"Bonuses" of Snoring
What is snoring?
When we inhale and exhale, air moves toward the lungs and away from them, passing through our upper and lower airways. If the air meets obstacles on its way, sounds appear. The more obstacles, the greater the air pressure, the louder the snoring.
What causes snoring?
In reality, there can be many causes for those annoying sounds: from a blocked nose, adenoids, polyps, to excess body weight. Alcohol consumption before sleep, of course, relaxes a bit, but it also affects the tone of the soft palate, which sinks and makes us snore.
This loss of tone can also be caused by frequent lack of sleep. Additionally, an uncomfortable head position during sleep can partially block the airways and cause snoring.
What are the dangers of snoring, besides nervous disorders in those nearby?
When air enters the lungs with difficulty, it is unsurprising that this can threaten hypoxia and all that is related to it. Snoring is also one of the phenomena often associated with migraines. There is a link between snoring and an increased risk of plaque formation in the carotid arteries. And such a thing is a direct factor in the development of ischemic stroke and, accordingly, death or a long, vegetable-like existence with bleak prospects.
When neurophysiological changes in the tissues of the upper airways progress, a so-called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome can occur.
What does this mean? A person temporarily stops breathing during sleep. It can last for a few seconds, or for several tens of seconds. The brain does not receive oxygen and when its concentration becomes critical, a person wakes up hard, starts to breathe again (and sometimes doesn't start at all), falls asleep, and everything starts over. There can be many such awakenings per night, they are short, and we do not remember them. However, this significantly affects the quality of our sleep and well-being. As a result — daytime sleepiness, decreased vigilance at the wheel, increased cardiovascular risks.
Regarding these cardiovascular risks — it is not only a significant increase in the chances of having a stroke (by the way, the authors of this study raise questions about the advisability of screening such patients for carotid artery plaques to prevent stroke), but also elevated blood pressure and the development of erectile dysfunction.
In the presence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, the body is under stress all night; it does not have time to synthesize sex hormones, and, accordingly, the concentration of morning testosterone drops significantly: goodbye libido.
Learn and take action!
Yes, precisely to learn is the first step. After all, we do not hear ourselves when we sleep. For some, this is a reason for an open but beneficial conversation with a loved one about life and health.
"And I don’t snore at all? My breathing doesn’t stop?" If this happens and those around you are interested in your long and happy life, they will surely tell you about it and will accompany you to a specialist to explain in detail how you do it.
If breathing pauses (the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome) are not observed, you can try to take measures on your own to reduce the manifestations of this phenomenon.
- Avoid alcohol before bed (because it worsens the tone of the upper airways);
- Try to sleep less on your back and more on your side (in this position the airways are less likely to be blocked);
- Quit smoking. (constant irritation from tobacco smoke leads to increased secretions of the mucous membranes and mucus buildup, which also obstructs air movement and those same sounds);
- If needed, work on reducing body weight (reducing excess deposits in the neck area will inevitably lead to a decrease in pressure on the upper airways);
- If there is a suspicion of physiological-anatomical changes in the upper airways (adenoids, polyps), or prolonged respiratory problems, book a consultation with an ENT doctor.
If you have time and motivation, you can try performing oropharyngeal exercises. Here is one example. It is better to consult a specialist who will recommend a set of exercises that will be effective specifically for you. By the way, the effectiveness of exercises that can strengthen the laryngeal muscles and improve their tone is supported by scientific studies.
If the listed measures do not change the situation, or you observe breathing pauses, be sure to visit a doctor!
Wishing you and your loved ones health and good sleep!
