Few things compare to this phenomenon in terms of the degree of irritation of others.. At the same time, only a few turn to doctors about snoring.. And really, what is unusual about it? Everyone in the family has a person who has been snoring for many years, and nothing is alive and well!

Why do we snore.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not just older people who snore.. Some researchers of this " But even those who give more modest numbers agree that most of us snore periodically.. Despite its prevalence, snoring is not so harmless..

Its main cause is the weakening of the muscles of the walls of the pharynx, as a result of which, during sleep, the airways narrow, and with each inhalation and exhalation, a person makes guttural sounds.. Overly relaxed vocal cords, muscles of the soft palate and palatine uvula - these are the “flaws” that can make even the healthiest of us snore.. Or relatively healthy? After all, sometimes the causes of snoring are very serious..

Overweight again.

With age, everything is more or less clear. The tone of the muscles of the pharynx decreases, they become flabby, and when soft structures come into contact in our throat, snoring occurs.. But why are young people snoring more and more No matter how trite, but often the fault of this is the misfortune of modern civilization - obesity.! An increase in body weight causes the walls of the pharynx to narrow. Both sexes are equally affected by obesity, so it is not surprising that in recent decades snoring has ceased to be an exclusively male prerogative..

Snoring as a symptom of illness.

However, in many cases (and this is the most unpleasant side of snoring), it is caused by the presence of certain diseases.. According to the otolaryngologist Abdullanova Symbat Sovetkalievna, among the causes of snoring, pathologies of the ENT organs are in the first place: curvature of the nasal septum, congenital narrowness and polyposis of the nasal passages.

Chronic and acute respiratory diseases, such as sinusitis and tonsillitis, can lead to snoring.. Sometimes the cause of unpleasant sounds is congenital anomalies of the pharynx, such as enlarged tonsils and too long a small uvula.. Oddly enough, people who experience constant stress can snore.. Snoring can also be triggered by chronic fatigue, insomnia, alcohol intake, smoking, and the use of sleeping pills.. Pregnancy, thyroid problems, hypertension, menopause - all of these conditions can also cause snoring..

Snoring to sleep apnea.

Of course, snoring is an unpleasant thing, but even with it you can put up with it.. Much harder to deal with its consequences. Sleep apnea is the most dangerous of them.. stop breathing during sleep. This is a very serious and insidious disease.. At the time of apnea attacks, there is a decrease in respiratory ventilation, and as a result, oxygen deficiency is formed in the blood..

According to the doctor, interruptions in breathing in a person suffering from this ailment can occur more than four hundred times a night.. They last 10 to 20 seconds. Men most susceptible to respiratory arrest during sleep. Sleep apnea kills thousands of people every year around the world.. This is due to risk factors such as high arterial hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure. Apnea can cause heart attack and stroke, as well as diseases of many organs..

Of course, not all people who snore are prone to sleep apnea, but the danger is that a person may not even be aware of the disease.. Therefore, if one of your loved ones periodically “calms down” at night, this fact cannot be ignored.. If you suspect sleep apnea, you should definitely visit a doctor. Doctors will conduct an examination, taking into account many indicators of the functioning of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. As a result, the necessary treatment will be selected.

Snoring treatment.

Snoring is not always associated with a serious pathology in the body.. Sometimes it can be the result of an uncomfortable position of the head and neck during sleep, the result of a recent alcohol intake or a banal nasal congestion.. If snoring is not accompanied by any diseases and appears only periodically, you should not sound the alarm.. However, if, against the background of snoring, problems with the heart and blood vessels are disturbing, there are any of the above ailments and the state of health leaves much to be desired, you need to see a doctor.

Snoring is treated by somnologists, but first you need to still come to an appointment with an otolaryngologist. “When snoring poses a threat to health,” says Symbat Sovetkalievna, “first of all, you need to remove the barrier to breathing.

If this is a curvature of the nasal septum, it is necessary to have an operation to straighten it.. Polyps also require surgical treatment. There are operations to strengthen the muscles of the soft palate, there is a technique when a small tongue is removed. However, even such a surgical intervention does not give a 100% guarantee of getting rid of snoring..

Sleep on your side.

Tips to prevent and relieve snoring are very simple. In the daytime, you should try to breathe through your nose, not your mouth.. At night, you can use special sprays that moisturize the nasal mucosa and promote better air circulation.. If you have extra pounds, you should seriously think about losing weight.. It is also advisable to quit smoking, because in this case the lungs will be better ventilated, and in general the entire respiratory system will work more productively..

Avoid alcohol and food two to three hours before bedtime. It is advisable to sleep on an orthopedic pillow, this will allow you to achieve the correct position of the body. Also, you can sleep on your side.. In this case, the likelihood of snoring is much less!

Author: Proskuryakov A.

global science. en.