DEALING WITH SNORING

Just because she’s pretty doesn't mean she doesn't snore and just because he’s big and has a pot belly doesn't mean he does either. Now according to science just about everyone snores occasionally, at varying magnitudes (FYI; i do not snore, like at all, the magnitude for me is completely zero!). But this article is not just for those that snore.Even if you don’t, you may know someone who does. So what causes it? Does it have serious or any effect at all? Can it be cured? How do you manage a roommate or partner that snores?

The first step to solving any problem is to accept it exists, some people just will never admit that they do snore. They’ll argue and give plenty excuses rationalizing the sounds they make while asleep. So how exactly does snoring occur? It happens when you can’t move air freely through your nose and mouth during sleep. Often caused by the narrowing of your airway, poor sleep posture or people that have too much throat and nasal tissue or “floppy” tissue that is more prone to vibrate. Age is also a contributing factor because as you grow older, your throat becomes narrower. Gender is also a contributing factor, since men have a narrower air passage they are more likely to snore, obese people (more likely to have floppy tissues), position of the tongue,alcoholism (increases muscle relaxation and thus encourages snoring), nasal problems like catarrh that tend to block air passage and finally to some extent it can be hereditary(trust me,I've seen this before, a whole family that snores; at night it’s like a group of frog choristers singing in harmony).

It goes without saying that snoring does have serious effects. Snoring can lead to poor sleep and daytime fatigue, irritability and increased health problems. But the biggest problem of all is the effect it has on people around, especially when it is in a relationship. So he/she snores, what do you do? My advice; kill the person in his sleep, lol just kidding just kidding. First, do not use any harsh words and don’t “stick it to him/her”. The best way to talk about it is with humor and firmness, say it playfully but be sure to send a message and don’t tease too much, you don’t want your good intentions to be misinterpreted. And what do you do or how do you handle complaints about your snoring. First, don’t take it too personally; do not see it as an attack. Don’t be unserious about it either and show a genuine interest in finding a solution.

There are plenty proven techniques to eliminate snoring but first, you have to know what causes your snoring because not all techniques work for everyone and every case. Also note how you snore as they also indicate different problems.

*closed mouth snoring may indicate a problem with your tongue.

*open moth snoring may be due to throat tissues.

*snoring while sleeping in a particular position may indicate that your sleeping position is the cause.

*snoring in all positions may indicate that your case is more severe and requires comprehensive treatment.

Some physical changes can help simple cases of snoring; Lose weight, exercise, quit smoking and alcohol, establish regular sleeping pattern, clear nasal passage, keep bedroom air moist. There are also medical cures and treatments too; an ENT(ear nose and throat), surgery such as thermal ablation platoplasty(TAP), there are also new developments such as laser assisted uvuloplatoplasty(LAUP). But seeking medical help especially surgery is only necessary when the above listed lifestyle changes prove abortive or if the diagnosed cause cannot be fixed by simple physiotherapy or lifestyle changes.