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.

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.

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.

There are a number of types of surgery to stop snoring and the right one will depend on your body and the underlying reason for your snoring.

The type of surgeon you would consult to find out what your best option is would be a otolaryngologist. They specialize in the ears, nose and throat. Unfortunately, many insurance companies consider snoring surgery a cosmetic procedure and don’t cover the costs.

LAUP

One of the most common types of surgery for snoring is uvulopalatoplasty, otherwise known as LAUP. In an LAUP procedure, a laser is used to cut away the uvula (the dangling tissue at the back of your mouth) to reduce its contact with the throat.

If your snoring is caused by the uvula partially blocking your airway, this surgery will often help.

Somnoplasty

Another type of surgery commonly used to help with snoring problems is radio frequency tissue ablation, or RFTA. This is done under the trade name “Somnoplasty” and was only recently approved by the FDA.

RFTA is another way of reducing the size of the uvula, minimizing its contact with the throat. With RFTA, multiple sessions may be necessary before you see results. Because it is so new, there is not a lot of data published on it yet.

Another recent procedure is known as Coblation-Channeling. This methods uses radio frequencies to reduce the size of tissue in the airway, which may be obstructing your breathing. This is even newer that RFTA, however, so there is not much data published on it yet either.

Repose

Yet another recent procedure is called tongue suspension, going under the trade name Repose. This type of surgery keeps your tongue from falling back and blocking the airway during sleep.

A small screw is inserted into the lower jaw bone and stitches are placed below the tongue. This helps to keep the tongue in place at night.

The last procedure we’ll look at is nasal deviation surgery. Blockages in the nose or a deviated septum can cause restricted breathing and lead to snoring. This surgery helps to remove those blockages.

An interesting side effect of this surgery is that it also helps to improve your breathing during the day. For that reason, it is often covered by medical insurance policies.

As with any serious procedure, you need to get professional advice before considering anything. Talk to a health care professional about your snoring to get an informed opinion of the best choice of treatment for you.

The search for a cure has led to many different devices that claim to help you stop snoring. Some of these are more effective than others. Because there are multiple causes for snoring, there’s no single device or cure that will work for everyone.

Before buying any anti-snoring device, do your research. If you understand what’s causing your snoring, you’ll be able to tell whether a particular device is going to work for you or not. Look for recommendations from registered doctors, testimonials from other people using the device and make sure there’s a money-back guarantee.

Double-check the safety features of any device you’re considering. If it includes any warnings or contra-indications, take heed and make sure the product is going to be safe for you to use.

You’re going to be sleeping while you’re using the device so you need to be sure there are no safety concerns.

Many devices are sold over the internet, but if at all possible find a store where you can actually touch and feel one. You’re going to be wearing this thing for a number of hours, so you need to be sure you’ll be comfortable with it.

Check the design and quality – does it seem like it’s well made and will work as advertised? When you roll over in your sleep, will it roll with you?

What about the cost – is it affordable? If the price is high, does the manufacturer offer a guarantee of some sort? How much time will you have to try it out and refund it if is doesn’t work for you?

If you have a snoring problem, it can be tempting to try the latest and greatest device but you can waste a lot of money without taking the time and effort to check them out beforehand. Remember, the website/email/store that is selling it to you isn’t always the most unbiased source of information!

Both snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are cause by blockage of the nasal airway and throat. This limits how much air gets in and the snoring is actually the vibrations of the tissue in the airway.

One of the more successful, cost effective and least invasive methods to deal with snoring and OSA is called CPAP – Continuous Positive Air Pressure. It was invented by Colin Sullivan in 1981. He is currently working with the University of Australia, and specializes in sleep research.

For CPAP to be effective you have to be able to breathe through your nose – it won’t help people who are mouth-breathers. This device is fairly easy to use. A pump sits on the floor by the bed.

A plastic hose carries the air to a facemask that is held over your nose by two straps around your head. The air flows into your nostrils and prevents the obstruction of your air passages.

CPAP equipment isn’t something you’ll find on the shelves at your local Wal Mart, however. You’ll need a prescription from your doctor and you will need to undergo a sleep study for a specialist to determine your particular needs.

CPAP devices have come a long way in the last 25 years. They have become smaller and easier to use and there are even travel models available that are specifically made for use on airplanes. Not all airlines allow them, however so if you will be using it on a plane, check with the airline ahead of time to be sure it is allowed.

CPAP results have shown high success rates – some studies have shown nearly 100% success rates in dealing with snoring.

If you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea, you need to check with a health care professional before trying any kind of treatment. They can give you an informed opinion and help you choose the best treatment.

In general, snoring is a result of a lack of airflow through the airways at the back of your mouth and nose. This is in the area at the back of your mouth, where your upper throat and tongue meet the uvula and soft palate.

When these tissues make contact, they vibrate which results in the sound of snoring.

Lack of muscle tone in the throat and tongue are one reason people snore. If the muscles are too relaxed, they can cause the airway to become restricted, which causes blockage and ultimately snoring.

Alcohol is another cause of overly relaxed muscles. Because alcohol is a depressant, it can cause your muscles to relax more than normal, leading to snoring. If you’re planning to drink at night, it’s best to stop about 4 hours before you go to bed to minimize the chance of snoring.

Sleeping pills and antihistamines are other depressants that have a similar effect to alcohol.

Being overweight is another common problem. It can lead to excess fat deposits in your neck and throat area, which can put pressure on your airway and restrict your breathing.

Allergies can also be a factor in snoring. They often cause nasal congestion which makes it difficult to breathe and can result in snoring.

The best solution for allergies is to use a nasal decongestant. Because antihistamines can contribute to snoring, they’re not the best way to deal with allergies. At night, try to stick to a decongestant.

These are a few of the more common reasons for snoring problems. Whether one of these problems sounds like it might be what is causing your snoring or not, it’s best to discuss the problem with a health care professional to get their informed opinion.

One of the more common reasons for snoring is when the muscles in the neck and throat are not well toned. With some simple daily exercises, you can firm up those muscles which will often help with your snoring.

Ask any professional singer and they’ll tell you how important it is to do exercise daily that will help keep their air passages clear. Singers do exercises that help to tone their jaws, their tongues and their throats. Strong muscles in these areas will help them perform better.

These same type of exercises can help with a snoring problem in many cases, by helping to keep the airways clear and breathing easier.

Besides, you never know – these exercise might just help you win American Idol some day!

Here are 7 easy exercises that you can do anywhere to help tone your muscles:

1. Slowly open and close your mouth, to its fullest. Do it in a controlled way and ensure that your lips meet when your mouth is closed.
2. Pucker up as if you’re going to blow someone a kiss, then hold it for 5 seconds before relaxing.
3. Practice your smile – make it big and exaggerated. Hold it for 5 second before relaxing.
4. Press your lips together and hold them tightly for 5 seconds, then relax.
5. Press your lips together and then make a sipping noise, as if you were sipping a drink.
6. Stick your tongue out as far as you can. Keep it straight and horizontal – don’t let it droop.
7. Stick your tongue out to it’s maximum and then move it side to side – touching the corner of your lips on both sides.

Practice these exercises for a few minutes every day and you may find your snoring problem will disappear before you know it.

This can result in a lack of energy, irritability and other problems during the day, and it just compounds over time.

A recent survey showed that as many as 80% of couples where one is a snorer sleep apart. This can have a negative effect on the happiness of a marriage and the sex life.

If a snoring problem is having a negative effect on your relationship, it needs to be addressed. Here are a few things you can do to tackle the problem:

First, you need to discuss the issue with your husband or wife. If you’re not communicating about the problem, you won’t be able to come up with a solution.

Next, look at what could be causing the snoring problem and look at the various solutions. Some of the more common factors that lead to snoring are alcohol consumption, excess weight, sleeping pills, antihistamines and sleeping on your back.

By finding the underlying cause for your snoring, you can look at the most effective way to cure it. For example, if the snoring is caused when you’re sleeping on your back, you could put a tennis ball in a sock and pin it to the back of your pajamas.

If you roll on your back in the night, the discomfort will make you automatically roll back onto your side.

Regardless of the cause of the snoring problem, it’s always best to consult with a health care professional to get an informed opinion about the cause and the best treatment.

Snoring occurs when your airways are blocked while sleeping, restricting your breathing. In the case of primary snoring, the sound results from struggling to inhale. OSA occurs when snoring gets so bad that the airway is completely blocked, resulting in a lack of oxygen and the sufferer actually stops breathing – sometimes for more than 10 seconds.

Snoring can be caused by a number of different things. Being overweight, drinking alcohol, using sleeping pills and antihistamines, allergies, and a deviated septum are some common reasons that people snore. Primary snoring isn’t necessarily a huge problem but it does still have negative effects on you and your family.

For example, studies have shown that people who snore cause their spouse to lose roughly an hour of sleep each night, waking them up to 21 time every hour.

This can cause restlessness and other problems for the spouse – a problem known as Spousal Arousal Syndrome. The lack of quality sleep can have a number of effects on the non-snorer, such as irritability, stress, and being more prone to accidents.

OSA, however, can have much more serious effects. Snoring is usually a symptom of sleep apnea, although not always. Because OSA can causes a complete lack of airflow, the sufferer can wake up choking for air and sweating profusely. They also often experience headaches and sore throats because of their continuous struggle for air.

People suffering from OSA rarely get a good night’s sleep, leaving them irritable and unable to concentrate. This can affect both their personal and their work lives.

In the long term, if OSA is not treated it can lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke as well as high blood pressure.

If you have a snoring problem and some of these OSA symptoms are familiar to you, it’s important that you seek the advice of a health care professional.