Is snoring a common occurrence?

Snoring is a frequent occurrence experienced by many people. It can happen to anyone, regardless of age or gender. However, it's more prevalent in men over the age of 50 who are overweight or obese.

What makes a person more prone to snoring?

Most people snore occasionally, including infants, kids, and grown-ups. However, certain individuals have a higher tendency to snore. Factors that increase the risk of snoring are:

• Age: Snoring is more likely to occur as we grow older due to reduced muscle tone, which narrows air passages.

• Substances: Alcohol and sedatives can cause snoring by relaxing muscles and impeding airflow in the nose, mouth, and throat.

• Anatomy: Certain anatomical features like a long soft palate, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, a large tongue, or a deviated septum can obstruct airflow, leading to snoring.

• Gender: Men are more prone to snoring than women.

• Heredity: If a parent snores, there is a higher likelihood that their children will also snore.

• Health: Nasal congestion due to allergies or a cold can cause snoring by blocking airflow through the nose and mouth. Pregnant women are more likely to snore due to hormonal changes and weight gain.

• Weight: Snoring and sleep-related breathing disorders are more prevalent among individuals who are overweight or obese.

What makes a person snore?

As you inhale, air passes through your mouth, nose, and throat. When the airway becomes narrowed, soft tissues such as the soft palate (located at the back of the roof of the mouth), tonsils, adenoids, and tongue may vibrate against each other, resulting in a rattling or rumbling sound. Numerous factors and conditions can obstruct the airflow, including:

• Substances: Alcohol and sedatives can impede airflow by relaxing muscles.

• Tissue: Bulky soft tissue, including enlarged adenoids, tonsils, or tongue, can obstruct the airway.

• Weight: Excess body fat can compress the airway and put pressure on soft tissues.

• Hormones: During pregnancy, hormones can cause inflammation in the nose, leading to snoring.

• Muscles: Weak muscles in the mouth, nose, or throat can cause low muscle tone, leading to snoring.

• Inflammation: Nasal inflammation due to allergies, irritants, or infections can cause snoring by blocking the airway.

• Structure: Structural differences in the mouth, nose, or throat can decrease the size of the airway, causing snoring.

What are the symptoms of snoring?

Snoring can produce varying sounds, ranging from soft vibrations or whistles to loud rumbling or snorting. Some individuals may not even be aware that they snore during sleep. Snorers often have difficulty sleeping, tossing and turning at night. Upon waking up, they may have a dry, sore throat and feel fatigued throughout the day. Insufficient sleep can cause headaches, difficulty concentrating, and mood swings. In addition to snoring, some individuals may gasp for air and experience temporary breathing cessation while asleep. These are indications of sleep apnea, a condition that can lead to serious health complications if left untreated.

How is snoring diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will inquire about your snoring habits and their frequency, sound, and the impact of your lifestyle and diet on your sleep. They may also ask your partner about your snoring. During the examination, your provider will assess your blood pressure, auscultate your heart, and visually examine your mouth, nose, and throat.

Your healthcare provider may order a sleep study (polysomnogram) to assess your sleeping patterns. The study can be done either at home or in a sleep center, depending on the situation. A sleep study examines:

• The activity of brain waves.

• The breathing pattern, including instances of apnea and gasping for air.

• Heart rate and oxygen saturation levels.

• The movements of arms, legs, and tossing and turning during sleep.

• The sleep cycle and snoring.

Are there any non-surgical treatments for snoring?

Your healthcare provider may suggest treatments to enhance your posture or unblock your air passages while you sleep. Possible remedies for snoring are:

• Lifestyle changes: You can reduce snoring by avoiding alcohol before bed, adjusting your sleep position, and maintaining a healthy weight.

• Medications: Cold and allergy medications help relieve nasal congestion and improve breathing.

• Nasal strips: These flexible bands adhere to the outside of your nose and help keep your nasal passages open.

• Oral appliances: Wearing an oral appliance, such as a mouth guard or device, while sleeping, ensures that your jaw is in the correct position to allow for proper airflow. It's worth noting that a mouth guard used for other activities, such as sports, won't help alleviate snoring.

Are there any surgical treatments for snoring?

In certain instances, surgery is utilized to manage snoring and sleep-related breathing issues. This entails the removal or reduction of surplus tissue or the correction of any structural abnormalities. Most of these surgeries are minimally invasive, with small incisions made by the medical practitioner, allowing for same-day discharge. Surgeries conducted to address snoring involve:

• Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP): This procedure decreases tissue in the soft palate and enhances airflow.

• Radiofrequency ablation: This technique utilizes radiofrequency energy to decrease excess tissue in the soft palate and tongue.

• Septoplasty: This surgical procedure corrects a deviated septum in the nose. It improves airflow through the nose by reforming the bone and cartilage.

• Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy: In this surgical procedure, the surgeon removes additional tissue from the back of the throat (tonsillectomy) or back of the nose (adenoidectomy).

How can I prevent snoring - any solutions?

Modifying lifestyle habits, dietary choices, and daily routine may help prevent snoring. To decrease snoring, consider the following:

• Inquire with your healthcare provider about medications that can alleviate nasal congestion.

• Refrain from consuming alcohol and other sedatives before bedtime.

• Keep physically active, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight.

• Elevate the head of your bed slightly to enhance airflow by changing the angle of the body.

• Sleep on your side instead of your back.

• Consider using a snore-reducing pillow that promotes the proper position of your head and neck during sleep.

What can be expected for people who experience snoring?

Snoring caused by a cold or flu every now and then is generally not harmful. However, excessively loud or frequent snoring could indicate sleep apnea, a severe disorder. Prolonged snoring amplifies the likelihood of health issues such as:

• Low levels of oxygen in the blood

• Inability to focus

• Extreme tiredness during the day

• Heart attack

• High blood pressure

• Stroke

• Type 2 diabetes.

When do I need to visit a healthcare professional for my snoring issue?

Snoring may cause health issues; hence, seeking an assessment and discussing strategies with your healthcare provider to stop snoring is essential. If you experience difficulty breathing when asleep or feel excessively tired during the day, it is critical to see your provider as soon as possible.

In case your child snores, consult their healthcare provider. Insufficient restful sleep at night due to snoring can lead to behavioral problems in children. Children who do not get enough sleep may feel fatigued and have difficulties concentrating in school.