Sleep quality determines how deep and restorative sleep a person gets throughout the night. Quality sleep helps us be more energetic during the day, increase our mental acuity and protect our general health. However, stress, irregular sleep habits, technology use and other factors can negatively affect sleep quality. Although snoring may seem like a funny or normal thing for many people, it can actually indicate a serious sleep problem. Snoring is usually caused by reasons such as congestion in the nose or throat, enlarged adenoids, or the tongue not being positioned correctly. Snoring can disrupt sleep and be disturbing for both the snorer and the people around him.
What is snoring?
Snoring is a sound phenomenon that usually occurs during the light stages of sleep due to obstruction or narrowing of the respiratory tract. This condition is characterized by sounds caused by the relaxation and vibration of the soft tissues in the respiratory tract (tongue, soft palate, throat). Snoring can often be bothersome and the underlying causes of this condition may be various.
Although snoring is usually harmless, it can sometimes be a symptom of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. People with sleep apnea often experience sudden difficulty breathing while snoring.
Why do we snore?
Snoring is a sound phenomenon that usually occurs in the upper respiratory tract, especially in the nose and throat area. This sound occurs when airflow is blocked, usually due to relaxation of the soft palate, tongue, or throat muscles. Snoring can usually be a harmless condition, but sometimes it can be a symptom of a serious underlying health problem. A few common causes of snoring are:
- During sleep, the tongue and soft palate relax. This can lead to narrowing of the airway and the production of vibrating sounds.
- Adenoids are a condition that is usually common in children, but can sometimes grow in adults as well. Adenoid enlargement can block the airway and cause snoring.
- Nasal congestion, especially during conditions such as colds or allergies, can make nasal breathing difficult and cause snoring.
- Sleeping on your back can cause the tongue and soft palate to block the airway and cause snoring. Side or stomach positions can often reduce snoring.
- When alcohol or some muscle relaxants are used, the muscles relax more and the risk of snoring may increase.
- Excess weight or obesity can cause throat tissues to swell and narrow the airway, which can lead to snoring.
- With the aging process, decreased muscle tone and loosening of tissues can increase the risk of snoring.
What is good for snoring?
Snoring is a sound that occurs due to partial or complete closure of the airway during sleep and can be disturbing for the person and his/her environment. Snoring can be a sign of more serious health problems such as sleep apnea. Herbal solutions to prevent snoring:
- Dead nettle: Nettle has anti-inflammatory and blood flow-increasing properties. Thanks to these properties, it can help prevent snoring. You can consume nettle as tea.
- Eucalyptus oil: Eucalyptus oil is an oil that helps open the respiratory tract. Thanks to this feature, it can help prevent snoring. You can use eucalyptus oil by dropping a few drops on your pillow.
- Mint oil: Peppermint oil has expectorant and respiratory-opening properties. Thanks to these properties, it can help prevent snoring. You can use peppermint oil by dropping a few drops on your pillow.
How to cure snoring?
Depending on the underlying causes of snoring, there are many different approaches and treatment options. However, although there is no specific treatment method to completely eliminate the snoring problem, the following suggestions can reduce the severity of snoring:
- Sleeping on your back can cause the tongue and soft palate to block the airway and cause snoring. Side or stomach positions can often reduce snoring.
- If you tend to sleep on your back during sleep, you can use a supportive pillow for sleeping on your side.
- Regular sleep habits, adequate sleep time, and creating a comfortable sleep environment can help reduce snoring. Additionally, avoiding alcohol and heavy meals can also reduce snoring.
- Obesity is one of the factors that can cause snoring. Maintaining a healthy weight can prevent swelling of throat tissues and reduce snoring.
- If snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, appropriate treatment methods should be considered to treat this condition. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) devices are a widely used method in the treatment of sleep apnea.
- Anti-snoring devices designed to prevent the tongue or tissues under the jaw from blocking the airway during sleep can be used. These devices can help reposition the tongue or keep the airway open.
Nasal strips can help reduce snoring due to nasal congestion. Nasal opening strips enable better breathing by widening the nostrils.
If there is an anatomical problem underlying the snoring problem, surgical intervention may be considered. Soft palate surgeries, adenoid surgeries, or other surgical options aimed at opening the upper airway may be considered in certain cases.
Does snoring tape work?
Nowadays, nasal strips, also known as snoring tapes, are used as a definitive solution to snoring. The snore strip works to widen the airway by opening the nostrils. In this way, the airway is closed and snoring is prevented. Whether a snore patch works or not depends on the cause and severity of the person’s snoring. Snoring tape may be more effective for people who snore due to nasal congestion. However, snoring tape may be ineffective in people who snore because structures such as the tongue or soft palate block the airway.
There is some research showing that snore patches work. One study found that people who used snoring patches had a 50% reduction in snoring severity. Another study found that people who used snoring tape had an improvement in their sleep quality.