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Its Raining, It’s Pouring, The Old Man is SNORING!

 

In both my own family and that of my husband’s there are people that are always snoring. And I mean LOUD!

When I was growing up my siblings and I would frequently joke that you would know if my Dad had fallen asleep because you could hear him throughout the entire neighborhood!

As a kid my younger sister and I went with my Dad on a business trip where we stayed overnight.

Although the details are pretty vague, I do remember being in the same room with him that night. My sister and I were wide awake with our pillows over our heads as my Dad blissfully unaware blasted our ear drums…

I gained a new respect for my Mom that night as I realized that she had been enduring that kind of night racket from my Dad for years…. Good thing she loves that man!

Chances are you or someone you know have a problem with snoring. Let’s talk about what it is and some things that have been suggested to deal with it.

 

I recently read an article at HelpGuide.org that had some great info about snoring. It said “Snoring happens when you can’t move air freely through your nose and mouth during sleep. Often caused by the narrowing of your airway, either from poor sleep posture or abnormalities of the soft tissues in your throat. A narrow airway gets in the way of smooth breathing and creates the sound of snoring.”

 

Okay, now that we know what is causing the problem, what are some things that can be done to help?

1.)  Lose weight:

Although this is easier said than done, it has been shown in general when a person with a snoring problem is able to loose even a little bit of weight it can reduce the fatty tissue in the back of the throat and reduce snoring.

2.) Avoid alcohol, sedatives, and sleeping pills:

These substances have the effect of relaxing the  throat muscles which can interfere with breathing.

3.)  Sleep on your side:

Sleeping on your side will ensure that the base of your tongue won’t collapse into the back of your throat, thus reducing air flow.

 

Okay, so what if you have tried all of the things mentioned above and nothing seems to be working?

HelpGuide.org suggests It may be time to talk to your doctor if:

–  You snore loudly and heavily and are tired during the day.

–  You stop breathing, gasp, or choke during sleep.

–  You fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as during a conversation or a meal.

 

“Because this could be more serious problem, a physician may refer you to a sleep specialist for a home-based sleep test using a portable monitor or request you stay overnight at a sleep clinic. If these sleep studies conclude that the snoring is not related to any sleeping or breathing disorders, you can discuss different treatment options to stop the snoring.”

In part two, we will discuss different options available to help with severe snoring problems such as the CPAP machine. So stay tuned…