Snoring; The Common Sleep Disorder

Snoring, the Common Sleep Disorder 

Snoring is a common sleep disorder that occurs more frequently in men than women.  Some are occasional snorers, others habitual, some are mostly a nuisance to partners, and others indicate a more serious problem.  If you snore, it’s important to know what causes snoring and how to stop snoring.

What Causes Snoring

The most common cause of snoring is the long soft palate or uvula, which can block the opening at the back of the throat, causing your airways to obstruct.  Other causes could be allergies or sinus infection; even your weight can cause snoring.

Stop Snoring Tips

If you are an occasional snorer, your snoring is mostly a nuisance to your partner, whereas if you are habitual, your snoring can disrupt household sleep patterns and ultimately lead to more serious health problems such as sleep apnea. 

If you snore occasionally, there are some simple solutions you can adopt to help you stop snoring: 

• Lose weight and improve your eating habits
• Avoid sleeping pills, alcohol, antihistamines, heavy meals and snacks at least four hours before you go to bed
• Establish a regular bedtime routine and sleeping pattern
• Sleep on your side and avoid sleeping on your back
• Prop the head of your bed up four inches, not just your pillows
• Replace your pillows with special sleep pillows
• And, sleep on a good quality mattress that supports your posture. 

If you are a habitual snorer, it’s important to seek medical advice, and address what impact your snoring has on you and your partner’s health.  

Side Effects of Snoring 

Snoring deprives you and your partner of good restful sleep, and the side effects of snoring do not stop there, left untreated you could suffer from: 

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Behavioural problems
• Difficulty concentrating
• Restless sleep
• Sore throat
• High blood pressure
• Irregular heartbeat
• Increased risk from motor vehicle accidents
• And relationship problems 

If your snoring is loud and disruptive to your partners sleep, or you find yourself waking up choking or gagging, you could be heading towards a more serious condition called sleep apnea. 

Snoring and Sleep Posture 

The major cause of snoring is a poor quality mattress, which tends to disturb your sleep due to bad posture, adding to your tiredness and compounding sleeping disorders. Wrong sleeping postures and mild snoring can easily be overcome by improving your posture and the quality of your bed and mattress. Your sleeping posture and mattress play a vital role in the cause of your snoring. A good quality mattress should support your neck and back, providing you with the right balance of soft and firmness to avoid body aches and disturbed sleep. Improper sleep postures can be corrected using a mattress with adjustable heights and special pillows that provide you with the right amount of support for your neck, shoulders and back. Special sleep pillows such as memory foam, anti snoring pillows; orthopaedic neck pillows and body pillows offer greater comfort and support, resulting in a more restful slumber. 

Snoring is a common sleep disorder, and with proper interventions such as treatment, diet and lifestyle, a regular bedtime routine and good quality mattress, you can develop good sleeping postures and decrease your risk of developing more serious conditions.

Improve your posture and snoring with Bed King’s supporting range of mattresses, bedding and bedroom furniture available at www.bedking.co.za