10 Things Everyone Should Know About Snoring
FEB 2, 2015
This is why you do it — and why you should stop.
A long day spent at work or home with the kids can leave you desperately longing for a good night’s rest. For chronic snorers and their bedfellows, though, falling and staying asleep isn’t so simple. In fact, what could seem like a harmless annoyance can have surprising consequences that extend beyond bedtime.
1. It can complicate a couple’s relationship.
That recent argument with your spouse could be a result of sleep deprivation from his or your snoring. A poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that more than one-third of respondents felt their partner’s sleep disorder caused relationship problems. “Severe snoring markedly disturbs the partner’s sleep, causing irritability, anger, and depression,” says Ann Romaker, MD, Medical Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Saint Luke’s Health System. The first step to better sleep? Talk to the guy keeping you awake at night. Calmly express concern not just for your wellbeing but also his. And if you’re the culprit, don’t write off your loved one’s worries.
2. It may signal other health problems.
Do you or does your hubby make loud gasping sounds while you sleep? It could be sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly at night, which is connected to heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, especially when undiagnosed, says Dr. Romaker. Even without sleep apnea, a snorer could have an elevated stroke risk, according to new research from Henry Ford Hospital. “It’s possible the vibration of tissues is causing stress on the blood vessel wall and neck, narrowing the carotid arteries,” which are on each side of your neck, she explains. When those get clogged, blood flow to the brain can get disrupted. If you snore and experience daytime sleepiness and memory problems, see a doctor.
3. Being overweight has been tied to increased snoring.
“As you gain weight, the muscles inside your neck get thicker, narrowing the airway,” says B. Gail Demko, DMD, President of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. As the airway closes, the tissues become more likely to vibrate against one another, causing that dreaded sound. The good news: Shedding 10% of your body weight could drastically improve the situation, says Dr. Demko. Even losing just 10 pounds could help.
4. Smoking can make matters worse.
Yet another reason to kick butt: A study from the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that past and current smokers are more likely to snore regularly than non-smokers. “Cigarette smoke is a hot irritant, which causes swelling of the soft tissues,” Dr. Romaker says. Because smokers are prone to a raised level of throat inflammation and dryness, their chances are higher for tissue vibration and eventual airway collapse at night. Though it’s smart to avoid smoking before bed, it’s best to quit altogether.
5. What you consume before bed can exacerbate snoring.
Head home from happy hour at least four hours before you hit the hay. Alcohol relaxes the central nervous system, forcing our bodies to work harder to breathe during sleep. “When all that tissue and muscle around the throat relaxes, there’s a greater chance for airway collapse,” which leads to snoring, says Matthew Mingrone, MD, a board-certified otolaryngologist and lead physician for California’s Eos Sleep centers. More things to avoid at bedtime: sleeping pills and other medications known to cause muscle relaxation and heavy or spicy meals, particularly if you have acid reflux, since they can flare up irritating fluid in the throat.
6. Your allergies may be a trigger.
Breathing in allergens, like pollen and pet dander, sets off swelling in your nose and throat tissues. As the tissues come under increased contact, the airway is likely to close, especially at bedtime. “Our body’s ability to compensate for allergens while we’re sleeping is not the same as when we’re awake,” Dr. Mingrone says. Thankfully, clearing up allergies is easy, from using a prescribed steroid nasal spray to non-sedating antihistamines to allergy shots.
7. Simple sleep tricks could make a difference.
Sleeping on your side or raising the head of your bed four to eight inches can counteract gravity, which causes the tongue and other tissues to fall backward and block your airway when you lie flat on your back. Or try Dr. Demko’s strategy to properly position yourself for sleep: “Roll up tea towels and place them in a fanny pack in the middle of your back to keep you off it comfortably,” she says.
8. Over-the-counter products aren’t that effective.
After testing popular store-bought snoring aids, including an oral spray, nasal strip, and head-positioning pillow, this study from Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery found that none significantly reduce snoring’s frequency or volume. That’s because snoring causes differ from person to person. “Often, there are several different areas of the anatomy contributing to what’s going on,” Dr. Mingrone says. It’s fine to start with a snoring aid, but you’ll probably need a pro’s help to get to the root of the problem.
9. There’s a comfortable alternative to those cumbersome sleep masks.
New compact oral appliances are worthy adversaries to the bulky, air-blowing Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) masks, the traditional treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Instead of air pressure, today’s oral appliances thrust the bottom jaw forward to prevent airway blockage during sleep, like CPR. And these devices are more portable and comfortable, making patients more likely to stick with them, says Dr. Demko. Health insurance may cover the device if you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea (snoring is still considered a cosmetic issue); at full price, the appliance runs $1,500 to $1,800. Although snoring will end quickly with a mouthpiece, severe apnea patients should continue to track their other symptoms.
10. Snoring-prevention procedures are less invasive than you think.
Three tiny implants inserted onto the mouth’s soft palate could offer a one-time remedy for snoring. Known as the pillar procedure, it’s been proven to rein in tissue vibration by hardening the palate over time, like “reinforcing a sail,” explains Dr. Mingrone. Even better, the risks are minimal, with patients experiencing only minor irritation after the 20-minute procedure. Typically, insurance won’t cover the treatment, which can cost $1,500 to $3,000. But for long-lasting results, it just might be worth it.
