Sleep Disorders - Snoring

Medically, snoring is defined as a noise caused by vibration from the airways of the respiratory tract that only occurs during sleep.

The big question here is, why, of all states, do we only experience snoring during restful moments? Well because snoring only occurs when the muscles of the throat and those associated with respirations are in a relaxed state. During sleep, all our voluntary muscles are relaxed. The throat, in the same way as the triceps are relaxed is also resting while we sleep. The fact that tissues in the throat are soft, adds to the eventual output of vibrating sounds.

Once these tissue eases out due to relaxation, the passage of air will become even more narrow. As you can imagine, narrowed passages causes louder noise because there is more room for friction, thus the vibration.

These same factors are also pointed to as the reasons why there are differences in the loudness, pitch and tone of snores.

The loudness of the snore is affected by the force of the wind that comes through the air passages. Therefore, when the speed of wind is faster, the snore, in general, is louder and more resonant. This answers why babies are capable of snoring too. However, theirs is not typically considered as snoring but only as mild noises created by the respiratory tract. This must never be ignored though since it may be the early sign that something is jammed in your child's respiration tunnel. Children are always putting things in their mouths and if they were to go to bed soon after, you might not be aware and then the milk snoring may occur, if undetected could lead to tragedy.

Older kids really should not snore. Oh sure, the occasional cold or allergy will cause congestion, and that may make for a stuffy nose which can lead to snoring -- but in general, snoring in kids is not a good thing, and it shouldn't be dismissed.

Why? Because research is now discovering that children who snore can have a serious sleep disorder - sleep apnea. Recent research has shown that kids with undiagnosed apnea are at a higher risk for both behavior and learning problems

Of course there is the very real problem of insomnia related to snoring. Jokingly we say the partner is the one that suffers insomnia due to the loudness of the partners snoring. But seriously the person doing the snoring is not resting. And in many cases not sleeping, due to the unconscious need to make sure you take that next breath.

If you have airway obstruction secondary to the different causes of snoring, you actually stop breathing, which is called apnea, meaning without respiration. Sleep Apnea as you might imagine, is extremely dangerous. Not only are you in danger, but you are not resting, and certainly not sleeping.

Many people with apnea or sleep apnea have to use cpap machines at night while they rest which forces oxygenated air through their narrowed respiratory passages. These are the people that frequently will opt for the surgical intervention as a treatment for their problem. Interestingly enough, people using cpap machines do not snore while on the machines. However the machine is often loud or whining causing unrest for the partner of a different nature.

Snoring can occur in both genders at any age, however, men are more often affected by this condition than women and middle-aged men are most likely to be the victims.

This is due to the fact that men have more flesh in their necks since theirs are a bit wider and more muscular than women's. This factor combined with the speed of air results in snoring.

Women have the advantage of producing progesterone hormones. This is known to inhibit snoring, thus they are less susceptible to that irritating noise. Because this actual hormone helps in relieving a person from this nighttime dilemma, some anti-snoring devices are known to use progesterone as their basic ingredient.

Lifestyle and health factors are also thought of as culprits of snoring. These include:

- Allergies that cause clogs in the air paths

- Drying of the nasal cavities due to several elements including allergy medications.

- Cold and flu, this explains why some people only experience snoring when they are sick.

- Excessive intake of alcohol.

-Thickening of the tissues along the nasal passage. Often, surgeries done on conditions not directly related to snoring can also contribute to the frequency and intensity of the snores.

- Abnormally large belly or guts.

- Irritation of the air passages due to overuse of nasal sprays.

- Abnormal enlargement of the tonsils or the adenoids.

- Smoking which causes inflammation in the air passages.

-Swelling of the thyroid gland or goiter.

- Blockage of the airflow due to large tongue.

- Medications that initiate relaxation

- Obesity

- Inefficient neural control on the nasal membranes.

Breathing exercise - Snoring happens when there is a blockage happening in the breathing passage, particularly at the throat area. And this blockage might be because of a tensed throat, wrongly positioned jaw, or stuffed nose. Take several deep breaths in order to relax the throat and make breathing normal again.

Decongestants - There are instances wherein the cause of snoring is nasal congestion. Here, the person tends to breathe through his mouth which may trigger snoring. Taking decongestants will free any blockage and relieve the person from snoring.

Anti-allergy medications - There are some allergies that result in the enlargement of adenoids. Once the allergy is cured, the snoring usually stops.

Exercise and proper diet - If the person is obese, he probably snores. This is because there is fat concentration on the airways that limits the air to go in and out freely. Also, the obesity of the abdomen pushes up on the diaphragm and restricts the natural movement and performance. Thus, snoring occurs. In fact, around 40% of the obese population snores. Taking regular exercise and proper diet can reduce the size of the abdomen, thus stopping the restriction of the diaphragm resulting in the cessation of snoring, not to mention other health risks associated with obesity.

Change of bed position - There are occasions wherein snoring is the result of wrong sleeping position. Sometimes, sleeping with too many pillows can stretch and narrow the air passage. Use one pillow to avoid it. Also, lying on the back can cause snoring. So, a change in sleeping position can be of benefit.

Change of lifestyle - Smoking and alcohol can contribute to the onset of snoring. Snoring may be a result of other medical conditions caused by smoking or excessive drinking. So, to maintain a good and healthy life, the person should stop or reduce smoking and alcohol intake, which in turn can cure snoring.

Review medications - Antihistamines, sleeping pills, and other types of medications used for relaxation, anxiety or depression can worsen snoring.

Saltwater nasal drops - Nasal congestion caused by mucus can disrupt sleep and can cause snoring. To prevent this, saltwater nasal drops can be used to flush out the mucus. There are over the counter saltwater nasal drops available in drugstores. However, you can also make it on your own. Dissolve ¼ teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water. Let the water cool down to body temperature and place it in a nose dropper. The salt causes the nasal passages to expand allowing for better air passage.

However, if snoring is caused by other serious condition such as sleep apnea and enlargement of adenoids and/or tonsils, some surgical procedures like Laser Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (LAUP) and radio frequency tissue ablation (RFTA) or Somnoplasty can be applied. It is important therefore to know the exact cause of snoring before taking any action.

I have cared for many patients that have had to opt for the surgical intervention and although the recovery is a bit difficult, the cure does seem to be complete.

So If you have the problem of snoring, know the cause and then hopefully you will find a solution that is less drastic than surgery, but if necessary at least a solution.