Sunday 26 July 2009

Snoring - Its Causes and Cures

Snoring is no laughing matter when it comes to loss of sleep, the health risks involved and the effects it can have on one's partner. Understanding the causes for snoring and learning how to stop it are important for improving a couple's overall quality of life. There are many cures on the market but not all of them live up to their promises. Knowing the causes of snoring can help to weed out those cures that are not tailored to suit a particular situation and stick to remedies that address the real problems and offer real solutions.

Although the causes of snoring are many and varied, the common root of the problem is the obstruction of airways during sleep. There are a few main reasons that a person's airway can be obstructed.

Muscles - When the muscles in the throat relax too much while sleeping, the airway is obstructed and snoring results. There are many reasons that a person's throat muscles or palate might be over-relaxed and these can range from ageing, sleeping on one's back or simply being out of shape.

Sinuses - when a sufferer is experiencing seasonal allergies, the sinuses may be blocked by mucus or swollen in response to irritants.

Irregularities - Some individuals are born with a deviated septum or with enlarged tonsils or adenoids. This can affect the breathing passages and make it more difficult for enough air to pass through and fill the lungs, resulting in snoring.

Alcohol - Drinking alcohol can relax the tongue and throat muscles, causing snoring.

There are many other causes for snoring, but these mentioned above are just a few of the most basic and widespread causes for snoring in most individuals.

With the knowledge of the most basic causes of snoring, one can narrow down the possible source of most problems and find remedies to suit.

Matching each basic cause with the most relevant possible remedies could produce the following solutions.

Muscles - Some of the most basic snoring remedies can be very helpful for those whose primary problem is with "loose" neck muscles. Correcting your problem might be as simple as sleeping on your side rather than your back, so the muscles in your neck do not collapse on one another while you sleep. Another solution is to sleep with your neck cocked up a few inches higher than usual (by way of an extra pillow or an adjustable bed). Another simple way to stop snoring of this nature is to take on a regular workout routine in order to get your muscles back into proper shape and tension levels.

Sinuses - If one suffers from seasonal snoring issues due to allergies, the problem might be solved simply by taking a nasal decongestant before going to bed. In addition, there are special strips that can be worn on the bridge of the nose to open up nasal passages while sleeping, when you feel particularly stuffed up.

Irregularities - Some people with snoring issues that are caused by bodily irregularities seek out faith healers or resort to surgery to have their problems corrected. Others use breathing machines that force the appropriate amount of air through the breathing passages.

Alcohol - This one is simple; if the sufferer is snoring as a result of imbibing too much alcohol, refraining from drinking alcoholic beverages before bed should solve that problem.

In conclusion, snoring is a problem that affects not only the snorer but also the partner sleeping in the same bed. In order to stop snoring, one first needs to identify the probable cause of the snoring issues. Then find out how to stop it by selecting the most relevant snoring cures for that specific case. Snoring remedies are available in abundance, so start with the most simple solution first and then work through, if need be, to the more complicated (and expensive) cures.