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Snoring is a condition that affects 45% of normal adults and can be a
signal that something is seriously wrong with one's breathing during sleep.
Men are generally more likely to snore than pre-menopausal women, however,
women who have gone through menopause are just as likely to snore as men.
Children generally do not snore unless they have enlarged tonsils or adenoids.
The causes can be:
- Poor muscle tone in the throat and the tongue.
- Alcohol and sleeping pills relax the muscles too much, causing snoring
- Blocked nasal passages.
- A long soft palate and uvula narrows the passage from the nose to the throat - They can flutter during relaxed breathing causing snoring
- Deformities in the nose or nasal septum - Deviated septum refers to a malformation in the wall that separates the nostrils.
Treatments include:
- Exercise regularly.
- Avoid sleeping pills and antihistamines before bedtime.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages within 3 hours before bedtime
- Avoid heavy meals within 3 hours before bedtime
- Sleep on the side rather than in supine position. To keep from turning you can sew a pocket with a tennis ball in it on the back of your pajamas.
- If snoring becomes disruptive to the snorer and his/her family,
consult a health care professional. The snoring may be a symptom of obstructive
sleep apnea.
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