Snoring statistics and men
Snoring is noisy breathing that occurs during sleep. Women may snore too, but men snore more than women: four out of every ten men snore compared to roughly three out of ten women. At any one time, around 25 per cent of people are habitual snorers.
Causes of snoring
Snoring has many potential causes, including obesity, anatomical variations, and several illnesses affecting the upper airways. It results from the vibration of soft tissues of the upper airways and often is associated with obstruction of airflow.
Snoring is a problem because it affects everyone in earshot, including the person who is snoring. When it’s a sign of significant airway obstruction, snoring is associated with serious health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.
Snoring Facts
Sleep Apnea
Sometimes people who snore also suffer from sleep apnea. Apnea refers to periods of interrupted breathing that can last ten seconds or longer. Essentially the same process as snoring occurs, except that muscles relax so much they cause a complete rather than partial obstruction. When sleep apnea occurs, carbon dioxide accumulates in the blood stream and oxygen levels fall. The brain detects these changes and reacts by waking the person up in order that normal breathing can resume. Sleep apnea can occur several times a night, disrupting normal restorative sleep. Clues that your snoring is more than just a nuisance include falling asleep during normal daytime activities, night time apnea, frequent need to urinate at night (nocturia), or morning headaches.
Self-Help Ideas to prevent or minimize snoring
Medical help for snoring
If none of the self-help ideas work, then you need medical advice. Advice may involve surgical intervention (e.g. removal of adenoids or tonsils) but in the first resort a mouthpiece could be recommended in order to keep the airways open. Other treatment options, such as nasal sprays or nasal plasters may also be considered.
