What you can do against snoring

What you can do against snoring

snort ... roar ... If someone snores in your bedroom, it is difficult to ignore it. Snoring can be very annoying for the partner who tries to find a little sleep. However, it can also be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially serious illness that leads to repeated nightly breaks.

"snoring and apnea often go hand in hand," says the ear, nose and throat doctor Tony Reisman, MD. Dr. Reisman explains why it is important to find the cause of the snoring - and how to get the problem under control so that everyone involved can recover.

What causes snoring?

Everyone - men, women, even children - can snor. "Snoring is even quite common in children," says Dr. Reisman.

, however, occurs more often in men and people who were described as male at birth (DMAB) and overweight. And with increasing age it often gets worse.

snoring arises when breathing is hindered during sleep. When the air tries to penetrate through the soft tissues, vibrate - and cause treacherous horns and snorts, which causes your partner to drive it out of the bedroom.

Some people are simply born snoring. But often the snoring is caused by a underlying disease, such as: B:

• obesity
• structural problems in the nose, such as a nasal septum curvature
• enlarged almonds or throat almonds
• chronic constipation and constipation
• sleep apnea

snoring itself is not harmful. But it can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. This sleep disorder means that you stop breathing for a few seconds night after night.

If you suffer from sleep apnea, you will probably wake up after a night and still feel tired. They may be sleepy during the day and have difficulty concentrating at work or at school. Some people nod in during the day, which increases the risk of car accidents or accidents at work.

For people with sleep apnea, the treatment of snoring is a question of health. If the sleep apnea remains untreated, it can lead to serious health problems, including:

• high blood pressure
• stroke
• diabetes
• heart problems, including heart failure and heart attack

home remedies for snoring

There are different ways to combat snoring, depending on what the cause is. Here are some home remedies that help you end the snoring in a natural way.

work on a healthy weight

"Obesity is one of the main causes of snoring, both in children and adults," says Dr. Reisman. During sleep, the adipose tissue in the throat can press on the throat and block the airways when the throat muscles relax. Leaving weight can literally take the pressure away.

relief of constipation

In chronically blocked nose, medication such as antihistamines or nasal sprays can help you take a little more - and dampen the nightly noise.

Change your position

Try to set up the head end of your bed. And if you sleep on the side instead of on your back, you may snor less. (Strange, but true: Some people swear to sew a tennis ball at the back of her shirt so that they don't roll on the back at night).

Open your nose

If you open your nasal passages at night, you can reduce the snoring. Adhesive strips that are glued on the bridge of the nose open the nostrils and improve the air flow. Another option is nasal dilators, which you insert into your nostrils to expand the nose opening. Both the stripes and the dilators are inexpensive and easy to get in the drugstore.

quit smoking

to stop smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. It not only lowers your blood pressure and increases your energy level, but can also help reduce your snoring. And why? It improves the constipation of the nose, which in turn affects her snoring.

Reduce alcohol or do without it

In general, it is good for sleep quality to do without alcohol before going to bed. It is particularly helpful for snoring. Alcohol can lead to a relaxation of the respiratory muscles during sleep, so you should avoid it for several hours before going to bed.

Medically approved methods against snoring

If home remedies do not help - or if you have symptoms of a sleep apnea - talk to a doctor about these proven means that combat both the snoring and the apnea:

CPAP Therapy

Continuous respiratory overpressure (CPAP) is considered the gold standard in the treatment of sleep apnea and snoring. You carry a mask over your nose or mouth, the air blows into your respiratory tract as you sleep. The air under pressure keeps your respiratory tract open while you doze.

In the past, the devices were bulky and uncomfortable and had a not exactly good reputation. But they have had a long way, says Dr. Reisman.

"Today's devices are streamlined, small and quiet and have different attachments that make them comfortable," he adds. "It can take a little time for you to get used to it, but the problem of snoring and sleep apnea is solved immediately.

Let yourself be adjusted oral aids

If a CPAP device is out of the question for you, an oral device can relieve snoring. These oral protection devices keep the lower jaw forward in their sleep - an attitude that contributes to the airways remaining open.

There are some freely selling variants, but Dr. Reisman recommends having a dentist or jaw surgeon make a tailor -made device for your mouth.

"A poorly sitting apparatus can burden the jaw and replace a problem for another," he explains.

surgery consider

Depending on the cause of your snoring, a surgical intervention can help. This includes the following procedures:

Repair of a nasal septum curvature. The nasal septum is the bone and cartilage between her nostrils. Sometimes she is wrong. "If that happens, the air flow can be blocked on one side of the nose," says Dr. Reisman. “The correction of the nasal septum curvature by a surgical procedure can improve snoring.

reduction of the nasal mussel. "Inside her nose there are structures that are called turbinates and heat, clean and moisten the breathing air," explains Dr. Reisman. They can also be enlarged. Surgical intervention to reduce the nasal mussels can improve the air flow and contain snoring.

Removal of almonds and adenoids. The almonds and polyps are bulky tissue in the back of the throat and the nose, which can block the airways and lead to snoring - especially in children. Your distance can help.

culinary cones/palate surgery. A large palate of the palate - the soft fabric that hangs down from the edge of the soft palate - can lead to snoring. "An operation to remove the palate of the palate and/or part of the soft palate can improve snoring and apnea," explains Dr. Reisman.

implantable nerve stimulator. In this treatment, an implant along the nerves is placed in a surgical intervention in your throat. The surgeons implant a pacemaker -like device into their chest. The device monitors your breathing and stimulates your throat muscles to open the airways and prevent an apnea.

When is it time for a snoring treatment?

It is easy to ignore snoring - after all, it happens when you sleep. But if your partner has banished you to the guest room, it is probably time to weigh your possibilities.

In order to get to the bottom of the cause of your nightly noise, you should speak to a doctor. It can search for causes such as chronic constipation or nasal obstruction. Your doctor can recommend a sleep study. They spend the night in a sleep laboratory so that the doctors can monitor them while sleeping.

"It is important that you can have a comprehensive examination to find out what is the cause of your snoring," says Dr. Reisman. “If you suffer from Apnea, you should definitely be treated to get your health in the long term.

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