Why do people snore?
Snoring is basically the vibration of sound in spaces in your upper airway. Sounds simple, right? Just try living with a spouse who serenades you with these short guttural sounds every night. You don't always have advanced warning that your soul mate is a snorer. Once the honeymoon is over and you actually start to spend time really sleeping at night, you may come to the realization that your mate for life is going to crank up the natural noise level once the last sheep has made its leap over the fence. So, what now?
Snoring: Men vs. Women
Men have women beat when it comes to snoring - which isn't necessarily something to brag about. A Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study observed that just over 40 percent of men surveyed snored while nearly 30 percent of women snored on a regular basis. Other stats put the split at 60-40, with men leading the way. It appears that women over the age of 60 tend to snore more than younger women. There is no significant age-related difference reported for men. Studies do, however, suggest that the prevalence of snoring and conditions such as sleep apnea increase with age - regardless of gender. To be fair, men don't always take the snoring crown. A grandmother beat out four male snorers in a 2009 U.K. sleep study by reaching a whopping 111 decibels.
Sleeping with a Snorer
Snoring is rarely grounds for divorce. While earplugs may block out the noise, consider some other options before getting into the habit of plugging your ears when you and your spouse hit the sack. Snoring is caused when you breath through an open mouth and the air vibrates. If your spouse has a cold, snoring may be a temporary distraction. As you sleep, your throat, vocal cord and jaw muscles relax. The result is a mouth that is ajar enough to create noisy vibrations. Before handing your spouse a spare pillow and blanket, consider some of the following remedies:
• Changing sleeping position - On the side is better than on your back.
• Nose strip - A specially designed strip that goes over the nose to keep airways open.
• Losing weight - Some studies suggest that weight loss may reduce chronic snoring.
• Muscle stimulation - This involves training the muscles around your mouth and noes not to relax or to remain constricted as much as possible to eliminate vibrations.
• Medication/operation - Certain medications or tonsil or adenoid removal may be required to put an end to the nightly sound show.
• Cut back on the alcohol - Eliminate alcohol a few hours before bed and you eliminate another potential cause of your spouse's snoring.
Most of the time, snoring is harmless. Try suggesting that your spouse try some of the remedies mentioned above. If the snoring continues, consider seeing a sleep specialist to eliminate issues such as sleep apnea or internal issues with the structure of the mouth that may require surgery. If all else fails, go ahead and pick up some earplugs and call it a night.