What are the effects of snoring?
👉Dry mouth
👉Sore throat in the morning
👉Chronic snoring can disrupt sleep quality, leading to day time irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, excessive day-time sleepiness and other problems associated with not getting enough sleep.
👉Snoring can also affect a person’s relationship.
👉People who snore habitually are also at risk of serious health problems, including a sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a serious health problem which creates several other health problems which include strain on the heart and breathing interruptions.
How to stop snoring?
While snoring can be managed and controlled, unfortunately, it cannot be cured. To help control your snoring, it is helpful to try and do the following:
√Identify why you snore and what makes it worse, especially when you snore occasionally. Your bed partner or someone who sleeps within earshot can also help you monitor your snoring.
√Try and find out if while snoring, your mouth is closed or opened, and whether you snore only while sleeping on your back or in all sleep positions. Knowing these would make it easier to identify why you snore.
√Certain remedies and lifestyle changes have been found to be effective in controlling snoring. You should note however that this might take some time and it would require you to make certain sacrifices. Of course, in the end, it will be well worth it.
These remedies and lifestyle changes include:
👉Losing weight
If you are overweight or obese, losing weight would help reduce the severity of snoring. Losing weight can reduce the fatty tissue in the back of your throat, therefore decreasing snoring.
👉Avoiding tobacco and alcohol
Smoking causes the walls of the airways to retain fluid and swell. This in turn narrows the airways, thus worsening snoring. Alcohol can also cause the pharynx (the tube behind the nose and mouth) to narrow. This will result in an increase in soft tissue vibration and snoring.
👉Avoiding sedatives and sleeping pills
These relax the muscles in your throat and interfere with your breathing. If you are on any sleeping medications, consult with your doctor.
👉Exercising
This would help tone the muscles in your body including your throat muscles, which in turn can lead to less snoring
👉Sleeping on your side
Using a pillow to elevate your head while sleeping on your side would ease your breathing.
👉Watching the foods you eat at night as well as reducing your meal portions
Eating certain foods before bedtime has been found to make snoring worse; likewise eating late into the night.
👉If you make these changes and you do not observe any improvements after months have passed, you should see your doctor.
👉There are medical treatments available for snoring. Your doctor would help with one which is best for you.
Credit: Doctor O
HLF🌀
