It happens when air can’t move freely through your upper airway.
Snoring can be harmless and have little impact on your quality of sleep.
You may not even know you snore until someone else complains that the telltale noise is disturbing their sleep.
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Chronic snoring should be assessed by a healthcare provider.
This article explains the common symptoms of snoring.
It also covers common causes, how they’re treated, and when you should seek medical advice.
The symptoms you experience from snoring reflect your body’s responses to the reduced amount of airflow.
Common symptoms of snoring include:
How Do I Know If I Snore?
You may not even know you snore if your snoring doesn’t bother your sleep pattern.
If you live alone, set up a recording machine to record the sounds you make while you sleep.
Causes of Snoring
Snoring can occur as anacute or chronicproblem.
Acute snoring occurs from temporary factors like a cold or seasonal allergies.
It can also happen when your throat muscles loosen and relax after drinking alcohol.
Chronic snoring occurs nightly and is sparked by factors that interfere with normal breathing while you sleep.
The relaxed soft tissue of your tongue, tonsils, anduvulablocks the airway and prevents normal breathing.
If the tissue blocks your airway, your body is robbed of oxygen.
You react by choking or snoring loudly as you struggle to resume breathing.
This positioning blocks precise airflow and results in the telltale sounds linked to snoring.
Alcohol Use
Drinkingalcohol, especially before bed, can increase your risk of snoring.
Researchers report that alcohol contributes to the additional relaxation of muscle tone that occurs during sleep.
The effect the increased obstruction in the airway, resulting in snoring and sleep apnea.
Drugs in these classes may cause the tissue in your mouth and neck to relax more than usual.
When you sleep, the tissue can create a blockage, setting you up to snore.
This also increases your risk of developing the complications associated with inadequate sleep noted above.
Are There Tests to Diagnose the Cause of Snoring?
Summary
Snoring is a loud, constant sound that occurs as you breathe in and out.
It happens when your airways are narrowed or blocked by swelling or a physical problem.
While snoring alone may not be a health risk, it can prevent quality sleep.
When you don’t get enough sleep, you could’t think clearly and make intelligent choices.
You also increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health issues.
you might protect your health with treatment for OSA.
Treatment for snoring requires handling the factors causing the problem.
Simple cures involve changing to a side-sleeping position or losing weight.
Surgery may also be needed to fix a physical problem.
Snoring can also interfere with their need to get quality sleep and affect their health.
If you snore or have symptoms of snoring, contact your healthcare provider to check whether you need treatment.
It may take a few tries to find the right solution, but solving the problem is worthwhile.
Removing or reducing snoring can improve your sleep quality and make you feel more rested when you’re awake.
It can also reduce your risks of serious problems linked to poor sleep and OSA.
A healthcare provider should diagnose snoring that interferes with your sleep or makes you stop breathing while you sleep.
This can block your airway.
Sleeping on your side reduces your risk of snoring.
While snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, not all snoring people have this condition.
In addition to snoring, obstructive sleep apnea makes you stop breathing for short periods through the night.
During these times, your body jolts you awake to resume breathing.
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