How to Stop Snoring

Snoring is one of those things that bothers just half the people - those awake to hear it. The snorer is blissfully unconscious, filling the room with the sounds of labored breathing and rumbling, mucousy noises. If you sleep alone, this may not be a problem. But if you have a partner sharing your bed, your nightime noisefest can be a real challenge. It is estimated that nearly half of all adults snore at times, and about 15-25% are chronic snorers. Men snore more than women, and overweight people snore more than thin folks, and older people snore more than younger ones. Over the centuries, there have been all kinds of home remedies to stop or reduce snoring, but finding a real cure for snoring is something else entirely. In this guide, we will take a look at the biology and causes of snoring, learn about sleep apnea, tricks to reduce and stop snoring, and medical options for help with snoring. View snore reducing aids here.

snoring

What causes snoring? Causes of Snoring

As mentioned above, age, sex, and weight are all factors in snoring. But there are also other physiological factors that can lead to snoring, found mostly in the throat and nasal passages logically enough. The "cause" of the snoring sound is when airflow through the throat and nasal passages is obstructed. In the back of your throat, your uvula, soft palate, tongue, tonsils, and throat all meet up. When this tissue area vibrates from breath flowing past it, it makes the gurgling and bubbling sounds we call snoring. People snore when they are asleep because they relax voluntary muscle control of this region (that's why we drool when we sleep, too!) -- when you are awake, you have conscious control over your tongue, throat, etc. and you'd stop making noises as soon as they started. When you are asleep, though, you get the noises if you have lots of loose tissue here. Even children can be snorers if they have enlarged tonsils and adnoids. Having a long uvula (the little thing that dangles from the roof of your mouth in the back) and a long soft palate can also contribute to the problem of snoring. If you have sinus problems or a stuffy nose, you can also restrict airflow and cause snoring sounds. A deviated septum can be another cause. The most serious cause of snoring is sleep apnea. Browse the best selling STOP SNORING products here.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Apnea means "without breath", and sleep apnea means stopping breathing while asleep. Sleep apnea can be a dangerous condition, leading to increased incidence of high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke. People with sleep apnea actually stop breathing while they sleep, usually for about 10 seconds or so until they wake themselves up (slightly) and start breathing again. The two main types of sleep apnea are Obstructive, which involves the actual physical blockage of collapsed airways by surrounding soft tissues, and Central Sleep Apnea, where the respiratory system simply fails to breathe regularly even though there is no obstruction -- only the buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood kicks the breathing system back into gear. A person suffering from sleep apnea way wake and disturb their sleep more than 100 times per night, leading to chronic tiredness. (sleep apnea pillows here)

How to Stop Snoring - Snoring Treatments

There are a number of suggestions on how to stop or reduce snoring. The first are pretty simple:

Lose weight -- lower weight means less loose tissue in your throat
Don't consume too much alcohol - alcohol is a depressant which relaxes the muscles even more
Sleep on your side instead of back -- lying flat on your back with your head tilted back is the optimal position for collapsed soft tissue
Use a firmer pillow that tilts your head up slightly
Try an adjustable bed that allows you to recline at a 20-30% angle instead of lying flat

You'll also find a lot of ads for sprays and nasal strips that claim to help stop snoring. There is not much scientific evidence that these work. Some people have had success with nasal strips and lubricant sprays, but not everyone, and there is no direct correlation between a piece of tape on the exterior of your nose and wider nasal passages -- it just doesn't work that way. Sleep apnea requires seeing a physician and sleep specialist to diagnose and treat any medical issues that exist. There are a few surgery options for fixing snoring. One is called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, or UPPP, in which excess soft tissue in the throat is surgically removed. Another version of this is laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP), where a laser is used to burn away throat tissue and remove the uvula. These are serious procedures and not intended for the occasional, light snorer. There is another procedure called somnoplasty that uses radiowaves to remove part of the soft palate.

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