When Snoring Becomes a Problem
Do you notice your partner wearing earplugs to avoid the sound of your nightly snoring? Is your snoring a common joke among family members? These signs indicate that you may have a snoring problem. Why is it a problem? For one, it’s disruptive—not only for you but also for anyone who has to share a room or house with you. Additionally, snoring could be a sign of an underlying condition that can affect your quality of life.
It's important to differentiate between occasional snoring and a snoring problem. Signs of a snoring problem include:
- Your partner altering their habits to cope with your nightly snoring
- Your partner being impacted by your snoring
- Your reputation as a snorer being well-known
- Regular snoring on most nights
When snoring becomes a problem, it's worth investigating the potential causes and how to prevent it.
Find Out Cause of Snoring
Many things can cause snoring, and finding out if there is a primary reason for your snoring is the easiest way to stop snoring.
For example, excessive snoring is one of the primary signs of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is when you repeatedly stop breathing at night. OSA has significant long-term effects on your health, such as:
- Lower life expectancy
- Lower quality of life in nearly all areas (cognitive ability, mood, stress levels, etc.)
- Lower performance in nearly all areas of life
- Increased risk of many heart-related diseases
Obesity can also be a primary factor in your snoring, as it narrows the breathing canal, and cutting weight may also cut decibels off of your snoring intensity.
Allergies and smoking can irritate the lining of the throat, narrowing it, and causing snoring. Alcohol can relax the breathing muscles in the throat, which causes snoring.
Ways to Prevent or Decrease Snoring
Have sleep apnea?
If you are experiencing sleep issues or suspect you have sleep apnea, it's important to seek an evaluation, consultation, or research regarding this condition. A CPAP machine has been effective in completely eliminating snoring for several individuals in my family who have sleep apnea, so it's worth exploring if you are dealing with similar issues.
Does cutting alcohol help?
If you enjoy a night cap (or two) before bed, try eliminating it from your nightly routine and see if your snoring improves.
Does cutting back on smoking help?
While it’s certainly easier said than done, cutting back on smoking may make a big difference in your snoring habits, as you eliminate the irritant (smoke) which causes/contributes to your snoring.
Does losing weight help?
Like smoking, losing weight is easier said than done. However, if you are losing weight, try and evaluate (by asking your partner) whether or not your snoring has improved.
Comfortable wearing a chin strap?
This is not ideal for comfort, but chin straps can be extremely effective for snoring that is caused by being a “mouth breather” at night. If you are a restless sleeper, this solution may not be for you. But if you can sleep through anything, a chin strap is an inexpensive, quick fix.
Buy an anti-snoring pillow
Like a chin strap, this solution may not be ideal for picky sleepers or those of you who have your special pillow. Anti-snoring pillow elevate the head, which can significantly reduce snoring.
Avoid sleeping on your back
I know what you are thinking, how do you avoid moving onto your back while you are sleeping? Well, there’s no magic trick. Your best bet is to give yourself every incentive to stay on your side: try and fall asleep on your side, use a pillow between your legs, change sleep position of your arms legs (e.g. bending them) to prevent rolling onto your back.
A sleep evaluation is an easy, extremely effective way to understand how and why you might be snoring. Please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test and talk with one of our sleep health professionals.
