Causes of snoring and how to stop snoring
Snoring may seem harmless, but it's important to contact a sleep doctor to rule out more serious issues.
Sleeping is one of the most important things people do because it is during sleep that many of the body's functions that keep it running well are fixed. People often think that it is normal to snore when they are resting. However, this is not the case, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) explains why.
Esmeralda Godoy, a researcher at the UNAM's Sleep Clinic, says that people who snore might not get to the deep phase of sleep and might not even get their bodies and minds to heal.
The expert says that sleep has different stages: the first and second are light sleep, and the third is deep sleep. After that comes the REM phase, which is when our eyes move quickly back and forth while we rest and dream. This is very important because it calms the body as a whole.
In the last phase, breathing stops, called apneas, happen more often and for longer periods. This is why people who snore don't get to this stage. This is because they keep waking up a little bit. After all, they snore, and also because their breathing isn't as steady during this time.
The cause of snoring
Snoring is caused by airway blockage and vibrations in the palate, tongue, soft tissues of the mouth, and oropharynx. This problem could be caused by a problem with the palate or tongue. But snoring can also be a sign of something wrong with your sleep, like Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome. The thorax and abdomen try to pull air into the airway, but neither the nose nor the mouth work. So, either the amount of oxygen in the blood drops or the amount of CO2 goes up.
The consequences of snoring
People who snore have stiffer carotid arteries. The carotid arteries are blood vessels on both sides of the neck that carry blood to the brain and head. People who snore constantly breathe in and out through their mouths, which isn't a good place to do this. As a result, the uvula gradually grows longer, which makes the palate longer, makes it more floppy, and makes people snore more. The mouth gets drier, and the tonsils might start to burn.
How to stop snoring?
The treatment to get rid of sleep apnea depends on how bad the disorder is. If it's mild, losing weight and using a mandibular advancement prosthesis are enough to move the jaw forward a few millimeters so that air can flow easily.
When the problem is moderate, the patient needs to be studied to find out how often he or she stops breathing. This is done with CPAP, which is an air generator. If you think you have this syndrome, you should not try to figure out what's wrong on your own. Instead, you should see a doctor.
