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Things you May Not Know about Snoring in Women

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Snoring Issues In Women

Snoring is an annoying and dangerous sleeping disorder that affects millions of individuals all over the globe. Earlier, people used to believe that the sleeping disorder only affects men. Yet the reality is that snoring is common in both men and women, and irrespective of age too. So, if you assumed that snoring is an exclusive male health issue, then you are wrong.

It was presumed in the old days that snoring is commonly reported in men who are above the age of 35. However, studies conducted by sleep analysts and health care providers proved that teens, adults, seniors, and even kids, are all at risk of falling prey to snoring.

Recent researches also revealed that women of all ages might suffer from snoring. In accordance to that, an expert sleep analyst said, “Snoring is produced by vibrations of the soft tissues at the back of the nose and throat. The noise is created by turbulent flow of air through narrowed air passages.” Apparently, that can happen to anyone of any age and gender.

The sleep analyst also added that, “Snoring is not a risk to life but it can get serious when the same soft tissues block the air passages at the back of the throat interfering with the ability to breathe; it becomes risky as it happens while the person is sleeping and also affects the health.”

It is noted that women who suffer from snoring and other sleep disorders are often a little bit hesitant to seek help due to embarrassment. This is not a good move though, as sleep disorders like snoring could lead to many other serious health issues gradually. So, if you are suffering from any sort of sleeping disorder or if you snore regularly, then it best to reach out to a health care provider to get adequate medical assistance as soon as possible.

Sleep specialists say that snoring in women is usually caused due to menopause, pregnancy, and weight gain. However, several other factors like heredity, medication, nasal passage blockage, and cold nose might also lead to snoring issues. Below are a few major culprits that cause snoring in women.

Menopause

Expert health care providers and sleep analysts claim that the change that happens to the body of a woman throughout her life is enough to make her snore. The muscle tone in the throat of women gets considerably reduced when they reach the menopause stage. This in turn makes them prone to different types of sleep disorders, including snoring and sleep apnea.

Pregnancy

Some women may start to snore loudly or regularly during their pregnancy period. This is due to the expansion of the blood vessels in their body at that time. In addition to that, the weight gain that happens during pregnancy also contributes to the condition of snoring.

Obesity

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Snoring Related Issues

Women who are obese or overweight snore more when compared to those who are not obese. The loud sound made by obese women might even prevent their partners from enjoying a good night’s sleep. According to sleep analysts, “If one gains weight considerably then snoring can be a side-effect. Extra weight means extra fatty tissues and the fatty tissues obstruct the opening in the throat, leading to ‘high vibrations’ or snoring.”

Heredity

It might come as a surprise to many people when they hear the fact that snoring might also be due to heredity. Ancestors may pass down the sleeping disorder to their kids and even grandkids. Expert sleep specialists say, “It is fascinating but if we have a family history of people with smaller throat opening, then the future generations will most likely have smaller throats too.”

Heavy Medication

Another interesting thing to note is that the use of sleeping pills and heavy medication will also result in snoring. Sleep analysts and researchers say that, “Yes, sleeping pills help a person to sleep but the ones sleeping nearby lose sleep. Sleeping pills and other cough medicines relax the body’s muscles and lead to snoring.”

Nasal Passage Blockage

Just like in men, a cocked bone or a blocked nasal passage is another common factor that could trigger snoring in women. Health care providers say that, “Crooked nose bone in medical language is the deviated septum, which can cause snoring. Such cases should be consulted with the doctor.”

Other Causes

Another interesting thing to note is that the consumption of alcohol just a few hours before going to bed and regular smoking might also trigger snoring in women, just as they do in men. The good news here though is that you will be able to curtail the snoring issue to an extent by quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol before bedtime. Your health care provider may even ask you to invest in an anti-snoring mouthpiece to stop snoring.

How Snoring Affects Sleep Partners and How to Control it

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Snoring Related Issues

Snoring occurs due to obstructions in the upper throat, especially when the lower jaw collapses or the tongue falls back blocking the airway. This leads to a vibration of tissues that occurs when the breathed air rushes past the throat portion.

Snoring is mild in its earlier stages, but when it becomes loud, it affects even bedmate of a snorer. Usually, people who snore do not know they have it. Even those who snore loudly perhaps do not realize the extent of it. That is when the role of a sleep partner becomes all the more important. Loud snoring can cause sleep disturbance to a bedmate and could even lead to hearing loss. So when it becomes loud, you actually have to find ways to reduce the noise level in your bedroom.

Depending on your requirement, you could try any of these things or a combination of any of them to achieve that, and sleep comfortably. Remember, sleeping apart is the last option.

Create White Noise

Several compact devices called white noise machines creates a low background noise, which can help to soften other sounds in a room. There are white noise fans too, which helps in masking the snoring sound. This way you can turn your attention away from your snoring partner.

Use Earplugs

These affordable and simple-to-use devices go a long way in improving your sleep quality, since they can effectively block out the surrounding noise. Make sure to look for a pair of earplugs that are comfortable to wear and fit well, so that they will not fall off even if you move on your bed.

Try Relaxation Exercises

Focus on breathing deep and other techniques for relaxation and meditation. These things are worth a try, as they can help you to calm down, relax, and get a relatively better sleep. Try them just before going to sleep so that you can reap maximum benefits out of it.

Use a Stop Snoring Device

The best way to sleep comfortably is to make your partner stop snoring. You can use anti snoring remedies or devices for that, such as a mandibular advancement device that advances the lower jaw and clears the obstruction in the airway for a free flow of air. Yet again, it is important to diagnose the actual cause behind the snoring issue before you recommend your partner any of the anti snoring solutions.

Everything you May Want to Know about Snoring

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Facts About Snoring

Snoring occurs when the lower jaw relaxes during sleep causing a blockage in the upper throat and making the soft tissues vibrate against the roof of the mouth. Well, the sleep-disordered breathing condition is a little more complicated than how popular culture takes it – sometimes with sarcasm too.

If you are a frequent snorer, the effects it causes to the body include everything from dehydration in the morning and jadedness in the daytime. Sleep deprivation is a common occurrence among those who snore, yet if you do not treat the condition in time, it is likely to pose risk factors for several health conditions, which mainly include Obstructive Sleep Apnea and heart diseases.

It is rather unfortunate that those who snore frequently do not even know the issue is bothering their health. There are several ways to keep tabs on snoring though, including using an application for that, but the best way is to tell your bedmate to monitor your sleep patterns. Oftentimes, the excessive tiredness during the day and other things such as headache can be confused for other health concerns. So, you may as well consider getting a medical checkup to know if you are a snorer.

Snoring affects the sleep quality of not just the person who experiences it, but also the person sleeping beside the snorer. Since snoring is the sort of health condition that leads to loud noise and even bad breath, it is important to treat it to get a peaceful sleep and avoid other issues that may snowball. The snoring sound is known to pose a risk of hearing impairment too, which is why it is best to seek medical help to diagnose and treat the issue as early as possible. Depending on how the diagnosis goes, the doctor may even recommend you non-invasive snoring remedies.

What to Take Note of before Self-Treating Snoring

Of course, if you are going to get professional help to treat nighttime snoring knowing the cause, you are in trusted hands to an extent. However, if you are planning to counter the snoring problem by self, note that not all over-the-counter snoring remedies are created equal and work perfectly in all cases. In other words, it is important to understand the underlying cause that leads to snoring in your case before using any anti snoring aid.

Nighttime breathing can become difficult if there is a cold or stuffy nose, teeth grinding issue, or even allergies. So, try to understand as much as you can about snoring prior to treating it. Talk to your doctor about everything you feel awkward about your present health – even the minutest of things you ignore during checkup may be the underlying cause. Tell what you feel and do not give inklings for misdiagnosis to doctors.

Snoring Remedies

Snoring Related Issues

For instance, “I grind teeth” is a better way to express your symptoms to a doctor than “I grind teeth probably because of anxiety or stress”. The last part is unimportant to the snoring discussion; treating that is a matter of being specific.

Other Things to Know about Snoring

Your habits also contribute to the quality of life. Commonly, most snorers are overweight – not that only obese people snore, but if you are 20 pounds more than the reasonable weight, that can potentially lead to snoring problems.

Millions of people snore habitually during sleep. It is seen that the physical attributes that cause snoring, such as narrow throat, swelled adenoids or cleft palates, may be inherited from previous generations. What’s more, it is estimated that this health condition affects men more than women.

Tried and Tested Remedies to Treat Snoring

Fortunately, several remedies are available in the market to help you overcome snoring in due course. The key to treating snoring in time is to rely on not just the right remedy, but that you persist with the one you feel the most comfortable to use. Note that not all snoring remedies are one-size-fits-all solutions. Still, there are non-invasive and clinically proven anti snoring devices such as a snore guard or a mouthpiece that can help in treating the condition in most cases.

Anti snore guards are mandibular advancement devices, which are medically proven safe and effective to alleviate the sleep-disordered breathing problem. These snoring remedies aid in a better flow of air by ensuring that the mandible is not sagging. That can bring a difference to your sleep quality and daily activities, making you agile and fresh.

The snoring mouthpiece worn during sleep is not going to be a painful remedy for snoring, as doing a surgery in the throat to eliminate the tissues from vibrating. Besides, it is affordable to buy a snore guard over-the-counter or without a doctor’s prescription. Most of the snore guards come with the approval of Food and Drug Administration too.

The Link between Snoring and Diabetes

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Snoring And Diabetes

People who have diabetes often have sleeping issues, and snoring is one of the most common problems in such people. Snoring actually happens when the air passage is partially blocked during sleep, and the loud noise of snoring is caused when the uvula and soft palate vibrates in the throat while the air moves in and out.

Snorers usually have an irregular sleeping schedule and may tend to wake up very frequently while sleeping. Due to the sleep deprivation, the insulin levels are affected very badly, which means that regular snorers are at a higher risk of being diabetic when compared to those who do not snore.

The Change in Hormone Levels

Our hormone levels are greatly affected by our sleeping habits. When we get tired, our body produces high levels of ghrelin, the hormone that causes hunger. Furthermore, leptin, the hormone that signals the brain that you are full, will become low with sleep deprivation issues.

All this means that snorers are likely to overeat and will have more risk of obesity, which in turn, leads to insulin resistance. Some studies even say that people who face sleeping troubles have higher blood glucose levels.

Researches also say that sleep apnea disorder is very closely linked to blood sugar issues, insulin resistance, and related conditions. Sleep apnea is a condition where you may stop breathing for a few seconds and probably end up waking to gasp in a lot of air to sleep again.

Some people may even recurrent apnea episodes throughout the night. This leads to a lack of oxygen in the body, and as a result, a stress hormone (Cortisol) is released in the body. The increase in Cortisol eventually leads to insulin resistance and affects the blood sugar levels in the body.

Treatment

Lifestyle changes can reduce your snoring levels to a great extent. For starters, do not consume any alcohol before going to sleep; you also need to make your bedroom allergen-free and quit smoking. Apart from that, you can try to sleep on your side, so that it can reduces the pressure on your neck and lets you breathe freely.

You can also use over-the-counter snoring solutions to lessen snoring issues, and get a peaceful night’s sleep. Still, it is better to consult with a doctor as soon as you notice any snoring symptoms or have trouble sleeping. Getting proper medical attention would help to get your blood glucose levels and insulin levels back to normal.

What is Gastroesophageal Reflux and How is it Related to Snoring?

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Snoring Related Issues

Gastroesophageal reflux, otherwise known as acid reflux or GERD, is associated with a burning sensation in the throat and esophagus, and it can cause difficulty in the digestion of food. Though a person may not have eaten for many hours before sleep, acid reflux can affect sleep in a number of ways. The most common symptom you may experience due to GERD is snoring, aside from the coughing, chest pain, and sinusitis issues.

Acid Reflux and Snoring

The cause of Gastroesophageal reflux is due to the backup of acid within the stomach. This is often associated with a bitter or sour taste that usually occurs within 30-60 minutes after eating. It is usually caused because of sleeping in the prone position, which makes undigested food particles and acid backup through the airway. As a result, the backup of acid weakens breathing and causes snoring.

Effects

Esophageal Damage: Severe or persistent acid reflux may damage the esophagus. Chronical bleeding due to esophageal ulcers might lead to anemia and lead to persistent tiredness and fatigue.

Sleep Disruption: Constant tiredness in the daytime occurs due to inadequate sleep at night. For the people who have acid reflux, poor sleep may be caused by repeatedly waking up at night due to a reflex-induced cough or heartburn pain.

If you have these symptoms, make sure to visit a doctor as soon as possible to cut down the possibilities of GERD becoming severe. The doctor may recommend a snoring solution to deal with the sleep disorder and let you have a peaceful night’s sleep. Besides, the health care specialist many also recommend a few lifestyle changes to counter the acid reflux problem.

Foods to Avoid

Acidic Fruits and Vegetables: Acidic foods with a pH of 6.9 or less do not usually cause acid reflux. Most of the acidic foods have a high pH than that of gastric juices, but the acids in food that have low pH can cause burning sensation in the esophagus.

Spicy Foods: Spicy foods might worsen hoarseness and acid reflux in some people. Therefore, it would be better to go with mild foods and seasonings. Try to avoid spicy foods like hot peppers, miso paste, salsa, peppermint, spearmint, chili etc.

Fatty Foods: Fatty foods may slow the digestion and result in an increase of pressure in the lower part of esophagus and stomach. It will be better to avoid fatty foods including dairy products that are high in saturated fat, and linked to increased inflammation and cholesterol.

How Snoring Can Contribute to Hearing Loss in Bedmates

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Snoring and Deafness

Snoring is defined as the sound produced as a result of the vibration of respiratory structures that is caused due to the obstructive airflow while sleeping. In some cases, the snoring sound might be mild, whereas it would be loud and unpleasant in other cases. The latter kind of snoring during sleep can also be the first sign of Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA.

According to the studies, around 40% of people in the United States are suffering from severe snoring issues. Just like OSA, snoring can also be the indicator of many other fatal health issues such as heart diseases, mental disorders, and many other health problems. It can also be the other way round; that is, frequent snoring can also contribute to other diseases.

Note that it is not the snorers who always suffer; people sleeping with them are also prone to many health issues. One of the major health problems commonly seen in people sleeping with snorers is deafness.

The Relation between Snoring and Deafness in Bedmates

According to recent studies, it is determined that almost every people who sleep close to the snorers suffer from a high-frequency hearing loss in the ear that is closest to the snorer. Not only the bed partners, the snorers themselves are also prone to hearing diseases.

As said, frequent snoring also leads to sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that forces the patient to pause breathing for a few seconds while asleep. However, the occurrence and range of these pauses vary in different people; it can last from few seconds to more than a minute, and can occur more than 30 times in an hour. These pauses will result in frequent awakenings and thereby disrupt the sleep of the patient.

Sleep apnea can hold back the vascular supply to the cochlea that results in inflammation in the ear. This, along with loud snoring, leads to hearing loss and other health issues. As for the bedmate, frequent wake ups, disrupted sleep, and annoying snoring sounds, all trigger the sensory nerves in the brain and lead to hearing issues, aside from the tiredness, fatigue, and mood-swings in the daytime.

Counter Measures for Snoring

One of the best options to counter snoring issues is to use a reliable, medically approved snore guard. However, it is recommended to consult a doctor and do a sleep-test prior to this; using the wrong snore guard may worsen the situation. You can also tackle the condition and stop snoring by taking proactive measures such as losing weight, stop consuming liquor, etc.

If you are diagnosed with hearing loss, it is recommended to consult an audiologist and conduct a hearing test. Note that hearing loss can be treated completely if it is diagnosed at an earlier stage.

How to Use Yoga to Stop Snoring

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Yoga To Stop Snoring

Yoga is a healthy practice well known for its ability to heal people of their stress and anxiety. However, did you know that it could also help stop snoring and sleep apnea in their respective tracks? Throwing in some snore stop yoga exercises to augment your daily routine can prove the difference between peaceful and snore-ridden slumber.

Kapalbhati

“Kapal” means skull and “bhati” means shining, and so this technique is also called the “shining skull” technique. It assists in clearing the cranial sinus, the lungs, and the organs present inside the skull. It makes use of forceful breathing to improve how the cranial sinus and systems function.

  • Get seated in a comfortable position with your spine erect. Place the hands on the knees, and the palms facing up.
  • Take a deep breath in.
  • When you start to exhale; try to pull the navel back toward the spine, as far as you can. Place the right hand on your abdomen to feel the muscles contract. Exhale as forcefully as you can.
  • Start relaxing the navel, so that breath flows automatically into your lungs.
  • Do 20 reps of the above steps to finish one round.
  • After each round, sit still with your eyes closed and pay attention to the way you are feeling.
  • Do 2 more rounds.

Bhastrika

Also called “bellow’s breath”, Bhastrika is intended to make your inhalations equal your exhalations in length. With the increased control this gives you over your breathing, you will be able to take longer breaths and relax more easily.

  • First, you need to sit still and relax the shoulders. From this position, take in a few breaths through the nose and exhale. When you inhale, make sure to expand the stomach as much as possible.
  • Exhale with force through the nose for a single second. After this, inhale with the same force for a single second.
  • Keep breathing in and out this way, counting seconds. Your posture should be kept erect, with shoulders relaxed and body still. Only your belly must rise and fall with each breath going in and out.
  • Do this 10 times to complete a cycle; when you are done with the first round, stop for a few seconds to see how you feel. Start the next cycle of 20 reps, pause again, and see how you feel. Then, do your next set of 30 reps; again, sit still and see how you feel.

What is the Relation between Snoring and Psoriasis?

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Psoriasis And Snoring

Snoring is the sound produced as a result vibration in the respiratory structures because of the restricted airflow during breathing. On the other hand, psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by the red patches and itchiness on the skin.

The Relation between Psoriasis and Snoring

Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which people stop breathing repeatedly, has been reported in most of the people who are affected with psoriasis. This is because people affected with psoriasis are more likely to be awake most of the time at night and are prone to end up with sleep disorders.

Solutions

The people affected with psoriasis are prone to depression, which causes sleep disorders, or it can be the other way around as well. So, the main solution to tackle this is to consult a doctor as soon as you feel any sleeping disorder symptoms. They will conduct various tests to find out the root cause and will provide appropriate treatment. Minor sleep issues can be treated using anti snoring mouth guards, but medications will be required if you are at high risk.

Psoriasis is a long-lasting disease, and hence, it is not easy to treat it fast. In most cases, drugs that induce sleep are given to the patients so that they can have a peaceful sleep. There are some other tips that are suggested by almost every doctor, especially for psoriatic people for a comparatively better sleep. Some of them are listed below.

Follow a Sleep Schedule

The time you go to sleep and wake up plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy sleep cycle. Most people sleep at different times every day. This will disturb your internal body clock and result in many sleeping disorders. So, follow a healthy sleep schedule.

Turn off your Gadgets

Most people are addicted to their gadgets nowadays and find it difficult to sleep without browsing through something on their device. This can affect your sleep cycle very badly. So, keep all your gadgets away while at bed; it is also recommended to keep your room dark and quite for a comfortable and peaceful sleep.

Avoid Taking Naps

People usually take naps during the afternoon, which is not a good practice. This may keep you active during daytime, but will probably keep you from sleep during the night.

Wear Cotton Gloves

Wearing gloves while sleeping may cause some discomfort at first. However, this is an ideal solution to prevent you from scratching your skin due to itchiness.

Avoid Stimulants

Most people have a habit of bedtime coffee. The caffeine in your coffee is a stimulant that keeps you from sleeping. Similarly, consuming alcohol, drugs, etc., before sleep time will also disrupt your sleep.

Some of the Best Ways to Get Rid of Snoring

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Getting Rid Of Snoring

In the US, over 90 million adults snore in their sleep. Additionally, 59 percent of the population has a partner who snores at night. Millions of these people are in search of a cure to the persistent problem of snoring, and that is after having tried and failed with the more traditional methods. These days the issue is one to be taken very seriously, and to be addressed in a similar manner.

Most doctors would tell you that snoring is not just an annoyance, but, in fact, a condition that brings along serious health consequences. Ignoring the former means ignoring the latter as well. If you know a person who snores at night, then it is probably high time you got them to do something about it.

Snoring Solutions to Address Snoring

  • Oral or Dental Devices: The main goal with these is to get rid of the obstruction in the airways, for which the main reason is usually the tongue. If this is the cause of snoring or sleep apnea, then a mandibular advancement device can be used. It forces the lower jaw forward a bit, and consequently moves the tongue’s base away from the back of the throat.
  • Tennis Ball: Snoring almost always results from sleeping on your back, which causes the tongue to fall back into the throat. One way to combat this is to attach a tennis ball to the back of your nightshirt so you will sleep on your side. Eventually, sleeping that way will become a habit.
  • Tongue Aerobics: One of the causes of snoring and sleep apnea is muscle weakness, especially in the tongue, upper throat, and mouth. You can perform exercises for strengthening these muscles, mainly targeting the ones used for chewing and swallowing. It has been proven that doing a few tongue exercises each day can bring down the chances of snoring at night.
  • Pillow Change: You may have allergens in the room or in your pillows, which cause you to snore. In such cases, you would feel fine during the day. You may even be having an allergic reaction to the material on your pillow.
  • Nose Cones: You can place these in each nostril to expand it. The technique works similarly to nasal strips, but there is none of the irritation of removing the latter come morning.
  • Nasal Sprays: Using these regularly can help eliminate bacteria, which may be causing obstructions in the nasal airway.

Types of Pillows That Claim to Reduce Mild Snoring

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Snoring And Pillow Types

An anti-snoring pillow might help to reduce snoring in due course as per your sleep position. If you snore mildly at night, try any of the pillows that claim to lessen the snoring sound. The notion behind pillows meant to alleviate snoring is that once snorers are aligned on a side-sleeping position, mild snoring lessens over time. When one sleeps on the back, slack-jawed with an open mouth, tongue relaxes to the mouth’s back. This partially obstructs the airway and leads to snoring.

Wedge Pillow

Such types of pillows raise the upper body and position the spine to keep the said airways open. In addition to that, since it is slightly slanted, the pillow can help reduce conditions such as acid reflux and clear an airway obstruction in the upper throat due to that. This is one of the reasons, why it has a reputation of reducing snoring whilst giving a peaceful sleep.

Contour Pillow

Such memory foam pillows that are curved have the backing of clinical tests. The elevated middle portion of a contour pillow and the indentation of the shoulder keep the head at an ideal height for sleeping. Such types of snoring pillows have a curvy design that helps keep the airway in the back of the mouth open. It helps cure snoring in the same tried and tested stop snoring principle of elevating the head.

Latex Foam Pillow

The benefits of sleeping without having to snore can be experienced by the bedfellow than the snorer who is unaware of the problem. If you only have mild to moderate snoring, try one of these pillows to sleep peacefully. However, the one you choose depends on your comfort level. For instance, latex foam pillows are firm than contour pillows featuring memory foam.

It provides a support that helps to ‘contour’ the head. Look for such kinds of pillows with a wavy design in order to keep the airways open while you sleep. Many people feel that pillows made of latex foam helps lessen the turning and tossing of the head on bed.

Having said that, anti snore pillows are advisable for soft snoring. If you suffer from a sleep disorder like Obstructive Sleep Apnea characterized by loud snoring, you should try snoring solutions like an anti snore mouthpiece. The mouth guard works to clear the airway obstructions by keeping the lower jaw forward, and helps to ease snoring within a few weeks’ use.