Is considered a snorer, any person snoring at least 4 nights per week. In France, there are about 15 million of them. Snoring can become a serious problem for oneself as well as for those around him. Discover tips to stop snoring naturally without having to shake or plug your partner's nose!
Where does snoring come from?
At night, when we sleep, the muscles relax. The palate, jaw, tongue and uvula are completely relaxed thereby narrowing the airways. Air can no longer pass as fluidly making the mucous membranes vibrate as it passes.
However, there are 3 major causes of snoring:.
the blocked nose: deviation of the nasal septum, polyp...
the back of the uvula too big
Tongue-tipping
Factors that make snoring worse
Anything that involves obstruction of airflow through the airway increases the risk of snoring. Aggravating factors include:
In the first place, we note overweight and especially obesity. Indeed, the fat present in the tissues narrows the airway all the more. The passage of air is obstructed, the tissues vibrate.
Sleeping on your back causes the soft palate to collapse and the tongue to recede backward. The air can no longer circulate fluidly, the mucous membranes vibrate, it's snoring assured.
Suffering from sleep apnea.There is a correlation between sleep apnea and sleep apnea although one is independent of the other. Indeed, just because one suffers from sleep apnea does not necessarily mean that one is a snorer and vice versa. On the other hand, it is often the case that one and the other coexist and are maintained.
Fatigue can play a not insignificant role. When you are very tired, you relax all the more. The muscles of the jaw, soft palate, tongue and back of the throat are completely relaxed obstructing the airway.
Eating too much. Abdominal pressure changes the way you breathe as well as your position during sleep.
Sleeping pillsand muscle relaxants relax muscles so much that they compress the passage of airand vibrate on contact.
Smoking causes inflammation of the mucous membranes.
Alcohol relaxes the muscles of the throat and tongue, which will start to vibrate.
How to stop snoring according to doctors
Depending on the severity and impact of your snoring on your sleep quality and health, your ENT doctor may suggest :
An orthotic device in the form of a mouthpiece to be inserted in the mouth at bedtime to create a space for air circulation. This orthosis can in some cases be offered and performed by a dentist and reimbursed in part by social security.
A laser operation which, for the soft palate can last a lifetime and for the nose a few years.
Radio frequencies that improve snoring for a few months.
How to stop snoring in practice
To stop snoring, you need to remove an obstruction. This means making sure to open the air passage to the tongue or nose.
Ask for a sleep apnea screening from your doctor.
Review your lifestyle: diet, physical activity, hydration, stress management...
Avoid tobacco, alcohol and heavy meals.
Lose weight if needed.
Sleeping on the side.
Nasal spray with seawater to thin the mucous membranes.
Wear nostril spacers to improve airflow through the nose.
Insert a custom-made or heat-formed brace or mouthpiece.
Exercise to tone the tongue to practice each night before bed.
Beware of accessories
Props do not treat the cause or the lack of oxygen which can be very serious for the snorer. Someone who snores is someone who is suffocating without realizing it. You have to open the passage not only for the partner but also and especially for the ronfleur who is choking. The effects of snoring on health are serious: disturbed sleep, risks of apnea with its lot of consequences such as stroke, arterial and respiratory accidents.