Snoring is a
nuisance that can affect most people at any given time in their
lives. Little things like colds or sinus infections can bring on
the occasional night of snoring. Allergy season can be a common
culprit as well. Pregnancy or over indulging in alcohol has also
been known to induce temporary bouts of snoring. Just getting through
the occasional night of snoring can be challenging for you and your
partner. Imagine if you suffered from snoring on a more ongoing
and chronic level.Chronic snoring does have far reaching
consequences that can affect day to day life in ways that the
occasional night of sleep deprivation does not. Not only does
this long-term sleep deprivation cause you to feel listless and
tired throughout the day, but your work and general daily performance
may suffer as well as your relationships with other people. Feeling
tired leaves you moody and irritable making it unlikely that people
will want to be around you for any length of time. Your sleeping
partner may be experiencing many of these same problems. This
makes for a very tense and anxious relationship within the home.
If you realize that your snoring problem is more chronic in nature,
there are both medical and non-medical treatments available to
you.
First, seek medical attention. Chronic snoring can be a sign
of a more serious underlying medical condition such as heart disease,
diabetes or even an impending stroke. Once a doctor has checked
you and other more serious conditions have been ruled out, there
are more natural approaches that you can take to try to decrease
your snoring. If you are overweight, losing weight will help.
To help keep your airway open and flowing, try sleeping with the
top of your mattress elevated rather than using a pillow. The
pillow will bend your neck in such a way that it will decrease
airflow. Try sleeping on your side. Avoid alcohol and eating before
bed and do not resort to sedatives. Avoid milk products. Dairy
products thicken our mucus lining making congestion more likely
which, in turn, causes an increase in snoring.
If none of the non-medical approaches have any affect, there
are medical options available to you. There are a variety of dental
and oral devices on the market today that many people use to reduce
chronic snoring. There are also surgical procedures available.
One popular procedure that has been met with great success is
the Pillar Procedure. Endorsed by Dr.’s Jennifer Jordan
and Dwight Lee, Dallas, TX experts in sleep apnea and chronic
snoring, the Pillar Procedure involves inserting three tiny woven
inserts into the soft palate of your mouth which effectively eliminates
or reduces the vibrations that cause the snoring sound. Best of
all, it can be done in one office visit and is pain-free. Check
with your physician. Only a doctor can determine the cause of
the snoring and advise you on which option would work best for
you.
