Should I worry about my own snoring? | sleep

IIt affects your sleep quality, it annoys your partner, and almost certainly affects your health, but you already know that you shouldn’t browse Twitter before going to bed. how about snoring? It’s tempting to dismiss it as a problem out of your control or a funny habit, but does that mean anything to your health? And can it stop?

Although snoring can present certain health problems, it does not mean that snoring is always a cause for concern. Basically, this indicates that your airway is not working properly in the short or long term, as the blood vessels in your nose become clogged when you lie down.

We all snore occasionally. A cold can further block your nasal passages, and drinking too many fluids before bed relaxes the muscles of your tongue and throat, both of which can lead to a louder-than-usual sleep. Smoking is also a common cause of snoring because it causes inflammation in the tissues of the upper airway. But what if you snore all the time?

Dr. Shereen Lim, a dental expert specializing in airway health and author of Breathe, says: sleepy, Thrive said: “Simply put, snoring can fragment sleep and completely rob it of its restorative benefits. It’s the most common symptom of a widely undiagnosed condition.”

OSA is a temporary collapse of the airway due to weak, heavy, and lax soft tissue that lasts more than 10 seconds at a time. This means that the body temporarily stops breathing, which is not ideal. “OSA is associated with sleep disturbances, chronic stress, and inflammation,” says Lim. “But it’s also associated with increased risk of virtually every chronic health condition, from high blood pressure, heart disease and depression to metabolic disorders, memory loss, cancer and more.”

When it comes to audible alarms, loud snoring may indicate greater resistance to airflow, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you much about how much your sleep will be disturbed. Of even greater concern are signs and symptoms such as choking or gasping during sleep, waking up unexpectedly, or feeling unrefreshed for the rest of the day.

So what can be done about it? The simplest answer is to stop snoring before it starts. “Modern medicine focuses on diagnosing and treating OSA, the most serious form of sleep disordered breathing, but it does not focus on prevention or health promotion, but on coronary artery disease. It’s like a cure,” Lim said. “Snoring is a symptom of a decline in the structure and function of the airways. This symptom appears during sleep because our muscles relax more and lie down, a reflex that normally keeps the airways open during the day.” is inactive during sleep.” It is a condition that tends to worsen with age “due to factors such as hormonal changes, weight gain and decreased muscle tone.”

If you already snore occasionally, sleeping on your side instead of your back may help. It might sound like Dad science to tape a tennis ball to the back of your sleepwear, but pillows and bed wedges might feel a little more regal, but the NHS has it all. is supporting Some people find nasal sprays and drops helpful, but the evidence for their effectiveness is mixed.

If the problem persists or worsens, myofunctional therapy (exercises that strengthen the muscles around the face, mouth, and tongue) may help in mild cases and be used alongside treatment in more severe cases. can do. “Playing the didgeridoo has been shown to reduce snoring as well as obstructive sleep apnea and its symptoms,” says Lim.

In moderate and severe cases, a dental appliance may be required to hold the mandible in a position that makes it difficult to snore. For more serious problems, surgery targets individual risk factors and offers a range of options to help restore airway structure and function, but its long-term efficacy is controversial. I have.

You may have seen mentions on social media about the benefits of taping your mouth shut, but most doctors don’t believe it’s worth it, especially if you already have sleep apnea. I agree that it is dangerous. small study It suggests that the squint simply switches to “puffing out the mouth”, which doesn’t work anyway.

The best solution is probably prevention. Maintaining a healthy weight and keeping your core muscles in shape can help as well as eating well and drinking less alcohol.

Quitting Twitter while you’re asleep probably won’t make a difference, but you should do it anyway.