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Snoring - what causes it and how to alleviate it?

25 stycznia 2023
Snoring, snoring treatment, nasal obstruction, tonsil hypertrophy, deviated septum, how to stop snoring
Snoring is the common name for the ailment that makes noises during sleep. The very phenomenon of snoring results directly from the narrowing or blockage of the airways. Depending on the cause of snoring, it can be chronic or temporary.

Most often, snoring is a symptom that results from obstructed airflow through the upper respiratory tract. As statistics show, snoring affects about 9% of Polish women and as much as about 24% of Polish men. Although it can be a symptom of dangerous diseases, most Poles ignore it.

Snoring – causes

Snoring can be both physiological and anatomical. In the case of anatomical snoring, it is caused by an abnormal structure of the airways or surrounding structures. On the other hand, there are many physiological causes of snoring, and they often result from lifestyle.

Physiologically based snoring may be caused by too much mucus in the upper respiratory tract, as well as a reduction in the tone of the muscles that are responsible for it. Dropping of the soft palate and tongue also contributes to the narrowing of the airways, which is the cause of snoring.

The causes of snoring also include hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates, hypertrophy of the tongue or polyps of the sinuses or nose. Snoring can also be caused by chronic sinusitis or pharyngitis, rhinitis, tonsil hypertrophy, and even obesity or improper diet and sleep hygiene.

In addition, snoring is also one of the symptoms of sleep apnea, which leads to hypoxia of the body and many difficulties in everyday life. It is associated with a complete blockage of respiratory action, which lasts up to a dozen or so seconds and is repeated many times every night. So when we suspect that snoring is due to sleep apnea, we should consult a doctor immediately.
  • 1 vibration of the soft palate
  • 2 tongue collapse
  • 3 flaccid epiglottis obstructing airflow
  • 4 enlarged third tonsil

Snoring – the first method

The formation, but also the intensification of snoring, is served by a diet rich in dairy products and fatty foods, which increase the secretion of mucus and digestive juices in the stomach. At the same time, excessive filling of the stomach with food causes its enlargement, which often makes it difficult to breathe at night due to its pressure on the respiratory muscles.

Dairy, and therefore all dairy products, additionally increases the secretion of mucus in the upper respiratory tract, i.e. in the nose and throat. This mucus, also called phlegm, mechanically disturbs the flow of air through the upper respiratory tract, sometimes entering the lower respiratory tract. This directly causes snoring.

In addition, snoring is promoted by drinking alcohol before bedtime. It relaxes the muscles of the throat, which causes them to move when breathing. The result of these vibrations is snoring. Some sleeping pills, as well as nicotine, have a similar effect. Therefore, when fighting snoring, we should stop using stimulants.

So the first way to stop snoring is to balance and change your diet. Not only in terms of meals eaten right before bedtime, but also during the day. An incorrectly balanced diet with low physical activity can lead to obesity, which also intensifies snoring and even leads to sleep apnea.

Snoring in obese people results from excess fat deposits in their necks and chests. It is also often associated with weakness of the throat muscles. As a result, the airways are not fully patent and cannot work in a dynamic, physiological way.

Snoring – the second method

The second way to snoring is to exercise to strengthen the muscles surrounding the airways. This will make them more flexible and stronger. Snoring exercises include primarily tongue, jaw and neck training. These structures are responsible for snoring to the greatest extent.

Snoring exercises can take many forms. Although in more severe cases it is recommended to carry them out under the supervision of a physiotherapist, for most of us it is not necessary. So it is worth stretching and bending the tongue, bending and turning the neck, as well as chewing gum or singing. Thanks to this, the structures of the airways will be more dynamic and thus our susceptibility to snoring will decrease.

Snoring – the third method

Also the third way to snoring is inseparably related to sleep hygiene. It consists in the use of natural essential oils, which perfectly affect the patency of the respiratory tract and reduce their possible swelling. This method helps in particular those people who snore due to recurrent infections and infections.

The use of aromatherapy for snoring is popular and proven. However, it is effective only when we take care of the appropriate quality of essential oils and use them correctly. They work very well in aroma diffusers, but they can also be used in other ways.

One effective way to use essential oils against snoring is to mix them with water and spray them on your bedding or bed, as well as adding them to your bath before going to bed. There are also more and more preparations applied directly to the body in the form of liquids, gels, creams or patches.

Essential oils from Siberian Pichta, spruce, pine, mint or eucalyptus are recommended for snoring. Also noteworthy are oils with pure menthol. However, it is important that they are of natural origin and have a large amount of aroma.

Snoring – the fourth method

A common way to stop snoring is to change your sleeping position. It is not easy, because it requires modifying habits, but for many people it brings the expected result. However, it is important that the change of sleeping position does not result in incorrect positioning of the body on the mattress. Therefore, snorers are recommended to sleep on highly elastic mattresses with an appropriate structure based on layers.

Back sleepers are most likely to snore. It causes the throat muscles to relax and the tongue to fall backwards. Very often it is also associated with the opening of the mouth. As a result, the airways are narrowed and sometimes partially blocked. Therefore, people suffering from snoring are advised to sleep on their side. This is because it allows you to maintain the anatomical position of the body and avoid narrowing of the nasopharynx.

Snoring – the fifth method

The most important, fifth way of snoring is to ensure that you have the right orthopedic pillow. Both too low a pillow and too high a pillow will cause the airway to bend excessively to one side. This, in turn, will translate into narrowing them and lead to snoring.

To allow yourself to breathe freely, you should choose orthopedic pillows with completely anatomical shapes. These ensure that the head and neck are supported in the correct, physiological position. The end result will be not only the reduction of snoring. It will also have a positive effect on the prevention of abolished cervical lordosis or, if someone is already facing this disease, it will support the treatment and rehabilitation process.

However, these should not be pillows made of thermoelastic foam, because they will collapse during sleep and cause an increase in snoring. Therefore, it is best to focus on pillows made of open-cell, highly elastic HR foam, which will provide optimal support throughout the night.

It should also be borne in mind that most of the pillows available on the market do not have anatomical shapes. The most common orthopedic pillows on the market in the traditional shape of a wave or soap are not profiled for the natural curvature of the spine and do not allow you to maintain the natural position of the shoulders. As a result, they often turn out to be harmful.
Snoring pillow, orthopedic pillows, sinusitis, nasal septum, rhinitis, how not to snore
Snoring is not a disease, but it can be a symptom of serious ailments.

Snoring – treatment

The treatment of snoring depends on what causes it. Snoring itself is a symptom of other disease entities. So if, for example, obesity is responsible for snoring, then treating it should end the snoring. In treatment, it is important to correctly diagnose the cause of snoring.

However, it is worth focusing on maximum support for snoring treatment. This is facilitated by the optimization of sleep hygiene, which consists of daily rituals, diet and bed equipment. The key to maintaining proper sleep hygiene is the use of mattresses and pillows that support the body throughout the night in a physiological position.

ONSEN® offers the Osaka Air mattress, which is the best mattress available on the market. It meets the needs of even the most demanding consumers, meeting all 10 basic functionalities of the mattress, and also having the status of a first-class medical device. Its use has a positive effect on the fight against snoring, which is due to the structure that guarantees body support and support for the spine in an anatomical position.

For proper support of the head, cervical spine and shoulders during sleep, ONSEN® has created a line of the best orthopedic pillows. Thanks to the construction based on human physiology, they allow you to widen the airways, which prevents snoring. Belong to them:
We also encourage you to explore other articles on the best sleep and health blog, as well as the Encyclopedia of Healthy Sleep prepared by the ONSEN® team of specialists. For those who care about spine health, we recommend a set of spine exercises prepared by our physiotherapist.

FAQ: Snoring

What are the causes of snoring?

The causes of snoring can be divided into anatomical and physiological. In the case of anatomical snoring, it results from abnormalities in the structure of the airways, such as hypertrophy of the tonsils, hypertrophy of the tongue, hypertrophy of the turbinates or polyps. Physiologically based snoring results from functional disorders, i.e. infections and infections of the respiratory tract. The cause of snoring is also obesity, sleep apnea and not maintaining proper sleep hygiene.

How to cure snoring?

Snoring is a symptom of other diseases, not a disease in itself. Therefore, in order to cure snoring, it is necessary to treat the cause that causes it. Of course, the treatment of snoring should also be properly supported, which is achieved by changing eating habits and maintaining proper sleep hygiene.

What to do not to snore?

To avoid snoring, you should first of all take care of sleep hygiene. This includes not only having the right mattress and orthopedic pillow, but also maintaining the right sleeping position or following a proper diet a few hours before falling asleep. In addition, aromatherapy and exercises to strengthen the muscles of the respiratory tract also help with snoring.

Is snoring dangerous to health?

Yes. Although snoring is often treated as harmless, its occurrence is not without consequences for the functioning of the human body. It negatively affects the quality of sleep, and consequently worsens everyday functioning. It is also problematic in social relationships, as it remains a frequent cause of quarrels and even breakups. The most dangerous to health, however, is snoring resulting from sleep apnea, which requires medical intervention.

Why does sleeping on your back make snoring worse?

Sleeping on your back increases snoring because this position causes the throat muscles to relax and the tongue to drop backwards. Thus, sleeping on your back results in narrowing of the airways, which translates into making sounds when breathing. When treating snoring, it is recommended to sleep on your side, because this position allows you to maintain the physiological position of the body.

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