Sleep is a fundamental part of life. We all know we need it, although we still don’t know why exactly we do. What we do know is that a night of bad sleep or very little sleep can make us feel weary, grumpy and just generally down for the majority of the coming day. And that’s why there are so many articles written about how to get good quality sleep, because with quality sleep comes a strangely increased amount of focus and concentration, and we feel in complete control of our productivity. But there is another aspect of sleep that isn’t touched on quite as much…
Why Do We Snore?
Snoring is a natural occurrence, and it has happened to everyone at some point in their lives. But there’s snoring and there’s snoring, and when it’s a chronic issue it can be extremely disruptive to those within earshot of it – not least to the person lying in bed next to it.
Snoring occurs when we progress from a light sleep to a deep sleep. During this transition, the muscles in the roof of the mouth, tongue and throat relax. The tissues in your throat can relax enough that they partially block our airway and vibrate. These vibrations are the root of snoring, and the narrower our airway becomes the more forceful the airflow becomes as well. This increases tissue vibration, which causes snoring to grow louder.
What Causes Snoring?
There are several factors we know of as to what causes snoring, or at least heightens the chance of snoring given these circumstances. One of these is the anatomy of the individual’s mouth. Having a thick and low roof of the mouth can be features that naturally narrow your airway, increasing the possibility of snoring. Overweight people may have extra tissues in the back of their throats that may narrow their airways which also heightens the possibility of loud snoring.
Snoring is also known to have been brought on by consuming too much alcohol just before going to bed. Alcohol has the effect of relaxing the muscles in the throat and decreasing our natural defences against airway obstruction, which as mentioned increases the vibrations of the tissues in our throat that cause snoring.
Nasal problems are also a major cause of snoring. Chronic nasal congestion or a crooked partition between your nostrils (deviated nasal septum) may contribute to your snoring.
How often and how we sleep also has a major effect on whether we snore or not. Things like sleep deprivation (not getting enough sleep) can lead to further throat relaxation when we sleep. The position in which we’re sleeping can have an effect on this as well, with snoring typically being most frequent and loudest when sleeping on the back. This is because the effect of gravity on the throat actually narrows the airway thus causing increased vibrations.
How to Deal With Snoring
Whether it be you or your partner who is having troubles with snoring, the advice generally remains the same. We’ve listed above the major causes of snoring, and limiting or acting on these causes can have dramatic effects on the loudness and disruptiveness of the person snoring. There are many available solutions to deal with snoring, such as:
Changing your sleeping habits has been an effective way to handle snoring. Try changing your sleeping position to sleep on your side instead of your back. Also using specifically designed pillows available to help prevent snoring can be advised.
Anti-snoring mouth appliances help open your airway by bringing your lower jaw and/or your tongue forward during sleep. Though not for everyone, trying one of these can certainly help with a chronic case of snoring.
By clearing your nasal passages you stand a good chance of quieting snoring. If you have a stuffy nose, rinse sinuses with saline before bed. Using a neti pot, nasal decongestant, or nasal strips can also help you breathe more easily while sleeping. Also by using a humidifier you can deal with dry air that could lead to swollen nasal tissues.
Certain changes to your lifestyle can help you stop snoring, such as losing even a little bit of weight. This can reduce fatty tissue in the back of the throat and decrease, or even stop, snoring altogether.
If you smoke, the chances of snoring are high. Smoking irritates membranes in the nose and throat which can block the airways and cause snoring. If you want a quick, yet difficult, snoring fix, then quit smoking
Alcohol, sleeping pills and sedatives relax muscles in the throat and interfere with breathing. By avoiding these you should stand a greater chance of no snoring. Also some prescription medications can encourage a deeper level of sleep which can make snoring worse.
General exercise has been known to reduce snoring. But why? By toning various muscles in your body, like your arms, legs, and abs, you’re also toning the muscles in your throat, which in turn can lead to less snoring. There are also specific exercises you can do to strengthen the muscles in your throat.
How Flexispot Can Help
Chronic back pain is difficult to deal with, and may lead to it becoming more difficult to sleep. By using an adjustable bed, like our Adjustable Bed Base EB01, you stand a greater chance at a good night’s sleep, and one with decreased snoring.
If you want to learn more about our products and how they can help you improve your life, please speak to us and we’d be happy to help.
