No one wants to hear that they snore, which is why so many of us are quick to dismiss, deny, or redirect any claim that the strange, snuffling, snorting noise someone else heard came from us. While we may not like to think that we are one of the 40% of men and 25% of women who snore at least once in awhile, refusing to hear the truth can have real consequences. Snoring can cause problems in several areas of your life.
First, it may be a sign that you have a serious sleep disorder like sleep apnea which can cause serious health problems if left untreated. Second, it can keep you from getting the sleep you need to safeguard your health. Lack of sleep has been linked to increased risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Third, it can keep loved ones from getting the sleep they need which may lead to sleeping separately and even relationship issues.
If you snore on a regular basis, the first thing you need to do is talk to your doctor. You need to rule out underlying medical problems that may be causing you to snore like untreated allergies and discuss the possibility that you have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. Getting a sleep study done at one of Valley Sleep Center’s convenient locations allows your doctor to understand what is happening when you sleep and aids in the diagnosis and treatment of the sleep disorders that cause snoring.
In addition to visiting Valley Sleep Center and discussing your snoring with your doctor, you can try these tips to help everyone in your house get a good night sleep.
1. Shift How You Sleep
Sleeping on your back can create the perfect conditions for snoring. Snuggling up with a full-length body pillow can make sleeping on your side more comfortable. You can also elevate the head of your bed slightly which can help open nasal passages.
2. Watch Your Weight
Being overweight can take twice the toll on your sleep. It can create the conditions that cause non-sleep disordered snoring which makes it harder to get a good night sleep. Not getting enough sleep increases the risk factor of being overweight.
3. Don’t Drink
Alcohol and other sedatives like over the counter sleeping pills can make you snore, even if you don’t normally because it relaxes the muscles in your throat and creates the conditions that cause snoring. For those who do snore, alcohol can make snoring worse.
4. Stick to a Schedule
Practicing good sleep hygiene can help alleviate snoring. Getting up and going to bed at the same time each day helps keep you from becoming overtired. When you are overtired, you are more likely to snore.
5. Avoid Allergies
If you suffer from regular allergies that make breathing through your nose difficult during sleep, work with your doctor to alleviate these symptoms. Seasonal allergies, pet allergies, and even excessive dust in your bedroom can make it harder to breathe during sleep which may cause snoring.
Snoring may seem like a simple annoyance but because it can be a symptom of a serious sleep disorder, it is not something you should self-treat. If you snore, make an appointment with your regular doctor or with one of Valley Sleep Center’s sleep professionals to find out why you are snoring and what you need to do to get help to stop.
Related Articles:
- 5 Tips for Fighting Fatigue (valleysleepcenter.com)
- What Causes Excessive Sleepiness? (valleysleepcenter.com)
- What You Don’t Know About Sleep Could Hurt You (valleysleepcenter.com)
