Common Ailments

SNORING

Most people know what snoring is, with many of us having suffered from being disturbed by a less than silent sleeping partner. In fact snoring is an extremely common complaint affecting between 30 to 40 percent of all adults.

It is particularly common in middle-aged and older men, often affecting those suffering from obesity. Women and children also snore however. Snoring can be disruptive and the condition has a number of causes.

WHAT IS THAT NOISE?

The noise we refer to as snoring is caused when air flows past relaxed tissues in the throat, specifically tissues within the soft palate and other parts of the upper respiratory tract.

As the air is drawn past these tissues it causes them to vibrate as you breathe. The tissues are most likely to vibrate once a person has entered a deeper sleep. As a state of deeper relaxation occurs, the soft palate, tongue and throat similarly relax which can cause a narrowing of the airway.

When a person's airway becomes narrowed the airflow becomes more forceful pushing against obstructing tissue causing it to vibrate. The link between deep relaxation and snoring explains why people who drink large quantities of alcohol before sleeping are more likely to snore. Alcohol acts like a sedative and as such relaxes the throat muscles.

OTHER CAUSES

Obesity is a common cause of snoring. This is because obesity causes increased pressure on the airway, causing it to narrow. Smoking also contributes to the condition by causing congestion in the nose and lungs.

This congestion again constitutes a narrowing of the airway. Various types of obstruction or deformities in the nose or throat can also lead to snoring.

These range from a person having an excessively long soft palate or uvula (the little piece of flesh that hangs down from the rear portion of the soft palate) to enlarged adenoids or tonsils, a common cause of snoring in children.

SLEEP APNOEA

In some cases snoring can be caused by one of the forms of sleep apnoea.

Sleep apnoea is the name given to a range of conditions that all cause people to stop breathing for periods between 10-30 seconds whilst asleep - 'apnoea' is the clinical term for a pause in breathing. This condition is far less common than general snoring, affecting only around 5% of middle-aged people.

Sleep apnoea can have serious consequences if left untreated having been shown in research to lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease.

If you feel that you or your partner may be suffering with sleep apnoea, you should consult your GP for a formal diagnosis and treatment.

The key symptom is the occurrence of pauses in breathing whilst asleep. Many sufferers find they wake suddenly in the night with a choking feeling as they struggle for breathing during these pauses.

Daytime fatigue is another common symptom.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Lifestyle changes that can reduce snoring:-

• Losing weight is one key lifestyle change you can make to reduce snoring as it decreases pressure on your airway
• It is generally recommended that you exercise for 20 minutes or more at least 2 or 3 times a week
• Avoiding alcohol, sleeping pills or sedatives for three hours before going to bed.
• Sleeping on your side or with your head elevated - some people raise their pillows or the top end of the bed

Ask your Numark Pharmacist about treatments available which may help prevent snoring.