Whereas we might make all the funny and not-so-funny jokes about snoring, it might be having a negative effect on someone’s self-esteem and even seriously affecting a relationship.

On the larger scale though, snoring is harmless on the person and the victims, with the noise being the only irritant from which we derive the unkind jokes.

A 2005 survey conducted by the Sleep Foundation found that that snoring is among the sleep problems that harm relationships. But what exactly causes snoring? Can it be treated? In the discussion that follows, we engage in this conversation to understand the subject much better.

Causes:

There are several factors that may cause snoring: Here are a few of them.

Being Overweight: Even if you aren’t classified as overweight, excess weight, especially around the neck muscles and throat, may cause snoring. The fatty tissues inhibit proper vibration of the inner wall tissues that line up the air pipe hence causing snoring.

Age: As people grow older, the muscles around the throat contract leading to a narrower throat. There’s isn’t much you can do about growing old but you can change your sleep routine and trying exercising the throat to help deal with snoring.

Alcohol, Smoking, and Medicine: Consumption of some products including alcohol and some medicinal elements may cause more muscle relaxation and cause aggravated snoring.

Other causes of snoring include your sleeping position and the general composition of your body structure including your mouth anatomy.

Treatment

A number of remedies are available to help reduce or stop snoring altogether. Below are some of them.

Clear Any Nasal Obstructions.

A nasal blockage causes discomfort during breathing even when you aren’t sleeping. If you go to bed with a clogged nasal strip, you increase your chances of snoring even harder. You can use nasal strips or room humidifiers to help you clear the air passages.

You can even take a hot shower just before sleep to help clear and open nasal passages. Using a bottle of saltwater rinse the nose while showering can help open up the passages.

Adjust Sleeping Position.

Sleeping on your back has been found to increase chances of snoring. This is because the tongue muscles relax and block the airway. You can try sleeping on your side and lying with your head raised a few inches perhaps using a pillow. You can also get Easy CPAP machines online.

Keep Your Weight In Check.

The number of health problems caused by weight issues is innumerable. The world over is dealing with this challenge. It might be the only way to help you stop snoring. Keep your weight in check and you might just be saved from this nuisance condition.

Exercise Your Throat.

That’s right. Even if you think that the throat isn’t an arm or a leg that can be moved, a number of exercises can be induced to help stop snoring; Here are a few.

  • Open your mouth wide enough and hold this position for about ten seconds.
  • Stick the tongue out, pulling it as far as you can and swirly it side to side as well as up and down while avoiding curling your tongue.
  • Curl the tip of your tongue and push it against the upper side of your mouth then slide it backwards towards the throat several times.

Practice Good Sleeping Habits.

For your information, there is something known as sleep hygiene. This is basically good sleeping practices including proper sleeping patterns, sleeping positions bedding and the general environment. Working for long hours is and depriving yourself off enough sleep may change your sleeping pattern. When you finally catch some sleep, it will be deep and probably hard. The muscles may relax abnormally leading to snoring.

Drinking Enough Fluids

Keeping your body well hydrated has a lot of positives. Experts observe that the secretions that come out of your nose when you are dehydrated get thick, hence blocking the air passage. Taking enough water and other helpful fluids hands you an added advantage in the fight against snoring.

Surgery For Severe Snoring

For the partner being deprived of sleep by the snorer, it’s not fun at all. If it is so severe, medical attention in form of surgery may help.

There are a number of procedures that can be done.

Pillar procedure involves inserting small medical implants that help to stiffen loose tissue on the soft palate.

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are procedures done to get rid of enlarged tonsils as well as adenoids.

Conclusion

Snoring doesn’t have to be the elephant in the bedroom. It can be dealt with through proven medical approaches and home remedies. The fact of the matter is that it can get so severe that a person’s self-esteem is affected. As deduced from the above discussion, the first step is to find out what causes snoring and then curve the right approach to reducing or stopping snoring altogether.