Snoring is an irritant, adjust your lifestyle to get better and soundless sleep!
It is traditionally believed that snoring indicates sound sleep, but it is now proven that it is sound but no sleep. When we fall asleep, muscles in the upper airway relax and this causes the breathing passage to become narrow. As air tries to pass though the narrowed upper airways, they vibrate, making the sound of snoring. When it worsens, these passages get blocked -- often hundreds of time every night. This is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). OSA is most commonly seen in middle-aged men, who are pushing the scale over the limit, though women are not spared.
Health consequences :
- Oxygen levels drop -- often to dangerous levels
- Brain does not rest -- it wakes up
- Level of dangerous chemicals increases in the blood
- OSA can result in high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack and paralysis
How to control it :
You can control it by making lifestyle changes
- Losing weight
- Exercising regularly
- Sleeping on your side - the tongue does not fall back
- Avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills. These increase relaxation of throat and tongue muscles, which makes snoring more likely
- Clearing your nasal passages
Source : Inputs by Dr.Sanjeev K. Mehta, chest specialist, Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai, India & Body Basics, TOI.
