Sometimes snoring may indicate a serious health condition.
In addition, snoring can be a nuisance to your partner.
As many as half of adults sometimes snore.
In addition, medical devices and surgery are available that may reduce disruptive snoring.
However, these aren’t suitable or necessary for everyone who snores.
Snoring is often associated with a sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
These may indicate your snoring is resulting from a more serious condition, such as obstructive sleep apnea.
If your child snores, ask your pediatrician about it.
Children can have obstructive sleep apnea too.
The tissues in your throat can relax enough that they partially block your airway and vibrate.
The more narrowed your airway, the more forceful the airflow becomes.
This causes tissue vibration to increase, which causes your snoring to grow louder.
People who are overweight may have extra tissues in the back of their throats that may narrow their airways.
Alcohol consumption.Snoring can also be brought on by consuming too much alcohol before bedtime.
Alcohol relaxes throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction.
Sleep deprivation.Not getting enough sleep can lead to further throat relaxation.
Obstructive sleep apnea.Snoring may also be associated with obstructive sleep apnea.
In this serious condition, your throat tissues partially or completely block your airway, preventing you from breathing.
OSA often is characterized by loud snoring followed by periods of silence when breathing stops or nearly stops.
You may sleep lightly due to disrupted sleep.
This pattern of breathing pauses may be repeated many times during the night.
Risk factors that may contribute to snoring include:
Habitual snoring may be more than just a nuisance.
Ask your partner to describe what he or she hears or notices at night while you’re sleeping.
Make a list of all medications,as well as any vitamins or supplements that you’re taking.
Write down questions to askyour doctor.
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions.
Your doctor will also perform a physical examination.
If your child snores, you’ll be asked about the severity of your child’s snoring.
Often, sleep studies may be done at home.
In polysomnography, you’re connected to many devices and observed overnight.
The mask is attached to a small pump that forces air through your airway, which keeps it open.
CPAP (SEE-pap) eliminates snoring and is most often used to treating snoring sparked by obstructive sleep apnea.
The risks of this procedure include bleeding, infection, pain, and nasal congestion.
Removing excess tissue enlarges your airway and reduces vibration.
You may need more than one session to get your snoring under control.
Radiofrequency tissue ablation (somnoplasty).In this outpatient procedure, you’ll be given local anesthetic.
Doctors use a low-intensity radiofrequency signal to shrink tissue in the soft palate to help reduce snoring.
The effectiveness of this newer procedure needs further study.
Generally, this procedure is less painful than other types of snoring surgery.
Losing weight can help reduce snoring.
Try sleeping on your side.
Raise the head of your bed.Raising the head of your bed by about 4 inches may help.
Nasal strips and external nasal dilators aren’t effective for people with sleep apnea, however.
Treat nasal congestion or obstruction.Having allergies or a deviated septum can limit airflow through your nose.
This forces you to breathe through your mouth, increasing the likelihood of snoring.
Long-term use of these medications can have a rebound effect and make your congestion worse.
Ask your doctor about a prescription steroid spray if you have chronic congestion.
To correct a structural defect in your airway, such as a deviated septum, you may need surgery.
Quit smoking.Smoking cessation may reduce snoring, in addition to having numerous other health benefits.
Get enough sleep.Adults should aim for at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night.
The recommended hours of sleep for children vary by age.
Preschool-aged children should get 11 to 12 hours a day.
However, most of the products haven’t been proved effective in clinical trials.
Researchers have evaluated the use of the instrument by those with obstructive sleep apnea who complained about snoring.
However, this study was small and limited to non-obese snorers with little alcohol and drug consumption.
Larger trials are needed to confirm the results.
Singing.Singing may help improve muscle control of the soft palate and upper throat.
These participants all began snoring as adults, had no nasal problems, and were not overweight.
More study of this technique is needed.
If your partner is the one who’s snoring, you may sometimes feel frustrated as well as fatigued.
Updated: 2015-09-26
Publication Date: 2001-03-21
