I and A Mag Jan20

Snoring
A whopping 20 million Brits claim they are sleep
deprived by their partner’s snoring, reported The Sun
in 2017.
Snoring is often thought of as funny, yet this could not be farther
from the truth. Usually, the partner suffers the most. Sleeping
on the sofa or in the spare room every night takes its toll, with
ruined relationships and broken marriages.
So what causes snoring? Is it bad for our health? What can be
done about it?
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring is caused by something partially blocking your airways.
The airways include your mouth and the back of your throat.
While you are asleep, and when you breathe in deeply, this
blockage causes that noisy reverberation we all know so well as
a snore.
What causes blocked airways? The culprits are our common
vices. Smoking causes an excess of mucus/catarrh, alcohol
causes the muscles and tissues of the palate to over-relax and
sag, and fat, in people who are overweight or obese when pads
of fatty tissue accumulate in these areas and literally wobble in
the breeze!
Allergies also play a part. Common allergens include house
dust mite, animal dander, pollens, yeasts and moulds. Inhalation
of allergens causes nasal and throat tissues to swell and the
production of body secretions.
Typically, a snorer lies flat on their back and breathes through
their mouth. When you lie on your back, your tongue falls to the
back of your mouth, partially blocking your airway. In addition,
when you take a breath in through your mouth, a forceful wall
of air hits the roof of your mouth and is funnelled through your
narrowed airway.
Lying on your side and breathing through your nose make
snoring less likely.
Sleep Apnoea
Snoring is only dangerous to health if it causes ‘sleep apnoea’.
In this condition, there is such a severe blockage to airflow that
your brain is temporarily starved of oxygen. You briefly stop
breathing altogether, your brain recognises this and after a long
pause your breathing starts again.
The strain on your heart and lungs plus the effects of constantly
feeling tired and poor daily performance can have life-threatening
consequences.
75% of people who snore have sleep apnoea.
If you think you could have sleep apnoea, you must see your
doctor.
IT’S NO LAUGHING MATTER
What Can Be Done To Help Snoring?
Making lifestyle changes, however difficult and unpopular, has
to be the mainstay of long-term treatment. Stopping smoking,
moderating or stopping drinking alcohol and losing weight are
strongly recommended.
To reduce the risk of allergy, regular vacuuming, damp dusting,
and keeping the bedroom pet-free will all help. Use hypoallergenic
bedding.
Keep the bedroom cool – around 15˚C. Stay well hydrated – drink
six to eight glasses of water per day.
Products for Snorers and Snoring Sufferers
The age-old solution of sewing a cotton reel or a tennis ball in
your pyjama trousers, forcing you to lie on your side, still has
much to commend it.
Recently, having a pineapple plant in your bedroom has been
advocated – apparently the plant produces extra oxygen
overnight.
However, a simple starting point is a pair of foam rubber earplugs
for your partner.
Manufacturers have been very creative with their anti-snoring
products. For example, nasal strips are available, which are said
to hold the airway open. And who’s heard of a ‘Neti pot’ – a
device used to flush the airways before bedtime with salt water?
Best results are likely with the use of a mandibular device – a
special type of gum shield that holds the tongue and jaw forward
to keep the airway open while you sleep. Purchase these online,
or have them fitted more accurately by your dentist.
The Antisnoor device is a type of adhesive patch you wear on
your forehead that detects snoring and then vibrates to prompt
you to turn over.
Smart Nora is an anti-snoring pillow that listens out for snoring
and then inflates to encourage you to change the position of
your head.
The Importance of Sleep
• Getting enough, good quality sleep is vital. Lack of sleep
increases your risk of strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and
cancer. Over time it also shortens our lifespan. Adults are
recommended to sleep for seven to nine hours per night.
• Snoring it seems, is a serious business!
• Visit the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association (BSSAA)
website for advice and anti-snoring products
• www.britishsnoring.co.uk.
References
Reasons for divorce: Snoring, Fishing and Going Vegetarian top
the list.
Snore wars – couple reveal how snoring runs their relationships
75% of snorers have sleep apnoea
www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/906621/divorce-reasons-UKsnoring-fishing-vegetarians-marriage-relationships
www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/4639767/snoring-relationshippartner-dating-ruined/
www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/easy-snoringremedies#1
Lack of sleep affects health
healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/
health
by Dr Daisy Mae
10