Snoring is a common phenomenon. Does your family member, friend or your life partner snore frequently at night and driving you crazy? Or, in the midst of your sleep, have you ever heard some “pleasant music” and are awaken by their snoring?

An Asian country’s study report discovered that about 52% of people snore when they fall asleep. And chances that men snore are higher than women.

Why do we snore?
When we breathe normally, our respiratory tract is widely open. But when we lie down to sleep, our soft palate, tongue, epiglottis, and soft tissues will be over-relaxed and they will sag, causing blockage in our respiratory tract. When we breathe, the air will bump against the soft palate and cause vibration, producing sound of snoring. 

Who are those who prone to snore?
1.  People who are overweight
Overweight will cause your epiglottis, tongue, and soft palate to grow larger, and it increases the possibility of blockages to your respiratory tract. But it doesn’t mean that skinny people will have no snoring problem because obesity is not the only reason for that!

2.  Breathing through mouth frequently 
As you breathe through mouth, your tongue and other muscles will move towards your respiratory tract and your soft palate will sag backwardly, blocking your respiratory tract, causing irregular air flow which results in snoring. 

3.  Drinking alcohol or taking sleeping pills for long term 
Long term alcoholic drinking and consumption of sleeping pills will cause your throat muscle to lose its elasticity during sleep. It becomes soft and blocks your respiratory tract, and you end up snoring.

Perhaps we would think that there is nothing serious about snoring. It is not some kind of big sickness. Instead, we feel that snoring shows that we sleep soundly. But, in reality, just like high blood pressure and diabetes, snoring is a chronic disease. If our respiratory tract is blocked by excessive fat or muscles surrounding it because of structural sagging, it will lead to sleep apnea, which means you stop breathing temporarily (for more than 10 seconds) in your sleep.

On top of that, snoring causes disruption to your sleep. Hence, in long run you will be deprived of your sleep, be drained of energy as you suffer from hypoxia.  If thing turns worst, you might experience sudden death due to hypoxia, arrhythmia, increased risk of heart attack, stroke and cerebrovascular disease, and the possibility is 3-4 times higher.

How to Stop Snoring?
1.  Reduce your weight 
This is the best method which won’t harm your body.

2.  Sleep on your sides
Sleeping on the sides allow your tissue not be pressurized by your weight or sink down on top of your respiratory tract.

3.  Exercise more 
Exercise can increase the stretchability and vitality of your muscles. 

4.  Use CPAP
Enable to channel the air to your respiratory tract and to push it open.

Lastly, if you have changed your lifestyle yet there is no improvement on snoring problem, then it is advisable for you to see a doctor to choose the proper and right medical treatment!