12 things you need to know if you or your partner snore too much

12 things you need to know if you or your partner snore too much
Shutterstock

From sleep apneoa, being overweight, to whether you lie on your back, there are many factors that can cause excessive snoring. In fact, snoring is common. An estimated 45 per cent of adults snore occasionally, and one in four are chronic snorers. If your partner’s snoring is driving you crazy, read on.

Advertisement

There are many causes of snoring

There are many causes of snoring
Shutterstock

That buzz-saw sound is caused by loose, floppy tissues in your throat, tongue and palate vibrating and slapping together. Nasal congestion, being overweight, drugs, alcohol and a deviated septum can all compress the airway, making the vibrations stronger.

Snoring could hurt your marriage

Snoring could hurt your marriage
Shutterstock

One British survey found that 12 per cent of respondents cited snoring as a reason for divorcing a spouse.

Watch out for obstructive sleep apnoea

Watch out for obstructive sleep apnoea
Shutterstock

If your snoring is interrupted by bouts of total breathing obstruction, talk to your doctor as you may have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). It is generally thought that around 9% of women and 25% of men in Australia have clinically significant OSA and one in 10 Singaporeans suffer from it. Sufferers of OSA are roused out of deep sleep as many as 300 times a night, experience chronic daytime drowsiness, and are at risk of high blood pressure and heart problems.

Discover other silent signs of sleep apnoea that you’re ignoring.

Seek a diagnosis

Seek a diagnosis
Shutterstock

Sleep apnoea can be diagnosed by an otolaryngologist, or ear, nose, throat (ENT) doctor, who examines your mouth and throat for abnormalities, and a sleep study, requiring you to spend a night in a lab.

You can treat sleep apnoea

You can treat sleep apnoea
Shutterstock

The gold-standard treatment for sleep apnoea is a continuous-positive-airway-pressure (CPAP) machine. A mask fits over your nose and mouth and blows air into your throat to keep your airways open at night. “The reality is that only about half of CPAP users stick with it, because it can be highly intrusive,” says otolaryngologist Dr Brian Rotenberg.

Your weight can make a difference

Your weight can make a difference
Shutterstock

If you’re overweight, losing weight can reduce snoring. In one study, subjects who lost 10% of their body weight saw their snoring drastically reduced afterwards. According to snoreaustralia.com.au, the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is probably increasing due to the ‘obesity epidemic’, and many people with OSA remain undiagnosed and untreated.

If you want to slim down, here are a few things you need to know about losing weight.

Try a little music

Try a little music
Shutterstock

You might also consider taking up a new hobby: like playing the didgeridoo. A Swiss study found that consistently practising this instrument, an end-blowing instrument used by Aboriginal people from northern Australia, strengthened the muscles in the throats of snorers and was an effective alternative to a CPAP machine.

Snoring can be a stubborn condition to treat

Snoring can be a stubborn condition to treat
Shutterstock

“It can come from different areas of the mouth and throat,” says Rotenberg. Using an endoscope – a thin camera with a light – doctors can pinpoint where the vibrations are happening, helping to recommend effective treatments.

Be wary of cure-alls

Be wary of cure-alls
Shutterstock

Many pharmacy contraptions promise a quick, cheap fix, but buyer beware. Some mouth appliances work by pushing your lower jaw forward, opening your airway wider. “These can be effective if you belong to the low proportion of patients whose snoring is caused by the tongue,” says Rotenberg. “Most of the time, the issue is in your palate, and dental devices won’t help.”

Never miss a deal again - sign up now!

Connect with us: