Snoring 101
Barney Garcia

Snoring takes place when the air passage is blocked which hinders easy and normal breathing during sleep. When you are awake, the muscles in the throat keep the throat open. When you are asleep, the muscles are in a relax mode and sag inward. It is during this time when a blockage is created at the airway that snoring occurs. The sound of snoring varies with the degree of obstruction. When your nose is blocked, you breathe through the mouth that may cause you to snore. The main cause of snoring is air blockage, and air blockage can be caused by alcohol, smoking, sleeping pills, blocked nose, sinusitis, enlarged tonsils, excess body weight and an allergy to dust, mold, wheat and eggs.

A snorer can have sleep apnea where the snorer stops breathing for a couple of seconds, around 10-30 seconds, which is long enough to reduce oxygen in the blood and brain. This condition is followed by loud snorts where the snorer awakes abruptly a few times in the night. They gasp for air or may have a jerking limb. Sleep apnea is also called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Snoring can run in the family. The snorers can hear their own voice only when they are half-awake.

Snoring can take place in a seated position also. Treating the snoring and sleeping problem in children eliminates Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

Almost all snoring cures revolve around clearing the blockage in the breathing passage. Snoring can be avoided through th following ways –

· Place the pillow below the head so as to elevate the head or elevate the head of the bed by 4 inches. This reduces the effect of gravity.

· Try to lose weight. It prevents fat from pressing round the throat.

· Avoid alcohol and sleeping pills before bed. They relax the muscles and constrict the air passage.

· Avoid rich food like chocolates before bedtime.

· Avoid eating a heavy meal before bed. When your stomach is full, it presses the diaphragm upwards and weighs down on the breating action.

· Stop smoking, especially before going to bed since it may cause swelling of the throat’s lining.

· Using natural anti-snoring pills and anti-snoring nasal spray.

· Snore-reduce pillows reduce noise generation.

· Singing helps to reduce snoring since the tones flabby muscles in the back of the throat.

· Drink 2 cups of hot chinese tea or noni leaf tea 1-2 hours before going to bed.

· The airway is opened through steam inhalation. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil in hot water and inhale the steam.

· Surgical procedures, dental appliances and nose clips are other ways of reducing snoring.Snoring, because of reduced oxygen going to the brain, can cause premature death, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, stroke and heart disease. The loudest snore on record was 93 decibels.