March 14 is the World Sleep Day
As goes the famous saying by British novelist and comic writer Anthony Burgess 'Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.'
Snoring is one problem people have always made fun of. And that's a fact because more than the person who suffers from the problem, the people who sleep with them are the real sufferers. Jokes apart, snoring can be a serious problem and could also indicate a potentially life-threatening condition like OSA (obstructive sleep apnea).
On this World Sleep Day, so let's put an end to your snoring problem. But, to know what can make you stop snoring first you need to understand what snoring is, what causes it and how it could actually be life threatening.
What is snoring? What causes it?
Snoring is a condition that occurs when the flow of air is obstructed while you're sleeping. Basically, the back of your mouth and nose is covered with soft tissues. The soft palate at the back of your throat is the main culprit for your snore. It is present where you can see the uvula, fleshy mass hanging from the roof of your mouth, like a punching bag. With every incoming breath, the palate vibrates thereby obstructing the airflow, causing snoring.
Why only some people snore and others don't?
Not everyone is blessed with enough space in their nose and throats to have a soundless sleep. There are a lot of people who snore because they have narrow airways (permanently or temporarily):
When can snoring be life-threatening?
Regular snorers are at a risk of serious problems like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A person suffering from sleep apnea may have to face partial or complete blockage of airways. Air flow can be blocked for period of 10 seconds or more. Because the breathing is stopped, the oxygen levels in your blood drops. Low levels of oxygen can affect all systems in your body and actually kill you. Prolonged OSA is also linked to hypertension and heart disease like heart attack and stroke.
Also, if you have most of the signs of OSA like drowsiness during the daytime, low oxygen levels etc, then you may also suffer from upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS). This condition is similar to OSA but people having this condition have a tendency to breathe heavily to overcome the resistance of obstructed airways
Here are some tips to prevent snoring:
Is there any permanent treatment for snoring?
There are both surgical and non-surgical treatments available for treatment of snoring. Mostly, the procedures used for the treatment of snoring focus on minimizing flapping or movement of the soft palate.
Surgical treatment options include:
Other than these people who have nasal polyps can improve breathing getting them surgically removed. People having a narrow nasal passage can get a nasal surgery done to widen it.
Non-surgical treatment options include:
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea.
References:
Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea edited by David N. F. Fairbanks, Samuel A. Mickelson, B. Tucker Woodson
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