Farhnaz Fazli | Contributor
Featured image: To sleep, or not to sleep effectively… is it really a question? | Courtesy of Pranav Digwal
Snoring—the familiar loud buzzing sound probably coming from your roommates after one of you has already fallen asleep.
Snoring is caused by tissue in the nose and mouth vibrating due to trouble inhaling and exhaling breaths of air while asleep. This sleeping condition can be due to multiple factors, such as age, weight gain, build, nasal and sinus problems, and/or sleep posture.
Although snoring can’t entirely disappear for some, there are many ways in which it can be managed.
With age, the muscles in the throat begin to narrow, disrupting the passage of air that travels between the mouth and nose.
Excess fat tissue around the neck can also contribute to the vibration against this tissue—yet for some, snoring is hereditary.
Men generally have a narrow throat, cleft palate (connects mouth to nose), and enlarged tonsils that make them more prone to snoring. Stuffy noses due to allergies could also lead to snoring, as inhalation can be difficult with blocked airways.
Sleep posture is another possible reason for snoring—for those who sleep flat on their back, the tissue and other muscles in the throat relax, which blocks the airway and leads to snoring.
If snoring is due to aging or hereditary features, experts recommend lifestyle changes, such as throat exercises and changing bedtime routines.
In order to effectively reduce snoring, bedtime habits need to be changed. Some may include changing one’s sleeping position, which may require some training. Elevating the head with a pillow may ease breathing, as it pushes the tongue and jaw forward, which opens the airways.
If the inability to sleep persists even after changing positions, anti-snoring mouth appliances may be the best option—they resembles a mouth-guard and help open the airway.
Taking allergy medication (if allergic) and/or rinsing sinuses with saline or other decongestants every night before bed can also ease one’s breathing troubles.
“Sleep problems can undermine performance, well-being, and interpersonal relationships. In general, feelings of being exhausted are widespread among high school and university students, and this exhaustion is likely fuelling problems with anxiety and depression, and general feelings of stress and pressure,” says Professor Gordon Flett, director of LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research and Canada research chair in Personality and Health.
While snoring can be a nuisance, it can sometimes be a sign of a serious underlying condition called sleep apnea. This sleep disorder is a serious condition, which causes temporary breathing interruptions.
Extreme fatigue and sleepiness during the day are indications of sleep apnea, as well as morning headaches, weight gain, and more severely, pauses of breathing during sleep.
If you find that yourself or a roommate chokes, gasps, and snores heavily as they sleep, seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
