What is Snoring?
Snoring happens when the muscles of the airway relax too much during sleep and vibrate (creating noise) when the air we breathe passes in and out. Most people will snore at some point in their life, however loud and chronic snoring can disrupt sleep-quality and disturb family members sleep.
Common causes of snoring:
- Allergies
- Eating too much too late at night
- Nasal congestion
- Deformity of the nasal passage
- Consuming alcohol close to bed-time, especially in large quantities
- Being overweight or obese
- Pregnancy
- Swelling of the muscular part of the roof of the mouth
- Swollen adenoids or tonsils this applies especially to children
- Medications, including sleeping tablets
- Sleep position – sleeping on your back is more likely to make your throat muscles and tongue to relax; causing the tongue to fall back and compress the airways, causing snoring or making snoring louder.
An overnight sleep study can be performed to assess the nature and severity of snoring, and to check for other sleep-disorders that often accompany snoring, especially obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Treatment
The most appropriate treatment for snoring varies according to the severity of snoring, presence of sleep apnoea, age, body-weight, degree of daytime sleepiness, alcohol-consumption, medical history and the anatomy of the upper airway. A Sleep Physician is a doctor who specializes in treating patients with snoring and other sleep-disorders, and who is qualified to help sufferers make an informed decision about which treatment is the most appropriate.
For chronic snorers NightLase treatment is an effective way to treat snoring with a success rate of 80% and lasting results.
For more information contact us today on (07) 3482 2999
