| Snoring is one of the most annoying bodily functions of | | | | when the person is in the Rapid Eye Movement or |
| humankind. Often, the person performing the act has | | | | dream stage of sleep. In order to get proper oxygen |
| no idea he or she is doing so while the bed partner | | | | in the body, the snorer automatically awakens to take |
| cannot sleep due to the noise. The result is that both | | | | deep breaths and loses the important deep sleep. If |
| spouses are not receiving the deep sleep necessary | | | | these arousals happen more than 20 to 30 times an |
| to have energy the next day. | | | | hour, the person may have sleep apnea |
| Although there are effective snoring cures available, it | | | | Two: Although much snoring is inherited, certain |
| is important to know how snoring takes place. | | | | personal habits can exacerbate the problem. |
| According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), | | | | Overweight and, especially, obese people tend to |
| snoring is a sign for a condition called sleep apnea. | | | | snore more since there is an excess amount of tissue |
| The NIH indicates that sleep apnea can: | | | | in the airway causing it to be narrowed. With a |
| 1. Increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart | | | | narrowed airway, air cannot easily move in or out of |
| attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes | | | | the nose or mouth. When a person lies on his/her |
| 2. Increase the risk for or worsen heart failure | | | | back, the tongue has a greater chance of moving to |
| 3. Make irregular heartbeats more likely | | | | the back of the throat increasing the chance of |
| 4. Increase the chance of having work-related or | | | | snoring. Also, alcohol and sleeping medications |
| driving accidents | | | | increase snoring since muscle tone, including those in |
| | | | | the mouth, decreased significantly. |
| Here are three reasons you or your spouse may | | | | Three: There are some snorer characteristics that |
| snore: | | | | cannot be changed easily. Men have at least a |
| One: Snoring takes place due to the vibration of the | | | | double chance of snoring compared to women due to |
| uvula and the soft palate. The uvula is a small fleshy | | | | the size of the soft tissue in men's throats. African |
| tissue that hangs from the center-back of the throat. | | | | Americans have a higher probability of snoring although |
| The soft palate is at the base of the tongue in the | | | | it is not clear if it is heredity or personal habits that |
| back of the roof of the mouth. If the soft palate and | | | | cause the differences. Finally, older people snore |
| uvula relax and sag, the airway becomes blocked, | | | | more since muscle tone in the mouth relaxes with age. |
| making breathing noisy. This is more likely to happen | | | | |