Why do we snore and How to stop snoring
Snoring is a very normal activity. Globally, approximately 45% of the population occasionally snores, while 25% do so on a regular basis.
Why do we Snore?
When sleeping the muscles of the throat and trachea relax. If you are on your back, both your jaw and tongue (which loses its normal tonicity while you rest) slide further back than usual, obstructing the passage of air from the pits in the throat.
This hinders the entry and exit of air from the lungs, forcing the individual to breathe through the mouth.
The scientific explanation would be that the air is forced to pass through a narrower opening, which generates a vibration in the veil and uvula (types of tissues) of the palate, making a slightly nasal sound. However, this increases as the mouth dry with the passage of air, and the vibrations are enhanced. This can be extremely annoying to those who live with the person who snores, especially if they have a light sleep.
While the reasons for why you snore are often unknown, there are certain factors that increase the risk of it. Being overweight increases the neck tissue pressure on the airways. On the other hand, pregnant women also have a higher risk of snoring, especially in the last month of gestation when the same effect of overweight in the neck occurs.
Deformations of the nasal septum, which is the structure that separates the nostrils, as well as in the bones of the face, in general, may also affect breathing. Congestion, nasal polyps, and swelling of the veil or uvula can also lead to it.
Sometimes snoring is a symptom of a sleep disorder known as sleep apnea, where the person stops breathing totally or partially for more than 10 seconds while sleeping. Snoring or snoring usually occurs after each episode.
According to Dr. Ana Machado of the University Hospital Quirón Madrid, menopause increases the percentage of women who snore as fat builds up at the base of the palate, which obstructs the passage of air.
How to stop snoring?
Snoring can not be prevented but reduced. Take note of some advice provided by the Medical Center of the University of Maryland, USA.
First, try to get away from alcohol and other types of sedatives before bed. At bedtime, you choose to sleep on your side rather than on your back. Maybe even with a small ball in the lower back, this will not allow you to sleep comfortably on your back.
If you are overweight, try to lose it. The effects will not only be noticeable in sleep but your general state of health. Obesity generates numerous problems, of which snoring is one of the mildest.
Look for throat exercises, sometimes these can help rest your muscles before bed and thus avoid these annoying sounds.
