Health experts warn snoring could be more than just an annoyance for your partner
It’s National Snoring Week and we all know how annoying it can be to be kept awake by our other half.
Well you're not alone, stats show it affects nearly half of all men, as well as one in four women.
But, Yakubu Karagama- based at the Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle- has been studying the causes and told us people shouln't ignore it.
“This is as much for the person who is expected to put up with the sound as it is for the snorer him or her-self,
“Often as not, when people come to me due to problems caused by snoring, that person’s sleeping partner is agreeing as much as the snorer themselves when they describe how disruptive snoring can be to sleep.
“In some cases, there can even be what’s described as ‘obstructive sleep apnoea’ where the snorer does not breath for 10 seconds or so. It can all lead to daytime tiredness, sleepiness, lack of concentration and a long-term risk of cardiovascular diseases and depression.
“Although it’s best to get checked out properly, just knowing what causes a person to snore could alleviate some of the noisy effects and lead to a better night’s sleep for everyone.”
Here’s seven sources of snoring:
- Being overweight - a BMI of over 25 is associated with more snoring
- Having a blockage in your nose or upper airway, which may also be caused by a growth or polyp - a surgeon may use a small camera on a flexible hose (an endoscope) to take a look at potential blockages
- Having large tonsils or adenoids - large ones may block or obstruct the airway and may need an operation to fix it
- Different throat shapes - snoring is mostly caused when the structures at the back of the throat vibrate; sometimes the noise reduces if a surgeon trims the soft palate with a special laser
- The size and position of your tongue - if you sleep on your back, this may cause your tongue to relax at the back of your throat and create the snore
- The shape of your jaw
- Temporary snoring caused by having a cold, alcohol or drowsiness-inducing drug