Mind Your Self : NI Top 5's : Top 5 embarrassing problems
 Snoring
About 4 in 10 men snore - although most of us would deny it! Snoring is seen as an embarrassing but harmless condition. But this isn't the full story…
What is snoring?
The noise of snoring is caused by parts of the nose and throat (in particular, the soft palate) vibrating as you breathe in and out. At night, the muscles that help keep your airways open relax and become floppy. This causes the airways to narrow and vibrate more, making snoring more likely.
 Snoring can make you unpopular.
What makes snoring worse?
- Alcohol or sleeping tablets - because these relax your muscles even further.
- Being overweight - because this puts pressure on the airways.
- Colds, allergies, nasal polyps, a damaged or crooked nose - these can block the nose, causing you to breathe through your mouth.
- Smoking - smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to snore because their airways get inflamed and blocked.
- Sleeping on your back.
What does snoring do to me?
Snoring makes it more likely for you to get prodded, kicked or punched by your partner! Threats of divorce and complaints from the neighbours are all common side-effects of snoring…and 23% of people say they've slept on a balcony while on holiday because of their partner's snoring!
Am I snoring or is there something else wrong?
You may be suffering with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). In this condition, the relaxed throat muscles block the airway briefly hundreds of times each night stopping you breathing and depriving your body of oxygen. This can lead to short-term and long-term health problems for you.
Short-term problems include:
- tiredness during the day
- irritability and restlessness
- increased risk of accidents e.g. when driving
Long-term problems include:
- high blood pressure
- heart attacks
- strokes
What can I do to treat OSA?
Treatment involves wearing a dental splint and using a continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) machine while you sleep to keep the airways properly ventilated.
How can I stop snoring?
You may not be able to completely stop snoring, but here are some effective treatments:
- don't drink alcohol late at night
- maintain your ideal weight
- raise the head of the bed
- sleep on your side
- keep your nasal passages clear by using a humidifier, inhaling steam or rubbing a few drops of eucalyptus or olbas oil on your pillowcase
- antihistamine tablets and/or anti-inflammatory nasal sprays (check with your doctor or pharmacist before use)
Other things to try:
Other things you can try include nasal strips (used by footballer Robbie Fowler), devices that re-position the jaw, homeopathic nasal drops and sprays. But there is no scientific evidence to prove these work.
What about surgery?
As a last resort, surgery can be used to remove nasal polyps, straighten crooked noses and cut out floppy soft palate tissue to stop it vibrating. Laser surgery stiffens the palate to reduce vibration. Somnoplasty uses radio frequency energy to shrink the floppy soft palate tissue rather than cutting it out. |
