The Chronic Snoring Guide
According to The Sleep Foundation, 90 million people in the United States snore, and of those people, 37 million snore on a regular basis. While snoring is common not many people know how and why it occurs. This guide will walk you through the ins and outs of snoring, and ways you can potentially reduce it. Questions? Contact our office!
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Causes of Snoring
In its most basic form, snoring is caused by a narrowing airway that makes the soft tissue in the throat vibrate as air passes through. Many factors and situations can cause snoring, such as:
- Aging
- Alcohol
- Nasal Congestion or Deformity
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Sleep Apnea
- Sleeping On Back
If you have any of the above symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will have issues with chronic snoring. However, you are at a higher risk for developing it.
Chronic Snoring & Sleep Apnea
While snoring isn’t necessarily a huge threat to your health, it can be the byproduct of a more serious health condition known as sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when the soft tissue and muscles in the back of your throat collapse while you sleep, which causes you to periodically stop breathing throughout the night.
Sleep apnea poses many risks to your health including drowsiness (which can lead to injury), depression, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and depression. At Columbus Dental Solutions, we offer treatments to combat your OSA and help you get a good night’s sleep. You can use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine (CPAP) to regulate your airflow, or we can design a custom sleep apnea mouth appliance to open up your airway while you sleep.
Tips to Reduce & Stop Snoring
If you’re experiencing chronic snoring, there are many steps you can take to address the problem including behavioral adjustments and products to combat snoring.
- Get a Custom Oral Appliance
- Invest in Nasal Strips
- Keep a Healthy Weight
- Reduce Alcohol Consumption
- Sleep on Your Side
- Speak to a Doctor
- Use a CPAP Machine