What is snoring?
If you’ve ever been nudged by your partner while you’re asleep at night, chances are, it might have been because you were snoring. Snoring is the hoarse or vibrating sound made when air passes by relaxed tissues in your throat as you breathe. While most everyone snores at some point in their life, snoring can also indicate an underlying sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
What causes snoring?
Snoring can be impacted by a number of different factors, including the anatomy of your mouth. The thickness and location of your soft palate can narrow your airway, leading to snoring. Other physical factors can include being overweight or the position you are sleeping in. Chronic nasal congestion or a deviated septum can also increase your chances of snoring.
Additionally, alcohol consumption and sleep deprivation can relax the throat muscles, leading to impacts on the airway.
What are the symptoms of snoring?
If you snore, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about being evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). While not every person that snores has OSA, snoring, when accompanied with other symptoms, can signal OSA. These symptoms can include:
- Breathing pauses during sleep
- Daytime sleepiness due to restless or light sleep
- Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
- High blood pressure
- Headaches
- Loud snoring that awakens your partner
- Sore throat at waking
How is snoring diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will evaluate your symptoms, and order additional testing, such as imaging or a sleep study, if needed. These additional tests will help evaluate the structure of your airway and identify any breathing concerns that happen as you sleep.
What is the treatment for snoring?
Lifestyle changes can often be one of the first remedies for treating snoring. These lifestyle changes can include losing weight, addressing and treating nasal congestion, establishing healthy sleep habits, and avoiding sleeping on your back.
If snoring is accompanied by OSA, additional treatment options may be needed. These treatments include oral appliances to change the position of your jaw and tongue or a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. It’s important that you discuss treatment options with your provider so that you can find the best option that’s comfortable for you and your sleep environment.
To make an appointment to discuss your snoring concerns, call our West Lakes Sleep Center at 515.875.9555.