards and hinder airflow. Using sleeping and tranquilizers or overfatigue may also affect snork behaviour.
4. Hidden nose: A blocked nose can hinder the airways, especially during a cold, allergy, polyps or a distorted nasal intersect.

Is snoring serious?

Not in itself. Snoring can be a social problem due to the loud noise, similar to loud screams or performances. Even snoring lightly can disturb your partner's sleep, which can lead to relationship problems or force partners to sleep separately.

Warning for sleep apnea

Constriction of the airways can lead to respiratory arrests, known as sleep apnea. This can lead in frequent awakening, often with a shock, followed by renewed breathing and continuation of sleep. This is usually accompanied by very loud snoring and can have serious consequences for sleep quality, resulting in daytime fatigue, concentration and memory problems, and even dangerous situations such as falling asleep behind the wheel. Sleep apneas are also associated with certain cardiovascular diseases including high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, narrowing of the coronary arteries and heart failure.

What can you do about snoring?

1. Get me a healthy lifestyle: Try to lose weight in case of overweight, avoid smoking and alcohol consumption at bedtime.
2. Use no sleeping aid without medical Opinion.
3. Consider nose drops or nasal spray with a blocked nose, but do not use it for more than seven days.
4. Avoid sleep# On your back, for example by attaching a tennis ball to the back of your pajamas.
5. Late allergies check by a general practitioner, because treatment of it can also reduce snoring.

Possible medical devices in snoring:

• Throat sprays that cover the tissues in the throat and reduce vibration.
• Throat strips that melt down the throat and lubricate the throat tissues.
• Nose strips that expand the nostrils for better airflow and breathing comfort.
• Nose spreaders placed in the nostrils to reduce the intensity of snoring.
• Sleeping brackets that move the lower jaw forward to keep the pharynx open during the night.