According to the University of Utah, around 40% of adult men and 24% of adult women are habitual snorers. That adds up to an astonishing 90 million snorers in the US alone. However, despite this prevalence, many of us still don’t have the first clue about what snoring is, why it happens, or what it means for our health.
Simply put, most snoring is caused by the vibration of tissues at the back of the throat. Sounds simple, right? Perhaps, but not all snorers experience the same symptoms, or snore due to the same cause.
Speaking to a doctor in person can undeniably be useful if the problem’s keeping you or anyone else in the house awake for nights on end. Until then, though, you might be interested to discover the following things your doctor probably wishes you knew about snoring in general.
There’s a lot of talk right now about sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous condition that involves interruptions in your breathing, often due to narrowing of the airways. This can lead to snoring, which is why many people now mistakenly use the terms synonymously. But, doctors are clear about one thing – sleep apnea is not the sole reason for snoring. It’s not even the most common issue.
As we mentioned in the introduction, ‘primary snoring’ happens due to the relaxation of muscles at the back of the throat. This is far less serious, though it can certainly still warrant investigation. A good indicator is how well you, as the snorer, sleep – if you often wake yourself snoring, then sleep apnea may be at play. Primary snoring shouldn’t actually have any impact on your sleep. Unless, of course, your partner keeps waking you to stop the noise!
Considering that snoring links to your throat muscles, you might assume there isn’t much you can do externally to change the problem. But, doctors state that simple changes in your sleep position can actually make a huge difference.
This is clearly evidenced by the improvements made possible with an anti-snoring pillow, which helps by raising your head, encouraging side sleeping, and supporting spinal alignment. All of which are positional changes that doctors would love for all snorers to try. Admittedly, these aren’t immediate fixes for all snorers, but many see an improvement thanks to generally clearer airways and an overall reduction in the risks of obstruction.
It figures that eating too many fatty foods leads to weight gain, but you might assume the activities you complete while awake won’t make much difference to whether you snore or not. Well, we’re here to tell you that’s simply not true.
Lifestyle choices like an unhealthy diet, drinking, or smoking can all impact the snoring stakes. As such, lifestyle changes like making healthier choices with your meals, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking could all serve to stop or reduce your snoring at long last!
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