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5 Common Causes Of Snoring

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

Snoring can be caused by a number of things and if you’re looking for a way to stop snoring, the first step is to figure out the cause.

There are 5 common causes for snoring…

  1. Drinking Alcohol

    If you regularly drink alcohol, you should check to see if your snoring is a problem on a night when you don’t drink anything.

    Alcohol is a depressant and can contribute to snoring because it relaxes the muscles in your neck and throat. This relaxation is more advanced than with regular sleep and this can cause your airways to become restricted.

    If you snore only when you’ve been drinking, the obvious solution is to stop drinking. If that isn’t an option, at least have your last drink more than 4 hours before you go to sleep.

  2. Sleeping on Your Back

    Many snorers only have a problem when they’re sleeping on their back. The solution to this is to train your body to sleep on your side.

    There are plenty of devices that help with this, but they’re mostly variations of a home-grown remedy.

    Put a tennis ball in a sock and pin it to the back of your pajamas. When you roll onto your back, the discomfort will make you naturally roll back onto your side.

  3. Are You Overweight?

    Excess weight can lead to snoring. When you’re overweight, you can get fatty tissue in your neck and throat area which can put a strain on your airway and restrict your breathing. In this case, the obvious solution is to lose some of the extra weight.

  4. Do You Use Antihistamines or Sleeping Pills?

    These products can have a similar effect to alcohol. They relax your throat muscles more than normal sleep would and this can lead to snoring problems.

  5. Do You Suffer from Allergies?

    Allergies can result in nasal congestion. This can make it difficult for your body to get the necessary oxygen.

    The problem is, antihistamines can also contribute to snoring so the best solution is to just take a decongestant rather than an antihistamine.

These are some of the more common causes of snoring, but you should talk to a health care professional to get an informed opinion of what’s causing your snoring and the best solution for it.

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Are Your Kids Going To Inherit Your Snoring Problem?

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

If you have a snoring problem, you might be wondering if it can be passed on to your children. Unfortunately, the answer is yes. According to research published in the journal “Chest” children with at least one parent who snored are 3 times more likely to snore themselves (compared to children whose parents did not snore).

Snoring can be a warning signal for an affliction known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA causes breathing to stop while sleeping, due to obstructed air passages.

Snoring is a sign of difficulty breathing, but it is breathing at least. OSA can cause the sufferer to stop breathing for periods of over 10 seconds while sleeping, which then causes them to wake up gasping and choking for air.

This isn’t only a problem in the night either. OSA often leaves its victims with sore throats and headaches when they wake up in the morning. Lack of sleep due to OSA can lead to lack of concentration, bad behavior and general irritability.

If OSA goes untreated, it can lead to an increase in blood pressure, low oxygen levels in the blood and a greater chance of heart attack and stroke.

In the study done by “Chest”, 681 children from Cincinnati Childrens Hospital medical center were studied. The research also found that African-American children were about three times more likely to snore than other races.

Plus, it was found that children who test positive for Atopy (an indicator of allergies and asthma) were twice as likely to snore as those who tested negative.

The benefits of the study include identification of children who snore so the doctors could more accurately determine those that were at a higher risk of sleep disorders. This would allow them to work with the parents to help minimize any long-term damage.

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Discover What You Can Do About Your Snoring Problem

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

If you have a snoring problem, it’s important that you take action on it before it becomes more serious. Snoring is often laughed off, but when you’re snoring your body is basically gasping for air.

Snoring is caused by restricted airways. The sound is actually the sound of your throat and soft palate rubbing each other as you try to inhale.

Here are some simple steps you can take to stop your snoring problem:

Keep in Shape

Extra weight can lead to fat deposits in your neck and throat that can restrict your airway. If you’re overweight and snore, this could be the reason.

Allergies

If you suffer from allergies, you should use a nasal decongestant at night rather than an antihistamine. Allergies can cause snoring because they usually include nasal congestion as a symptom. This can hinder your breathing.

Antihistamines are depressants that relax the throat muscles, so while they may help with your allergies they can actually lead to snoring as well. You are better to use a decongestant at night, to clear your breathing without contributing further to your snoring.

Sleeping On Your Side

It’s common for people to only snore when they sleep on their backs – often sleeping on their sides solves the problem.

If your body naturally rolls on your back when you sleep, you can stop this by putting a tennis ball in a sock and pinning it to the back of your pajamas. The discomfort will make you roll on your side automatically if you roll onto your back in the night.

There are other options available such as specialized pillows, nasal strips and throat sprays. Their effectiveness will depend a lot on the underlying cause of your snoring.

It’s always a good idea to check with a health care professional to get their informed opinion before deciding on any more serious treatments for your snoring.

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