Snoring

 At least 30% of adults snore.

Snoring is a common problem that keeps many people from getting a restful night's sleep. People who snore are not getting the deep REM sleep they need to feel refreshed and energized each day. Of the many reasons for snoring, sleep apnea is most common. 

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the condition where the muscles of the throat relax and the tongue blocks the airway, stopping breathing throughout sleep. 

Cast aside your vanity for the sake of your sleep and the sleep of whoever shares a bed with you. Nasal strips, available at any pharmacy, are perhaps one of the most tried and true snoring remedies. They may look funny but they work by picking up the sides of the nose. This opens up the nostril airways, allowing for increased airflow, and snoring relief. It makes sense. Clogged sinuses make it more likely that you will breathe through your mouth and snore as a result. Success may vary from individual to individual but nasal strips are definitely worth a try.


What you can do about it

You may be able to reduce your snoring by sleeping on your side rather than on your back and elevating your head slightly.

Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills. All three make your airway more likely to close (and are best avoided during pregnancy anyway).

Try not to gain more than the recommended amount of weight.

There is a new treatment that has proven to be pretty effective and below is an article about it from the New York Times. The CPAC machines that are the medically approved ''solutions'' to sleep apnea are quite awful to try and sleep with. They are cumbersome, loud and sort of strapped on to the person's face in order to force air into a person who is unable to get air on their own. The failure rate is very high because most people take them off in the middle of the night. Anyway, check the link and then google it and read all the news about it. It seems promising. What ever you do, get help. Not sleeping well is serious. And sleep apnea unsolved can make your life a misery. Best of luck!

sleep is good

Snoring is the throat vibrating as we sleep. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Typical culprits range from blocked nasal passages, likely from allergies or a deviated septum, to a thick soft palate, enlarged tonsils or adenoids and a swollen uvula. Airflow becomes disrupted and the tissues in the back of the throat are more inclined to vibrate as we sleep, resulting in the sound of snoring.

Sleeping flat on your back is strongly discouraged if you have a problem with snoring. Your tongue falls backwards into your throat and just becomes a hindrance to airflow.

It is often recommended that you use a few extra pillows to keep your head elevated as you sleep. You can also look into buying a special snore pillow that can keep your head and neck properly aligned. Not only is this a snoring cure but it can also provide relief for some common back and shoulder pain as well.