Snoring is caused by vibrations of the relaxed throat tissues and is often the precursor or companion of sleep apnea. Although effective medical treatment for sleep apnea exists, the public does not recognize the dangers. New research suggests there is a strong link between loud snoring and both heart disease and strokes. They concluded that heavy snorers were significantly more likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to the rest of the population. Compared to the rest of the population, loud snorers had a 34% increased risk of having a heart attack, and a 67% greater chance of suffering a stroke.

Causes of snoring:
If your airway becomes small enough, your soft palate and uvula begin to vibrate when you inhale and exhale. These vibrations are the cause of the sound most people call snoring. This is very much like a reed musical instrument. Obesity, increased fat on the back of the neck, drinking alcohol, family history, obstruction in nose and lazy palate all lead to snoring.

Social effects:
Researchers have also found that snoring strains interpersonal relationships as household and bed partners lose sleep. Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation in both snorers and people around them. Snorers also complain about the social embarrassment that occurs when they are on business trips or on holidays. It also causes daytime drowsiness, irritability, poor concentration and decreased sex drive. Snoring may seem a minor problem, but various scientists have found that marital relationships improved significantly, after snoring was surgically treated.

Snoring prevention:
Snoring also usually gets worse with advancing age. Snoring is very prevalent, and although people joke about it, it can cause serious problems. Here are suggested some lifestyle changes and natural snoring remedies.

• Change your sleeping position.
At first, snoring occurs when you are lying on your back and the tongue falls back, increasing airway obstruction. If you are a snorer like this, sleeping on your side will usually help you stop snoring. You can also try raising the head of your bed four inches, by placing blocks or a wedge under the head of the mattress. Snoring can occur when you are sleeping on your side or with your head raised. Eventually, snoring can go on all night and in all positions. This means it is time to observe your lifestyle.

• Lose your body weight.
Overweight people often have bulky neck tissue. If you are overweight, losing a modest amount of weight - even 10% of your body weight, can help you stop snoring.

• Avoid alcohol and sedatives.
Anything that causes sedation, such as sleeping pills or alcohol, can also cause snoring because they suppress your urge to breathe. If you snore because you have a couple of drinks or a sedative at night, either cut back or stop it altogether.

• Inhale steam before bed.
Nasal congestion can often cause snoring. You can try to reduce night-time congestion by deeply breathing steam through your nose before bedtime. Steam vaporizers are very effective at doing this.

There are several viable treatment options. A variety of oral appliances are available to control snoring and act as “volume control.” Medication, behavioral therapy, surgery and anti-aging medication are a few of your options. If you snore, See a sleep apnea doctor as soon as possible and avoid the potential health risks associated with snoring.

So, snoring is not a minor problem especially if you snore a lot. The effects from snoring can be devastating in terms of health and relationship. Snoring doesn’t mean that you will suffer from a heart disease, but it does mean that you are at a higher risk than non-snorers. Stay snore free and Stay healthy.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 19th, 2008 at 1:36 pm and is filed under Health Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.