How to get rid of snoring. Why is snoring dangerous? Heavy snoring during sleep

Sleep snoring is a low frequency rattling sound that occurs in some people's sleep; causes, symptoms, treatment of snoring can be very diverse. Severe snoring creates serious problems for those around you. If a person snores, it usually leads to the fact that everyone around him is deprived of normal rest.

According to research, on average, every third person on our planet snores while sleeping. Moreover, snoring is one and a half times more common among men than among women.

The reasons why a person snores during sleep depend on many factors, and these factors are not always physiological. Let's try to figure out how to get rid of snoring once and for all.

What is snoring and how to deal with it - the answer to this question has most likely occupied humanity since the very moment when people became social beings. Snoring occurs due to weakening of the muscles or soft tissues located in the throat or soft palate. There is a certain group of people who experience relaxation of the soft tissues of the nasopharynx and oropharynx during sleep, which subsequently leads to their retraction.

Because of this, the flow of exhaled air when a sleeper snores cannot pass normally through the respiratory tract. The “route” of air in this case should follow the following pattern: nostrils, nose, nasopharynx, oropharynx and larynx. However, due to its violations, or due to the obstruction of its individual sections due to the retraction of soft tissues, the phenomenon of snoring occurs.

Many people do not understand how dangerous snoring during sleep is for the snorer. The fact is that the consequence of such processes is deterioration of breathing and poor oxygen saturation of the blood. And insufficient oxygen supply to the body has a negative effect on all its functions, primarily on the performance of the nervous system, therefore, the fight against snoring is very important.

Thus, a person’s snoring is not only a problem of discomfort for others, but also serious health problems for the “snoreer” himself. That is why it is necessary to start getting rid of snoring as soon as possible.

There are a huge number of reasons why people snore while sleeping.

Among them, the most common are:

Each of the reasons why people snore in their sleep can be either congenital or acquired. Therefore, when choosing a treatment method, a comprehensive analysis of all possible options is necessary.

Is it possible to cure snoring without a detailed analysis of its causes? Yes, symptomatic treatment is possible, however, sooner or later, the problem will manifest itself again, because the question of why we snore has very deep roots in our physiology.

The main symptom of snoring is an unpleasant low-frequency sound of varying strength. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The most dangerous symptom that sooner or later appears in every snorer is cessation of breathing, called apnea. In one night the number of such stops can reach several hundred. They lead to impaired oxygen supply to the body, frequent awakenings at night and poor health in the morning.

In addition, the symptoms of snoring include the following:

Fatigue and drowsiness are a consequence of oxygen deprivation during night sleep. They lead to a decrease in attentiveness, ability to work, and therefore to increased irritability.

Hypertension, which is a consequence of apnea (and, in turn, snoring) is one of the most unpleasant chronic diseases. Against this background, diseases of almost all internal organs develop - from the eyes to the kidneys, which, naturally, is better to prevent. The reason for its appearance is that when there is insufficient oxygen supply to the body due to apnea, the vessels begin to sharply narrow, which, according to the laws of physics, leads to an increase in pressure.

At the beginning of its appearance, hypertension occurs only in the morning, however, if measures are not taken to combat snoring, it becomes chronic. Therefore, you should not put off solving the problem of snoring “for later”!

Taking into account all of the above, it is reasonable to ask the question: is it possible to get rid of snoring on your own? Of course it is possible, but only in cases where it is caused by factors that do not require surgery or drug intervention. What to do if you snore, how can you help yourself?

Treatment of snoring with this method is possible in cases where:

In the vast majority of cases, the causes of snoring during sleep consist not of one, but of several components. Therefore, methods that aim to get rid of snoring during sleep should be focused on the comprehensive elimination of several causes.

Each of the components discussed earlier has its own nuances, and therefore we will dwell on the most important of them in more detail.

Extra pounds are harmful not only to respiratory functions, but also to the entire body as a whole. In this case, treatment should be directed towards losing weight. Get rid of excess weight - this will help solve a lot of related problems. The rate of weight loss should not exceed 3% of weight per month.

• maintaining the correct daily routine;
• using any diet;
• playing sports.

At the same time, it is advisable to get rid of such types of food as sugar, fatty foods, spicy foods and flour products in the diet. Particular mention should be made of the absence of carbonated drinks in the diet.

The diet should be varied with protein foods and vegetables, as well as foods high in fiber. In general, the usual recommendations for losing weight. In most cases, with a weight loss of about 5-10 kg, it is possible to cope with snoring without any additional measures.

And sometimes people stop snoring in the first weeks as soon as they switch to a new diet.

This phenomenon reduces muscle tone, which directly leads to why a person snores. The reason for this phenomenon is lack of sleep, stress and a busy work schedule.

In this case, advice on how to get rid of snoring will come down to reducing this accumulated fatigue, namely:

Bad habits

Alcohol causes the muscles of the oropharynx to relax. Tobacco smoke leads to mucosal injuries and swelling of the entire air “route” from the nose to the lungs. The combination of these two factors leads to quite severe snoring.

Undoubtedly, everyone understands that these weaknesses are difficult to eradicate, due to their enormous psychological dependence, therefore, smokers and drinkers are advised to reduce the doses of these substances as much as possible and refrain from using them at least two hours before bedtime, so as not to provoke snoring.

How to cure snoring on your own, without the help of medicine? There are several main ways to cure snoring on your own.

Ways to combat snoring include:

The practice of using anti-snoring exercises is also widespread:

• daily exercises of the lower jaw 5-6 times a day, move it 20-30 times back and forth;
• phonetic exercises: pronounce the vowels “a”, “e”, “s” 15-20 times a day, and “pull” each sound for 6-8 seconds - this removes the relaxation of the nasopharyngeal surface and the back wall of the oropharynx;
• move the tip of your tongue back and forth across the palate; 7-8 times a day for 10 full passes; such exercises combat flabbiness of the palate;
• 8-10 times a day it is necessary to make circular movements with the lower jaw 10 times clockwise and counterclockwise.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about how to treat snoring on your own. Such techniques can be used in any conditions and without any restrictions.

How to stop snoring professionally? There are many medical methods to solve the problem of snoring. They differ in their systematic approach, cost and effectiveness.

Let's look at them:

How to deal with snoring using the methods described? First you need to find out what treatment methods are available in medical institutions nearby. It would be useful to consult with friends who have already had experience in how to overcome snoring.

CPAP method

The English abbreviation “si-pap” means constant pressure in the respiratory system. Treatment of snoring with this method is carried out using a device to which the patient is connected at night. The device is a low-pressure compressor, which, as its name suggests, provides increased pressure in the patient's nasopharynx while he is sleeping. In fact, this is a kind of ventilator.

The result of therapy is the absence of apnea in a sleeping patient and additional enrichment of the blood with oxygen. Several procedures with “si-pap” lead to a noticeable improvement in well-being, while the “anti-snoring” effect lasts for several months. This procedure has proven itself well, and many patients, when snoring reappears, already know how to get rid of it.

In some cases, it is necessary to treat with surgery. This consists of correcting certain anatomical features or pathologies of the patient. They are classified depending on the instrument used, although they perform the same surgical procedure.

In 90% of cases, the shape of the uvula or soft palate is corrected. Sometimes the tongue is removed completely, sometimes it is trimmed.

They can be performed using a conventional scalpel, laser or a special radiofrequency device. The third option is the most painless for the patient, but it is very expensive. Laser surgery is cheaper, but requires some recovery period.

Classic surgery with a scalpel is currently not used because it is painful and has the longest recovery period. However, in some cases (for example, uvula correction with tonsil removal), only one can be used.

Medication methods

Consists in the use of various medications. Their spectrum of action can be quite wide: from anti-edematous action to increasing the elasticity of the muscles of the upper respiratory tract.

Sometimes they combine drugs with anti-allergenic and tonic effects.

It cannot be said that such therapy has a long-term effect, but it guarantees relief from symptoms overnight.

These include: palatal implants, clips and aligners. All of these special tools have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Palatal implants are installed almost on an outpatient basis. They are made in the form of small (20-25 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter) tubes that are inserted into the palate to reduce its vibration.

In fact, such an operation relieves the patient not only from snoring, but also from apnea.

The rehabilitation period after the procedure is about a day. The disadvantages of the method include the fact that it is sometimes not suitable for patients with anatomical features of the structure of the oropharynx.

Anti-snoring mouthguards are flexible plastic devices that prevent the lower jaw from moving during sleep and preventing the mouth from opening wide. Their use does not allow the soft palate to relax and almost completely eliminates snoring. These products are suitable for all patients, except those who have certain dental problems (in particular, the possible presence of certain types of dentures).

The healing time in this case ranges from one to three months. After this, snoring does not appear for six months or disappears completely.

Contraindications to this method include the presence of sore gums or decaying teeth in the patient. Also, their use is not recommended for patients with poor nasal airway patency.

Clips help solve the problem of how to quickly get rid of snoring. These products are made of silicone with magnetic inserts that stimulate the desired reflex zones on the surface of the respiratory tract. As a result of their influence, the muscles of the oropharynx are kept in good shape and do not sink. It is believed that the effectiveness of the clips begins to appear during the first week of use.

The considered causes of symptoms and treatment of snoring show how deep problems such an ordinary, one might say, everyday problem can cause when a person starts snoring. Timely identification of causes and treatment will help not only to recover from this disease, but also to remove the possible negative consequences of its complications - apnea and subsequent more serious diseases.

Kalinov Yuri Dmitrievich

Reading time: 6 minutes

Getting rid of snoring without finding out why a person snores in his sleep is impossible. The problem can be a symptom of various pathologies and diseases.

Why does a person snore

Snoring is one of the most common sleep disorders. Without timely diagnosis and treatment, it can lead to various hazardous health consequences. Most often it causes drowsiness during the day, nervousness, irritability and heart failure.

Snoring during sleep is not an independent illness, but a symptom of serious diseases. Therefore, if you or your loved ones are prone to snoring, you need to find out what causes this symptom. Why does a person snore in his sleep and what are the reasons for this? This question can be answered after a medical examination. Timely diagnosis and qualified treatment will help find the root of the problem and eliminate not only the unpleasant symptom, but also its causes.

Main causes of snoring

Functional reasons

To understand what snoring is, it is enough to know human physiology. Snoring can be caused not only by diseases of the respiratory system, but also by other changes in the human body. The reasons may be related to deformation of the walls of the respiratory tract and other changes in the body:

Self-diagnosis

If snoring occurs, the reasons may be different. And you can stop snoring only if you find the cause and eliminate it. There are tests to independently identify the causes of rhonchopathy:

1. Ease nasal breathing with sea buckthorn oil.
2. Ronchopathy often occurs when sleeping on the back. Therefore, it is better to force the person to choose a different position.
3. Using a special patch to normalize breathing, which can be purchased at a pharmacy.
4. The use of a special intraoral mechanism that prevents blockage of the respiratory lumen.
5. The use of a special compressor, which maintains the patient’s normal breathing throughout sleep. This device fights not only rhonchopathy, but also the dangerous complications it causes.
6. Take antihistamines before bed if the illness is caused by allergies.

Exercises

If you are constantly bothered by snoring, only an experienced doctor can tell you exactly what to do. However, a person can perform simple exercises independently. Regular exercise can help you get rid of this unpleasant symptom forever:

1. Push your tongue forward as far as possible. Then put it back in. Do the exercise 30 times.
2. Before going to bed, hold a small object between your teeth. Continue the exercise for several minutes.
3. Holding your chin with your hand, move your lower jaw from side to side. Repeat for 5 minutes.

Snoring is one of the most common sleep disorders that many people are familiar with. Snoring occurs mainly in men over 30 years of age, especially in those who are overweight. Snoring in your sleep may appear from time to time, and sometimes it becomes a constant accompaniment of sleep.

Why does snoring occur?

Periodic snoring in sleep not dangerous and does not affect health in any way. Constant snoring is a completely different matter, during which normal sleep is disrupted and complications may develop.

This problem occurs when air passes through the airways during sleep.

A specific sound is created by vibration of the walls of the larynx and soft palate. The reasons for the obstruction of air passage with the appearance of snoring may be:

- bacterial or allergic inflammation of the nasal mucosa

- growth of soft tissue in the nasopharynx due to obesity

- polyps in the nasal cavity

- deviated nasal septum

- congenital structural features of the soft palate and uvula

- age-related decrease in muscle tone of the nasopharynx, tongue and larynx

- deep sleep after drinking alcoholic beverages and sleeping pills

Why is it dangerous? snoring in sleep

A person who snores often wakes up at night, which disrupts normal night rest. After such a night, a person feels overwhelmed, tired, and wants to sleep during the day. Long lasting snoring in sleep leads to exhaustion of the nervous system, the development of neuroses and neurasthenia. During sleep, accompanied by snoring, the saturation of the body's tissues with oxygen is disrupted, which results in oxygen starvation - hypoxia, which is especially dangerous for the cardiovascular system and brain. This leads to the development of hypertension, angina pectoris, and if atherosclerosis is added, the likelihood of developing myocardial infarction and stroke increases sharply.

The most important problem is attacks of airway obstruction - apnea. Apnea attacks are manifested by periodic stops in breathing for a while. Such stops can last up to ten seconds. The development of attacks occurs as a result of the retraction of the soft tissues of the pharynx with the development of transient blockade of the respiratory tract. Apnea attacks can occur from several dozen to several hundred times during sleep. Such attacks dramatically increase the risk of developing various heart and vascular diseases.

How to get rid of snoring?

Getting rid of it is possible using different methods. First of all, people suffering from this problem need to reduce their body weight. To do this, you can use fasting days, include low-calorie foods, vegetables, fruits in your diet, and exclude fatty and sweet foods from your diet. It is also necessary to limit spices, seasonings, smoked meats, and spicy foods. Along with changing your eating habits, you should definitely increase physical activity and engage in simple sports.

Avoid drinking alcohol, sleeping pills, antihistamines and tranquilizers before bedtime. If necessary, drugs from these groups should be taken no later than an hour and a half before bedtime. It is necessary to avoid late feasts and tea parties. The last meal should be no later than 19.00. you need to try to develop the habit of going to bed always at the same time. Snoring in your sleep usually appears when sleeping on the back. To prevent snoring, you should try to sleep on your side, but it is better if the head of the bed is slightly raised.

In addition to all these measures, you can use various devices that are sold in pharmacies and help cope with this problem.

In some cases, all these methods of combating snoring remain ineffective. In this case, it is necessary to consult an otolaryngologist. Perhaps the reason is diseases of the nasopharynx, which can be treated with both therapeutic and surgical methods. Don't be afraid of surgical interventions. Operations to correct the nasal septum, remove tonsils and adenoids, plastic surgery of the soft palate and other interventions in the nasopharynx are performed under local anesthesia and are not complex surgical interventions.

Perhaps one of the main conditions for human health is proper sleep, which, unfortunately, not everyone can boast of. According to statistics, every fifth person in our country suffers from a problem such as snoring (you can safely multiply this number by at least two, since not only the snorer suffers, but also those who try to sleep next to him).

What is snoring

Snoring is a low-frequency vibrating sound that occurs when air passes through narrowed airways during sleep. During sleep, all the muscles of our body naturally relax, including a decrease in the tone of the muscular frame of the airways. In some cases (usually when the airways are narrowed), the relaxed muscular walls of the pharynx and soft palate come into contact with each other, causing a characteristic sound when inhaling, which is called snoring.

Where does it come from

There are a number of factors that predispose to snoring. Very often the cause is pathologies of the ENT organs, which lead to a decrease in the lumen of the airways. These are a deviated nasal septum, a congenital anomaly of the respiratory tract, nasal polyps, chronic rhinitis and sinusitis, chronic tonsillitis, adenoids, an enlarged uvula, neoplasms of the nose and pharynx.

Obesity, excessive consumption of alcohol, taking sleeping pills, and problems with the thyroid gland can also cause symptoms. Due to the fact that women's airways are wider than men's, the latter snore more often. There are more snorers among older people, which is due to the fact that with age the tone of the muscles of the larynx and soft palate decreases more and more, leading to the appearance of pathology.

Why is snoring in your sleep dangerous?

At first glance, snoring is a harmless and unpleasant phenomenon, more likely for others than for the sleeper, but in reality this is not the case. Snoring provokes constant micro-awakenings, which change the structure of sleep and do not allow a person to fully rest.

In addition, in a large percentage of cases, snoring is the first sign of the so-called “obstructive sleep apnea syndrome” (OSA), which is manifested by a short cessation of breathing during sleep. The number of such “breathing stops” can vary and sometimes reaches half a thousand per night. This leads to disruption of the body's oxygen supply and significantly impairs the quality of sleep and rest. Sleep is restless, and after waking up a person may complain of headache, fatigue, constant drowsiness, decreased overall performance and mood.

If the condition is not corrected in time - snoring is not eliminated - OSA can lead to increased blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, depression and even heart attacks and cerebrovascular accidents. Due to decreased concentration, the risk of injury increases. Therefore, if others complain that you snore, and you yourself notice the symptoms listed above, you should consult a doctor.

Diagnosis and treatment

Snoring is just a symptom, and in order to get rid of the symptom, you need to eliminate the cause of its occurrence. To exclude problems from the ENT organs, an otorhinolaryngological examination of the respiratory system is performed: rhinoscopy (examination of the nose), pharyngoscopy (examination of the pharynx) and laryngoscopy (examination of the larynx), computed tomography of the facial part of the skull. Another informative method is a polysomnographic study, which allows you to obtain information about the causes of sleep disturbance, its quality and structure.

Once the cause is found, the optimal treatment method is selected. It is usually recommended to reduce weight if you are obese, stop drinking excessive alcohol, and stop taking sleeping pills. In case of problems with the thyroid gland, the hormonal composition is normalized.

The causes of snoring from the ENT system are characterized by structural changes in organs and require surgical elimination - removal of nasal polyps, elimination of a deviated nasal septum, removal of enlarged tonsils, plastic surgery of the soft palate, etc. Treatment with medications in this case, as a rule, is of practically no benefit brings.

Olga Starodubtseva

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