What Causes Snoring?
As you slide from light sleep into a deep sleep, the muscles in the roof of your mouth (your soft palate), your tongue and your throat relax. Sometimes the tissues in your throat can relax so much they partially block your airway and vibrate. It’s can be a chain reaction; the narrower your airway, the more forceful the airflow. The more forceful the airflow the more your throat tissues vibrate. More vibrations cause …? You guessed it, even louder snoring!
Snoring causes are many:
- A low, thick soft palate can narrow your airway.
- If you are overweight you may have extra tissue in the back of your throat that is narrowing your airway.
- An elongated uvula (the triangular piece of tissue hanging from your soft palate) can cause noisy vibrations.
- Drinking too much alcohol before bed can make you snore. Alcohol over relaxes the throat muscles you need to keep your airway open.
- Chronic nasal congestion or a deviated septum (a crooked partition between your nostrils) may contribute to your snoring.
- Sleep apnea could be causing your snoring. In this a serious condition where your throat tissues partially or completely block your airway, stopping you from breathing.
You Need To Treat Your Snoring
The good news is there are many simple snoring remedies. At Top Down Dental in Los Gatos, we can help you find the right treatment for your snoring problems. Our knowledgeable and helpful staff are well trained and have compassion for each individual patient. Want to know how to stop snoring?
Here are some very simple snoring treatment options:
- Lose weight: Even losing as little as 10 pounds may help.
- Change your sleeping position: Sleeping on your side instead of your back may help keep your airway open.
- Avoid alcohol: Alcohol can over relax your throat muscles, causing you to snore.
- Don’t let yourself become overtired: If you are exhausted when you fall into bed, you are more likely to snore because you’ll sleep so deep your throat muscles over relax, just like when you drink alcohol.
- Unclog your nasal passages: If you have a stuffed nose, less air can get through your nasal passages, causing snoring. Try a hot shower, a saltwater nasal rinse in the shower, or a neti pot to un-stuff your nose.
- Get new pillows: Dust mites in old pillows can cause your nasal passages to become blocked, leading to snoring.
- Drink lots of fluids: Mucus in your nose and secretions in your soft palate can become sticky if you are dehydrated. Drink lots of water during the day and you may snore less at night.
If these snoring remedies don’t stop your snoring, Top Down Dental in Los Gatos can treat your snoring with a snoring device. Ranging from simple sprays, pills, and nasal products to devices like mouthpieces, DNA appliances, chin straps, and pillows, to more invasive techniques such as CPAP or surgery, Dr. Nancy Nehawandian has the skills and training to find the one that will work best for you.
Find Freedom From Snoring with A Snoring Device
If you have ever been jabbed by an elbow to the side while you slept, you are not alone. At Top Down Dental in Los Gatos, we have the training, know-how, and commitment to your health that can help to bring balance back into your life. We’ll help you find the snoring device that will work for you in your individual treatment. Being fitted with a snoring device by Dr. Nancy Nehawandian will help you take back your life. Call us today to get yours at (408) 354-5600.
