Despite my top notch level of accommodating people, one of the things I dislike while sleeping amidst people is to sleep with someone who snores and may be I'm not that accommodating enough, but the truth is I belong to the type who easily get awake with a short beep sound effect, so, while I was growing up, I initially find it difficult to sleep with someone who seems to be snoring while sleeping.
Growing up in a big family has a lot of advantages and disadvantages, and one of its advantages is the ability to relate and tolerate people of different behavior, although, I spent little time before I could fully adapt to the settings and since there was no alternative because I just have to sleep and the fact that sleep is not a choice but a necessity, however, during those days, I usually observed and analysed those among us who usually snore while sleeping, it got to a point when I concluded based on my observation then that the tendency of snoring while sleeping is common among fat people and less likely among slim people, as such, I discouraged myself from marrying a fat partner when I grow up, even when I did not really know what marriage is all about.
How true was my assertion then? Are there any other factors which can trigger snoring while sleeping? Is snoring hereditary? and many more related questions are begging for answer as I was growing up, especially when I started view things not only within my intellectual capacity but seeking out expert who disagree with me and weighing the strength of logic and evidence.
Snoring while sleeping can be referred to an act of making heavy sound breathing through your mouth while in sleeping state. the nose is usually in block state during the process, as shown in the image above.
However, my further investigation into the causes of snoring why sleeping shows that a lot of things may be held responsible before such could occur.
Causes
The causes can be categorized majorly into two: Temporal and structural factors while some factors are regarded as risk factors. i.e. potential factors that may initiate snoring while sleeping
Temporal factors
There are some temporal factors which when engage in may result to snoring, for instance: sleeping position, excessive smoking of cigarette, taking of alcohol and drug use, long soft palate and/or uvula, bulky throat tissue, Poor muscle tone in throat and tongue, sedative use among others belongs to temporal factors which are not permanent, but lasted for a short period of time.
Structural factors
Some factors resulting in snoring while sleeping are long term in nature, a typical and common example include Blocked nasal airways (a situation where snoring while sleeping only happen during allergy season or when there is problem in one's nose like a deviated septum or nasal polyps), uncontrolled weight around the neck , nose and jaw are all more of long term in nature.
Risk factors
Risk factors are the potential factors which its presence are likely to initiate snoring, some of them are: Being a man, being overweight, having a narrow airway, heredity (having a family history of snoring or obstructive sleep apnea), having nasal problems, alcohol drinking among others.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Snoring
The effect of snoring can never be overlooked, it may cause you to loose a good relationship, I have seen and heard people molesting their partners with snoring once there is a fight between them, as such discussing snoring without providing a solution may not be good enough, however snoring is not a disease on its own, it is usually related with a sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Some of the treatments include:
- Lifestyle changes
This involve changing one's lifestyles that are potential factors towards snoring, like getting involve in daily exercise in order to loose weight, reduction or stopping of alcohol intake before bed time, and reduction or stopping of smoking, also sleeping position should be changed.
- Oral appliances
This involve the act of wearing specially made device in one's mouth and before sleeping in order to control snoring while sleeping,
- Surgery
There exist a lot of medical procedures out there that can help to stop snoring while sleeping, example include the removal or the use of shrink tissues in one's throat by certified medical personel, or by ensuring your soft palate to be more stiffer.
- A continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP)
This involves the use of a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea which in turn may eliminate snoring through the blowing of air into one's airways while sleeping.
Final thought
Let me conclude by discussing some of the mechanisms one may apply when sleeping with those who are used to snore while sleeping:
- By ignoring the sound of snoring
It may not be easy to ignore in the beginning, one may start by listening to music, with the wearing of of ear plug, such as inexpensive soft foam ear plugs, silicone noise-reducing ear plugs among others.
- Make a touch or change your partner’s sleeping position
This will not cost you anything than to just touch your partner or try as much as possible to change his/her position, especially if he / she is lying on her back. I have personally tried touching method in the past and it works for a while, so it may not be recommended as a permanent therapy.
- Encourage your sleeping partner to see a doctor
You may politely explain to your sleeping partner without any form of insult to see a doctor and get examined on how he / she usually snores while sleeping, you may even volunteer to accompany him/her.
I hope applying one or two of the mechanisms discussed abobe will surely make a difference.
Have you slept with a snoring partner before and may be you have also been the victim of snoring before? how did you handle the situation(s)?
I will like to read your personal experience on the subject matter. Thanks for your interaction in advance.