What Causes The Sound Of Snoring?
Everyone knows the sound of snoring: most of us have been woken up by an irritating rumble or rasp at some point. So what causes the sound of snoring? When we fall asleep our muscle tone reduces and we go floppy. This includes those in the walls of our airways. These relax and partially close up the passageway, which vibrate when the air moves past as we breath.
Snoring isn't a joke; a huge amount of sleep is lost every year as a result. We will be releasing the results of our research soon which detail exactly how much is lost, as well as the difference between men and women.
Spouses and sleeping partners of snorers would benefit from a good pair of snoring ear plugs. This would help them sleep at night. ZenPlugs are a good choice because they are designed not to protrude from the ears. This means they remain comfortable when turning over in bed. They are also antibacterial so help prevent ear infections. These can occur when using ear plugs due to an increase in the humidity and temperature of the canal of the ear. Long-term ear plug use can lead to chronic ear infections. Fungal infections may follow bacterial infections and need to be treated differently.
Severe snoring is a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea. This is a condition where the airway closes up whilst asleep. It results in breathing stopping briefly. Seesawing of the chest may occur before the person splutters and wakes up, sometimes partially. This cycle may repeat many times before morning resulting in daytime sleepiness. It is important for people to consult the doctor if their snoring is severe or if they stop breathing whilst they are sleeping. This is because OSA can cause high blood pressure and a risk of stroke and heart attack.
Dr Toby Bateson for ZenPlugs
