We've all had nights where we just can't seem to get to sleep, tossing and turning for hours on end. But what if it's not you who's struggling to drift off – it's your partner, thanks to your snoring…

Not only is this unfair to them, but studies have shown that it can also put a strain on your relationship.

So, if you want to keep the peace (and both get some better shut-eye), it's time to do something about your snoring!

Before we get into some possible solutions, let's take a quick look at what causes snoring in the first place.

Snoring happens when the muscles and tissues that surround the upper airway (at the back of the nose to the throat region) vibrate during sleep. In most cases, it's simply due to relaxed muscles causing narrowing in these areas.

However, it can also be a symptom of sleep apnea – a condition where breathing regularly stops and starts throughout the night.

Sleep apnea can adversely affect your health. Credit: Pixabay in Pexels

With sleep apnea, the upper airway is also reduced in size when you fall asleep, but to a greater extent. The main difference is that your airflow gets reduced or is completely absent for at least 10 seconds to a minute. Which is both dangerous and scary!

If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to major health problems like obesity, hypertension, and strokes.

Other health hazards caused by snoring are less clear. Some results suggest an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, some snorers (plus their partners) worry that the treatments could be as disruptive as the snoring itself.

If that’s something you also worry about, fret not! There are safe options that improve breathing, address snoring and help treat sleep apnea.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (or CPAP) therapy is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. A machine helps deliver air – at a specific pressure – to the nose or mouth via a mask. If used regularly, this method improves breathing and reduces symptoms of sleep apnea.

If you want to know everything about CPAP machines, you may like to read our previous article here.

However, others might not like the CPAP machine or have a different preference.

There are several ways to treat sleep apnea. Credit: Pixabay in Pexels

Wearing a mouthguard is another way to treat snoring. A mouthguard is designed to move your jaw forward and increase the size and stability of your airway. This also improves breathing.

A very drastic way to cure snoring (permanently) involves upper airway surgery, but this method should be consulted with your GP first!

Weight loss can also help improve your breathing because it gets rid of excess tissue that’s obstructing your airway.

Even sleeping on your side helps reduce snoring, and improve your sleeping pattern.

Several medications are being investigated to improve or restore muscle activity and upper airway stability, but this may not come to fruition any time soon.

Finally, if you’re a regular snorer or suffer from sleep apnea, you can strengthen your upper airway muscles by undergoing training exercises from speech therapists.

Here’s a great example of throat exercises to reduce snoring and sleep apnea:

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Key Takeaways

• Snoring occurs when the muscles and tissues that surround the upper airway vibrate during sleep.
• Snoring can be a symptom of the most common sleep-related breathing disorder: obstructive sleep apnea.
• Untreated sleep apnea can have major adverse health and safety consequences.
• There are several potential treatments for snoring and sleep apnea, including lifestyle changes, surgical interventions, and medication.

Well, members, there you go! What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments below! Also, if you suspect you have sleep apnea, or if you have already been diagnosed with it, you should discuss your options with your GP or a sleep physician.

 

[Ricci]

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea but I don't do anything for it. I did try the cpap machines but it didn't matter what size mask I tried I had an allergic reaction to the mask and a very red, swollen face. Every night I would put the damn thing on and every morning I had ripped it off and it was lying next to me on the bed. Fat lot of good that was, so eventually my doctor and I decided to give it the boot.

 

[Suzanne rose]

My husband recently did a sleep study test for Apnea , we went to their rooms at 7pm while they wired him up and then it was back home, he had to sleep with it on , problem was he couldn't sleep and was still awake at 4am , he came into my room wanting help to take it off.

He never repeated the test. He is a terrible snorer and I'm sure he has sleep Apnea , his snore get louder and louder then it's like he stops breathing then it starts over again , during this I also believe he comes out of the deep sleep. He wakes up tired every day, he also has high blood pressure and is not over weight.

This was one if the main reasons we now have separate rooms along with my own illness