Ronchopathy afflicts every third man, but it does not avoid women and children either. Why is snoring not only annoying but also dangerous?
Snoring affects men more often than women. Why?
According to the Czech Industrial Health Insurance Company, 35% of men aged between 35 and 65 snore. That's more than one in three. Compared to eight percent of women, that's a relatively high number. Ladies, unlike men, have the advantage of larger, less flexible airways. Where there is more space and less movement, there is less often the kind of relaxation that would cause that lumbering sound. As men are often less able to breathe, they tend to sleep on their backs and with their mouths open. And as you may know, that's the ideal position for making the loudest sounds. And you may not have thought of it, but even babies can have problems with snoring - for them, it's usually due to enlarged nasal tonsils.
Generally speaking, snoring is nothing but vibrations. The moving air hits unstable obstacles, such as a soft palate or enlarged tissue in the nasopharynx. Several factors are to blame for this sleep disorder. Sometimes it's even a combination. That you were offended when your doctor told you to lose weight? Well, you might want to reconsider. He didn't mean to alarm you, but he honestly recommended a possible solution. For women, increased weight may be to blame, not just obesity. Even pregnant women, due to hormonal changes and weight gain, swell the body, and so moms-to-be may suddenly start snoring (even if they have never been affected by similar problems before).
You can also make the situation worse by smoking, but you probably know that cigarettes are not good for your health. And how does this happen? Because smoke moves mucus upwards in the airways. This also makes smokers more susceptible to various upper respiratory diseases. The third bogeyman for your sleeping companion will be alcohol. This relaxes the muscles in the throat, so the vibes can kick into high gear and give your snoring a real kick! And no, that's not all. You can also induce Ronchopathy by eating more food before falling asleep, taking hypnotics, or simply inheriting it from your ancestors. There are many possibilities. Fortunately, so are the solutions.
Some people have anatomical anomalies (such as deformities of the nose and nasal septum) that need to be examined and, if necessary, professionally corrected, but others just need to improve their sleep hygiene or change the position in which they lie down to sleep. In any case, the likelihood of men snoring increases exponentially with age, with up to 54% of men experiencing it after the age of 40.
Zdroj: Giphy
Do you think snoring only causes problems in a relationship when lovers try not to fall in love while one resists smothering the other in sleep? That's hyperbolic, of course, but more than once couples have to decide how to deal with the situation, not infrequently ending up with separate bedrooms or a big fight. But there are worse risks than an angry partner: snoring can be a sign of a much more serious problem - sleep apnoea, for example. You may have heard of it - it's a condition where you simply stop breathing for a few seconds. Does that sound scary? It is scary! It can even result in the development of cardiovascular disease.
Even if you don't know what's happening to you while you sleep, you may observe the following selected symptoms of sleep apnoea:
- You are very tired during the day, even if you spend a lot of time in bed.
- Fatigue leads to falling asleep during the day and reduced performance.
- You have a headache. This just happens with poor quality rest.
- Do you wake up often and don't know why? Your body automatically woke you up!
- You haven't had a dream in a long time? Maybe now you know the reason.
- You're depressed. Because you're just exhausted.
It's definitely a good idea to see a doctor. Maybe they'll recommend a sleep lab. Don't worry, they won't treat you like an experimental mouse. You just fall asleep and the machines measure what's happening to you while you sleep. It's much easier to find solutions with enough information. Especially since snoring doesn't have to be a problem that exists on its own. It can be a symptom of internal diseases, for example. Just think of your last cold. You probably snored, didn't you? But what if you're suffering from something more serious than a cold or allergies?
Although we recommend that you see a doctor first, it is also possible to try some of the old-fashioned advice or over-the-counter products. There are sprays, herbal drops and other extracts that are designed to firm up the soft tissue before falling asleep. Some recommend starting with a lung sing before lying down to widen the airways. DIYers are able to sew a tennis ball to the back of their pajamas to force themselves to sleep on their side. If you want to try something really easy first, make yourself a cup of herbal tea - ideally peppermint. Menthol will help with mucus. You can sniff eucalyptus or thyme oil as well. You can also make a decoction of thyme and drink it. And if you're not exactly a spice geek and don't feel like foraging for herbs, take the help of salt and inhale hot water, or iThe recipe book recommends substituting salty lukewarm water for nose drops, or using a rinsing jug to rinse with it.
If you see a doctor, you may be able to arrange for a laser (LAUP) solution. According to Perfect Clinic, this procedure will help relieve snoring or at least significantly reduce its intensity in 80-90% of patients. The process does not take long and local anaesthesia is sufficient. There is no need for hospitalization. And what will happen? Simply put, the laser is used to remove the excess soft palate and add fine incisions to reinforce the area. In a week or two (this is individual), when you may have some pain when swallowing, everything is usually healed. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to combine LAUP with a procedure in the nose - for example, (again, laser) treatment of the swollen nasal mucosa - or with surgery on the nasal septum. It depends on where the problem originates. If you are afraid of surgery, try to give at least an examination and consultation a chance. You can allow yourself time to think about the next step. Of course, it's good to know that everything is fine with your health.
