Snoring : Causes and Treatments

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sounds due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping.

Causes
1.Blockage of airway
Anything that obstructs your airway will also contribute to snoring. You are more likely to snore if you have large adenoids or a large tongue or if your nasal passages are swollen from a cold or allergies. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the primary cause of snoring in children.
2.Age
Older people tend to snore more because muscle tone tends to decrease with age.
3.Muscle tone in the tongue
During sleep the muscle tone in your tongue and soft palate tends to decrease. They become more relaxed and can collapse together. This contributes to snoring.
4.Physical exhaustion
Sheer physical exhaustion may be associated with heavy snoring.
5.Other
Other factors also aggravate snoring are alcoholic beverages,overweight and certain medications.

Treatments for snoring

1.Lose weight
Losing weight can reduce or even end snoring and possible obstructive sleep apnea.

2.Avoid smoking
Stop smoking because smoking weakens and clogs the throat.Breathing through the nose is more effectual way to bring air into the lungs than mouth breathing.

3.Reduce alcohol
Reduce your alcohol intake because it can cause relaxation in the soft tissues and muscles in the throat. This will result in snoring.

4.Sleep on your side
Sleep on your side to prevent the tongue from blocking the throat. This will stop the snoring.

5.Olive oil
A sip of olive oil will help to ease the snoring.

6.Enough sleep
Even lack of sleep causes snoring. So, take a good amount of sleep of almost 6-7 hours daily.