The snoring, or sleep apnea, can occur at night, while one is asleep, or during the day when it is more often noticed. It can also occur at restful times during the day.
Most cases of snoring are found in people who are either left or right-sided sleepers. The specific reason for snoring varies with each person. Even so, snoring is often blamed on poor posture, noisy roommates, high blood pressure, and noise that one cannot control.
For those who snore but do not suffer from the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the culprit is likely to be the condition known as “chronic back sleepers.” Oftentimes, this condition begins to manifest itself in middle age or at the age of 40, and it can be a problem in any age bracket. Still, for most people, chronic back snorers appear to have no real treatment options.
Some help for those suffering from snoring may be found in learning proper posture, such as sleeping on one’s side, which will reduce snoring. There are also products available to correct the problem, such as mouthpieces, devices to stop snoring, and nasal strips.
While there are a number of medications that can help patients with snoring cases, there are other remedies that include lifestyle changes. Some of this help keep the snorer in a position where they do not snore, such as wearing a mouthpiece that keeps the jaw from falling open, so that the tongue does not vibrate when the snorer is sleeping.
Weight loss is also a recommended remedy to snoring. Overweight individuals often put excess weight around the neck, causing the throat to block off the airway and suffocate.
Diet and exercise are important to help those who suffer from snoring. Those who sleep on their back and roll over frequently should reduce this habit since it causes vibration and tongue blockage. Also, for those who snore by opening their mouth wide, there are ways to prevent this as well.
For some, a diet can be the cause, since the snorer may be tossing and turning all night and are disturbed by the many-body movements. Many prefer to sleep on their backs because of the tendency to roll over on their side. When sleeping on the back, the throat is kept open and the tongue does not move around as much as when sleeping on one’s side.
Exercise is another effective remedy for snoring. As one age, one’s breathing is slower and the lack of oxygen in the bloodstream slows one’s rate of reaction time. This means that as one age, snoring can become more frequent.
If one is active and enjoys exercise, this can help with muscle tension in the neck and even the jaw, allowing for more oxygenated blood to circulate and help with muscle control. This is particularly useful for those who snore by opening their mouth wide.
If snoring is the result of a more serious health problem, including sleep apnea, medical intervention is necessary. For such cases, the best remedy is to use a pill, nasal spray, nasal strip, or some other treatment that brings about a minimal reduction in snoring but has the long-term goal of reducing snoring.
