Learn How To Stop Snoring Without Surgery Blog

Snoring is actually a cry for help — it’s the sound of someone strangling as he struggles and gasps for air.

It’s the noise made when the sleeper attempts to force air past any obstructions in the upper airway. Other than making the snorer an object of ridicule and causing others sleepless nights, snoring is no laughing matter and can cause serious, long-term problems, including obstructive sleep apnea leading to certain cardiovascular problems.

Snoring is three times more common in obese people but the likelihood increases with age.

About 60 percent of men and 40 percent of women snore. Snoring occurs more often when people sleep on their backs because of how airway structures are positioned. Those prone to snoring may suffer from obesity, poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat, use of tranquilizers or excessive alcohol intake, excessive bulkiness of throat tissue, a long soft palate or uvula, obstructed nasal airways due to allergies, sinus infections or a deviated nasal septum.

More than 300 products are registered in the U.S. Patent and trademark Office as cures for snoring. Besides the old idea of sewing a sock holding a tennis ball on the pajama back to force the snorer to sleep on his side, other devices reposition the lower jaw forward or condition a person not to snore by producing unpleasant stimuli.

Other products like nasal decongestants and nasal strips, open blocked nasal air passages. Unproven cures advertised on infomercials such as nose or throat sprays containing peppermint, cayenne pepper or various oils can potentially be dangerous if aspirated into the lungs.

When loud snoring is interrupted by frequent episodes of totally obstructed breathing, it is known as obstructive sleep apnea. Serious episodes last more than 10 seconds each and may occur more than seven times an hour.

These episodes can reduce blood oxygen levels, causing the heart to pump harder, potentially leading to high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. The snorer must sleep lightly and keep his muscles tense to keep airflow to the lungs, causing poor nighttime sleep and excessive drowsiness during the day. Fortunately, this condition can successfully be treated by breathing support interventions such as continuous positive airway pressure, known as CPAP devices.

There’s no e-zzzzzzy solution for snoring. Besides losing weight and avoiding large meals, alcohol, smoking, tranquilizers, sleeping pills,or antihistamines before going to bed, I also recommend informing your sleeping partner, that it’s fine for them to wake you up, roll you over and do whatever’s necessary — short of asphyxiating you — to get you to stop snoring. Pleasant dreams.

(info from http://www.elpasotimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060227/LIVING/602270337/1004)