Snoring how boring

When this irritating sound blasts through the quietness of the night it can drive the sanest of people insane – well almost! There are many couples who have divorced on this ground. It’s no joke to be accused of snoring – neither for the snorers nor for the sufferers who have to endure sleepless nights! Even the fair sex is not immune to this malady howsoever they might deny it.

The cause of snoring is air flowing through the open mouth and causing the soft palate (side area around the back of the tongue and the tonsils) to vibrate. This results in the production of sound – the snore!

Medically, snorers are found to be more prone to:

• Heart attacks
• Sudden death

Certain conditions can predispose to snoring. These are:

• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
• Congestion in the nasal sinuses
• Deviated nasal septum
• Loose dentures
• Nasal polyps
• Sleeping on your back (causes the tongue to fall back and block the windpipe partially)
• Aging causes the throat muscles to become flabby. This is also caused by alcohol, and certain drugs – tranquilizers, pain killers, or sedatives, all of which depress the brain and cause the muscles to be loose.

Practical remedies for this malady

• Find the cause and treat it if snoring is due to any of the above conditions. Corrective measures should be undertaken ant it may stop snoring.
• Sleeping on the side: The tongue does not block the airway and hence helps to prevent snoring. For this purpose a ball is stitched on the back of the night suit shirt to remind the person to sleep on the side.
• A special anti snoring pillow can be made in which the portion under the neck is higher than the one under the head, hence extending the neck this prevents snoring.
• Lose weight if you are overweight, especially around the belly.
• Stop smoking as smoke irritates the nasal mucosa and the throat.
• Sleep without dentures if you use them.
• For the sufferers, one last line: Stuffing your ears with cotton wool (or your partner’s mouth) or sleeping in another room may be the best answer to the solution. If nothing helps – just pray to God for endurance.