Is Snoring Bad For You?

!±8± Is Snoring Bad For You?

Did you know that almost 50 percent of the adult population snore at some time during there lives. A quarter of the population are regular snorers. Overweight people and men in particular, are the worst affected, with increase in age appearing to increase the chances of snoring.

Snoring indicates that the airway and breathing channels are obstructed. This means that it has the potential to be a serious health problem. It often needs a specialist to determine the cause of the problem, and to put a strategy in place that can reduce the problem.

So what actually makes you snore?

Snoring occurs when there is an obstruction in the passage of air flowing through the oral and nasal passages. This area, where the tongue and upper throat meed the soft palte and the uvula can actually collapse and cause a blockage. The vibration that occurs when these tissues strike against one another is what causes the snoring noise. There are other reasons however, and tonsil or adenoid issues in youngsters can result in snoring.

Snorers may suffer from a variety of problems:

Poor muscle tone in the tongue and the throat. The tongue and throat muscles can become overly relaxed, exacerbated by alcohol, and can cause a blockage of the airway. It can also occur if you fall into a very deep sleep.

Overly bulky throat tissues can also cause this. Large tonsils and adenoids can cause children to snore. The overweight and obese often suffer from excessive neck bulk. A rarer issue is for those who are suffering from tumors or cysts, causing extra bulk in the neck area.

A longer soft palate and uvula. People with a longer palate than usual suffer from a narrowing of the opening from the nose to the throat. It dangles down, and flaps during breathing, causing a snoring sound. If the uvula is long, this can be a worse scenario.

An obstructed nasal passage. A congested nasal passage needs more effort for the air to get through it. This can actually exaggerate the vacuum

that occurs in the throat and causes a pulling of the soft tissues, creating a snore. For some people, hay fever and colds are the only time that they actually snore.

A deviated septum or other structural nasal problem can also cause the necessary obstruction that makes the person snore.

If you suffer from snoring and think that one of these problems may affect you, pop and see your doctor to ensure there is nothing serious going on.