Snoring

As usual, I will try as much as possible to avoid medical jargons here for simplicity.               

What u should know is that almost every animal snores. Just about everyone snores occasionally, but if snoring happens frequently it becomes a problem. It  can affect the quantity and quality of your sleep and that of other family members. Snoring can lead to poor sleep and daytime fatigue, irritability, and increased health problems. If your snoring keeps your partner awake, it can also create major relationship problems. Thankfully, sleeping in separate bedrooms isn’t the only remedy for snoring. There are many other effective solutions available today.

Yes everyone snores. The degree is what varies. The question is why do we snore? How?              

Snoring happens when you can't move air freely through your nose and mouth during sleep. It’s caused by a narrowing of your airway, either from poor sleep posture or abnormalities of the soft tissues in your throat. A narrow airway gets in the way of smooth breathing and creates the sound of snoring.

Now what causes Snoring? Why do people snore?

Common causes of snoring include:

1. Age:. As you reach middle age and beyond, your throat becomes narrower, and the muscle tone in your throat decreases.

2. The way you’re built:   Men have narrower air passages than women and are more likely to snore. A narrow throat, a cleft palate, enlarged adenoids, and other physical attributes that contribute to snoring are often hereditary.

3. Nasal and sinus problems. Blocked airways make inhalation difficult and create a vacuum in the throat, leading to snoring.

4. Being overweight or out of shape. Fatty tissue and poor muscle tone contribute to snoring.

5.  Alcohol intake, smoking, and certain medications can increase muscle relaxation leading to more snoring.

6. Sleep posture. Sleeping flat on your back causes the flesh of your throat to relax and block the airway.

Before we go into remedies and cures, let's appraise Snoring effects on our marital relationship or partnership. It is a big problem and we should talk about it here.

Pls, I will urge you not to allow snoring cause rift around you. Every animal does it. Even you.. Yes YOU!.  It has been well researched by scientists and so, don’t let snoring damage your relationship

Snoring can cause a rift in your relationship? No matter how much you love each other, lack of sleep or poor quality sleep from frequent snoring can strain a relationship as well as put your partner’s health at risk.

When snoring is a problem, relationship tension can grow in the following ways:                    

1. Sleeping alone. If you or your partner snores, you might decide to sleep alone. That only makes for a lack of physical intimacy and a strained relationship. And if you’re the one snoring, you might feel lonely, isolated, and frustrated about something you feel you have no control over. 

2. Snoring spats. It’s common to be irritable when lack of sleep is an issue. But try reining in your frustration. Remember, you want to attack the snoring problem—not your sleep partner.                                    

3.Partner resentment. When a non-snorer feels they do everything possible to sleep through the night (ear-plugs, noise-machines, etc.) but their partner does nothing to combat their own snoring, it can lead to resentment. Working as a team to find a snoring cure can prevent future fights.

If you value your relationship, make it your priority to find a snoring cure so you can both sleep soundly. Working together to stop snoring can even be an opportunity to improve the quality of your bond and become more deeply connected. 

I will like to delve more on Snoring and relationship so that we can have peace with our partner at night. How do we handle a snoring partner?:

I am so sure you love everything about your partner…except the snoring. It’s normal. Even the most patient amongst us will draw the line at sleep deprivation. But no matter how much sleep you lose due to someone snoring, it’s important to handle the problem sensitively. Remember that your partner likely feels vulnerable and even a little embarrassed about his or her snoring. Here are few tips to deal with Snoring partner:

1. Time your talk: carefully. Avoid middle of the night or early morning discussions when you’re feeling exhausted.

Keep in mind it’s not his or her intention to snore. Although it’s easy to feel like a victim when you lose sleep, remember that your partner isn’t keeping you awake on purpose.        

2. Avoid lashing out: Sure, sleep deprivation is aggravating and can be damaging to your health, but try your best to approach the problem in a non-confrontational way.      

3. Beware of bitterness: Make sure that latching onto snoring is not an outlet for other hidden resentments you’re harbouring.                             

4. Use humor and playfulness to bring up the subject of snoring without hurting your partner’s feelings. Laughing about it can ease tension. Just make sure it doesn’t turn into too much teasing.

 And To you the snoring partner: here are few tips for you.

And although it might seem silly that snoring can cause such relationship turmoil, it’s a common and a very real problem. If you dismiss your partner’s concerns and refuse to try to solve your snoring problem, you’re sending a clear message to your partner that you don’t care about their needs. Keep the following in mind as you and your partner work together to find a solution to your snoring:

1.Snoring is a physical issue: It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Like a pulled muscle or a common cold, improving the condition is in your hands.                                    

2. Avoid taking it personally:  Try not to take your partner’s frustration as a personal critique or attack. Your partner loves you, just not the snoring.                         

3.Take your partner seriously. Avoid minimizing complaints. Lack of sleep is a health hazard and can make your partner feel miserable all day.                                          

4. Make it clear that you prioritize the relationship. If you and your partner have this understanding, you’ll both do what it takes to find a cure for the snoring.                                

5. Address inappropriate behavior. Although sleep deprivation can lead to moodiness and irritability, let your partner know that it’s not okay for them to throw an elbow jab or snap at you when you’re snoring.                                       

Now What are the Remedies and cures for snoring?

On this health Chat,  I want you to know there are so many bizarre anti-snoring devices available on the market, with more being added all the time.  But finding the right gadget for your snoring can seem like a daunting task. Unfortunately, many of these unusual devices are unproven or work by simply keeping you awake at night.  However, There are plenty of proven techniques that can help you to stop snoring. Not every remedy is right for every person, though, so it may require some patience, some lifestyle changes, and a willingness to experiment with different solutions to finally put a stop to your snoring.                                    

The first step to solving a snoring problem is to find the cause of your snoring. Enlist your non-snoring sleep partner to help you keep a sleep diary to monitor your snoring. Observing patterns in your snoring can often help pinpoint the reasons why you snore, what makes it worse, and how to go about stopping your snoring.

Now the proven Remedies include:

Self-help cures to stop snoring:                                    

There are many things you can do on your own to help stop snoring. Home remedies and lifestyle changes can go a long way in resolving the problem.                                

A). Lifestyle changes to stop snoring:                          

1. Lose weight.             Losing even a little bit of weight can reduce fatty tissue in the back of the throat and decrease or even stop snoring. .               

2. Exercise can also help to stop snoring. Working out to tone your arms, legs, and abs, for example, also leads to toning the muscles in your throat, which in turn can lead to less snoring.
3. Quit smoking. If you smoke, your chances of snoring are high. Smoking causes airways to be blocked by irritating the membranes in the nose and throat. For those of my friends here who smoke, hmmm...... Another topic for another day. (Smoking).                   

4. Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, and sedatives, especially before bedtime, because they relax the muscles in the throat and interfere with breathing. Talk to your doctor about any prescription medications you’re taking, as some encourage a deeper level of sleep which can make snoring worse.

 BEDTIME SNORING REMEDIES

1. Clear nasal passages:. Having a stuffy nose makes inhalation difficult and creates a vacuum in your throat, which in turn leads to snoring. You can try nasal decongestants or nasal strips to help you breathe more easily while sleeping.                           

2. Keep bedroom air moist with a humidifier. Dry air can irritate membranes in the nose and throat.
3. Reposition. Elevating your head four inches with pillow may ease breathing and encourage your tongue and jaw to move forward. There are specially designed pillows available to help prevent snoring by making sure your neck muscles are not crimped.                               

4. Avoid caffeine and heavy meals within two hours of going to bed, especially dairy products and soymilk.                            

5. Sleep on your side. Avoid sleeping on your back, as gravity makes it more likely for your tongue and soft tissues to drop and obstruct your airway.

THROAT EXERCISE TO STOP SNORNING:           

Practiced for 30 minutes a day, throat exercises can be an effective way to reduce or stop snoring.        

Try the following exercises to stop snoring. Start slow and gradually increase the number of sets you do.                       

1. Repeat each vowel (a-e-i-o-u) out loud for three minutes a few times a day.

2. Place the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth. Slide your tongue backwards for 3 minutes a day.

3. Close your mouth and purse your lips. Hold for 30 seconds.

4. With mouth open, move jaw to the right and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on left side.

5. With mouth open, contract the muscle at the back of your throat repeatedly for 30 seconds. Tip: Look in the mirror to see the uvula (“the hanging ball”) move up and down.

6. Make a fist. Attempt blowing air into your fist without letting the air out. If you get it right, you should feel strong contraction in your throat, chest and abdomen. Do this for 3mins and repeat several times daily. Do it as a ruotine exercise for weeks

Finally, Singing – Singing can increase muscle control in the throat and soft palate, reducing snoring caused by lax   muscles.                                                            AND

Playing the windpipe instruments:  Studies show that learning to play a windpipe instrument like trumpet, mouthorgan, a didgeridoo (native Australian wind instrument) and so on can strengthen the soft palate and throat, reducing snoring.

CONCLUSION:

If you’ve tried the self-help solutions to stop snoring without success, don’t give up hope. Medical cures and treatments could make all the difference. New advances in the treatment of snoring are being made all the time and the various devices available to stop snoring are becoming more and more effective and comfortable. We shall not discuss all these here. If symptoms persist, Pls consult your Doctor.