Wednesday, March 27

Snoring is torture and a huge problem for many couples. Science has some solutions


The “elephant” joined us on the third day of our way to Santiago. He arrived very late, almost at night; but it did not go unnoticed. We slept in a huge sports hall and, suddenly, without warning, without anything having made us suspect it, a deep, dull and very loud noise woke us up. I had never heard anything like it. As if Hurricane Katrina and the eruption of Krakatoa had had a night of wild sex, a child had come out of it and that child was giving a heavy hardcore punk concert down the throat of a man of completely normal size, weight and age.

I had never been interested in the world of snoring until snoring grabbed me by the lapels and told me that he was the boss there. Luckily, we can always turn to science.

What are snoring? In essence, a snore is a sound produced by air passing “relaxed tissues in the throat and causing them to vibrate as you breathe.” The important thing about this is that we are all susceptible to snoring from time to time and, therefore, it never hurts to normalize it; but when it gets out of hand it can end up causing problems for both the snorer and those sleeping next to him.

So is snoring a problem? It can be. Above all, because it prevents us from resting and lack of sleep has a horrendous impact on health (and on our lives). Lack of sleep is related to immunological, metabolic, cardiovascular, emotional and cognitive problems; with disorders such as diabetes or obesity. It makes us more tired and irritable, raises our stress levels, and makes us take more risks and make more mistakes.

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The ABC of stopping snoring. By the very physical nature of snoring, they are common especially in older adults and overweight people. Also in people who take some relaxants, sedatives or alcohol before going to bed. Hence, when snoring begins to be a problem that causes constant nocturnal awakenings and the consequent daytime sleepiness, the first advice is “remove alcohol, tobacco, medications with hypnotic or muscle relaxant action and lose weight”.

What if this doesn’t work? It doesn’t work, we can’t do it, or it’s not enough. In that case, there is a huge set of things that can help us snore less. From devices to correct sleeping posture (because postures, especially sleeping on your back, are important) to gadgets such as nasal dilators, “maxillary advancement devices” or, ultimately, surgical techniques designed to correct palates, rectify septa or shrink tissues.

Except for the postural device (which seeks to teach sleeping in less obstructive positions), the rest of these options have a similar function: to increase the space of the airway. Mandibular advancement devices are custom splints and do so by moving the mandible forward to bring the tongue and soft palate with it; both nasal dilators and surgical interventions follow the same logic by different routes.

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What if things don’t get better? Experts often use the Epworth questionnaire to assess the real impact of snoring on sleep. This questionnaire is simple: it tries to assess the possibility of the patient falling asleep in situations such as sitting reading, watching television, as a passenger in a car, sitting and talking to someone or at a meal (without having drunk alcohol). If our score is high, that snoring is worth studying.

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Above all, because it can be the symptom of other respiratory problems such as apnea. An ailment that requires devices to ensure that the airway is not obstructed during sleep. The CPAP, little by little, has been making a space in the nightstands of the country, but before reaching that there are many options to consider.

Image | Shane

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