The Abominable Snore-Man.

Snoring is a very common problem. Though most don’t consider it a problem at all, it is actually a health hazard and worth a worry. Even though common snoring does not cause much physiological harm, but there are other problems that may arise. Hence snoring should not be something one carelessly overlooks.

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. Snoring usually is a resultant of one of the following reasons:
1. Throat weakness causing collapse of throat during sleep
2. Mis-positioned jaw
3. Tense muscles
4. Sinusitis or other nasal obstructions
5. Fat in and around the nasal passage

Sometimes snoring can be a symptom of sleep Apnea, a very serious life-threatening medical condition. In sleep Apnea, the breathing cycles during sleep become irregular. There are periods when the individual doesn’t breathe. This leads to a temporary desaturation of the blood oxygen.

Apnea can be very dangerous. It leads to waking up many times in the middle of the night, incomplete rest, urge for naps in the daytime and low levels of energy.

Apnea can most commonly treated by using the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device. Mild to moderate sufferers can use Oral Appliance Therapy (OAP). Somehow sleeping in the lateral position has been found to be helpful.

The most typical health problem snoring causes is loss of sleep for both the snorer and his (or her) sleep partner. The snorer may wake frequently, either from the sound of his own snoring, or from jostling related to the snoring. His sleep partner has trouble sleeping deeply because of the snoring noise, plus anxiety about their partner’s health and well-being. This sleep deprivation has consequences during the day: sleepiness, irritability, and lack of productivity, as well as a significant increase in car accidents.

Many partners of snorers decide to sleep in separate rooms, and the resulting lack of bedtime chatting and physical intimacy can lead to a strained relationship.

General snoring however has more effect on the conscious being. It sometimes even causes embarrassment when someone is out of home due to the intrusive nature of the disease.

People feel humiliated and angered because this is not something they do consciously. They feel that they have no control over this and thus this can’t be helped.

People try different methods like nose clips and jaw devices but these have very limited effect and that too only on select people. However its advised that people consult doctors and seek genuine medical advice as these methods might mask the symptoms, i.e. snoring, but not the actual cause, which might turn out to be a whole lot more than just an inconvenience.