We’ve all had a good chuckle at someone snoring loudly. While occasional snoring may not be a problem, chronic snoring can be a symptom of something a little more serious. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to help stop snoring.
So what is snoring? - Instead of the quiet normal breathing people make when they sleep, snoring is loud and very unpleasant. People who snore make a rattling, vibrating, noisy sound while breathing during sleep. Everybody snores occasionally, but when it becomes chronic, it can disturb your partner’s sleep and have far-reaching effects on your enjoyment of life.
Snoring is incredibly common, particularly in men. Almost 24% of men snore regularly, but they’re not alone. 17% of women snore too.1 If you have a partner or family member who disturbs your sleep night after night with their snoring, you know how disruptive it can be. And if you snore yourself, it’s important for your health – and your family harmony – that you address the problem.
Tell-tale signs that you snore include waking up feeling like you haven’t slept well, being tired or irritable during the daytime, or waking up with a dry sore throat.
You’re much more likely to snore if you drink alcohol in the evening. Taking sleeping tablets or sedatives to help you sleep can also increase your risk of snoring. Some people only snore when they sleep on their back, while others snore in all sleeping positions.
Snoring can be a sign that you’re not breathing properly when you sleep. As you fall asleep the muscles in your mouth, tongue and throat relax. Snoring occurs when these tissues relax too much and they partially block your airway and vibrate. Snoring is often associated with a sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (or OSA). If your snoring is accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, gasping or choking or breathing pauses during your sleep it's time to see your doctor or take the home sleep test. Left untreated this can affect your health. You owe it to yourself to understand what causes snoring and learn how to stop snoring so everyone can breathe and sleep easier.
Depending on what’s causing your snoring, there are a number of options available. There are a few simple home remedies that you can try yourself. If these don’t stop the snoring there are other options that may work for you.
Nasal snoring occurs when your nasal passages are partially blocked.
Nasal snoring sounds vary between (a) consistently loud rumbling sounds, or (b) whistling noises.
This may be caused by an allergy, a sinus infection, nasal polyps or a deviated nasal septum (which makes it difficult to breathe through your nose). The common cold can also cause nasal congestion.2
Common allergies associated with nasal congestion are house dust mites, mold, animal hair and pollens.3
Mouth snorers often have blocked nasal passages so they tend to breathe through their mouths when they sleep. This causes the soft tissues inside their mouth to vibrate and produce a low rumbling sound. Another cause of mouth snoring is having enlarged tonsils.4
Mouth snoring can sometimes lead to infection as the air breathed in does not get filtered by the nose.
Tongue snorers can easily be identified by inconsistent high pitched sounds.
This type of snoring occurs because your tongue becomes too relaxed. When this happens, it can drop back into your throat and obstruct your airflow.5
Tongue snoring is more likely to happen if you drink alcohol or use sleep medication. Also, being overweight can increase the risk because you have more fatty tissue around your airway.6
A good way to stop tongue snoring is to use a mouth-guard while you sleep.
Mouth and tongue snoring both tend to be worse if you sleep on your back, so using devices that help to prevent you from sleeping on your back can be helpful. 7
Throat snoring is considered the loudest of snores and is the most serious type.
Throat snoring is caused by sleep apnea, which basically means that the person may stop breathing many times during the night.
It can occur in every sleep position, and the noise follows no rhythm at all. The muscles and tissues in your throat become very relaxed resulting in throat collapse, and the air cannot pass through to your lungs.
