Snoring is a problem that bothers many people. In addition to making the person sleeping next to you annoyed to the point of affecting your relationship, it also causes insecurity or guilt for disturbing the sleep of others. More seriously, it may indicate health problems or diseases that you are facing or may lead to other diseases in the future. 

What causes snoring?

Snoring is caused by air moving through a narrowed airway. It’s often caused by upper airway muscles relaxing or slackening during sleep, such as the muscles in the soft palate, uvula, pharyngeal wall, or base of the tongue. Inhaled air causes the muscles and soft tissues in these areas to vibrate and flutter, creating the snoring sound.

People with sleep apnea may have a loud sniffle and wake up frequently at night because when the brain lacks oxygen, it wakes up to open the airway to breathe normally again. It also affects daily life, such as morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, regular fatigue even when getting enough sleep, or drowsiness even during the day.

 However, not everyone who snores is a sign of sleep apnea. สมัคร ufabet กับเรา รับโบนัสทันที But if you experience the above symptoms, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. Because this condition can cause the brain and body to not receive enough oxygen, which is at risk of other health problems, such as headaches, high blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, acute myocardial infarction, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

How to adjust your behavior to prevent snoring

Snoring can be caused by many things, such as obesity, which often has fat accumulated in the throat area, causing the upper tissue to thicken and soften until it folds down to meet the base of the tongue, blocking the airway. Having a cold or allergies that cause a runny nose to block the airway, making it difficult to breathe and causing snoring. In addition, lifestyle habits are another important factor.

However, snoring can be relieved if you know how to take care of your airway so that it can function normally and does not affect your breathing while you sleep, as follows:

1. Lose weight

It is not only obese people who tend to snore. People who are overweight are also more likely to snore if they have a lot of fat accumulated on the inside of their throats. This causes the tissue in the upper throat to become plump and soft. When you lie down, this tissue folds down and meets the base of the tongue which lowers down, blocking the airway, and eventually causing snoring.

Especially if you have never snore before, it reinforces the assumption that weight gain is a factor in snoring. Therefore, losing weight is a good option to reduce fat and solve the snoring problem at the same time.

2. Quit smoking.

Snoring is linked to smoking, which inflames the upper airway, causing it to narrow and inflame. One study of more than 15,000 men and women aged 24–54 found that 24 percent of snorers were smokers. Another 20 percent of snorers were former smokers, and 14 percent were never smokers. 

The more you smoke, the more you snore, and people who are exposed to secondhand smoke from close contacts are more likely to snore as well as smokers.

3. Avoid alcohol.

Drinking alcohol before bedtime can cause the muscles in the back of the throat to weaken while you sleep, making the airway narrow and making it difficult for air to pass through. To avoid unwanted snoring, avoid all alcoholic beverages at least 4–5 hours before bedtime.

4. Avoid sleeping pills.

The muscle-relaxing and sleep-inducing effects of some sleeping pills also cause the muscles near the airway, such as the roof of the mouth, tongue, throat, and pharynx, to relax and move downward. At the same time, the airway also relaxes and narrows, resulting in increased tissue vibrations when breathing. If you need to use any medication, talk to your doctor about the side effects.

5. Drink plenty of water.

Snoring caused by a cold or allergies  , which causes difficulty breathing due to mucus blocking the airway, requires mouth breathing instead, resulting in snoring or sleep apnea. Drinking water can help reduce the concentration of mucus that occurs while sleeping, making breathing easier and snoring less.

6. Clean your mattress regularly.

Irritation from allergens is often followed by inflammation of the respiratory tract. Therefore, dust  mites and other particles that accumulate in pillows, blankets and mattresses should be removed regularly by cleaning them every 2 weeks . It is best to kill dust mites living in bedding by washing them in hot water at 60 degrees Celsius once a week for about 30 minutes each time.  

It is also best to avoid letting pets into the bedroom to prevent allergy symptoms from worsening and prevent snoring.

7. Sleep on your side.

Sleeping on your back can cause frequent and loud snoring. Because the base of your tongue and soft palate fold down to the back of your throat, when you breathe, it vibrates and creates a loud snoring sound. Changing to sleeping on your side can help to some extent.

Like other health problems, snoring can be cured. Just pay a little attention to your health. Don’t ignore it because you think it’s a minor problem. Check your symptoms regularly, consult a doctor, and try to eliminate all risk factors. Just like that, you can say goodbye to the annoying problem of snoring.