Why do people snore in their sleep? Why snoring occurs during sleep, and how to deal with it

Why do people snore in their sleep is a question that probably interests everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone understands the mechanism by which breathing disorders develop during sleep. And even more so, few people have heard of obstructive apnea syndrome. The causes of snoring during sleep have been sufficiently studied. The consequences are also known chronic disorders breathing on the body. Diseases of the cardiovascular system, stress, impotence are the bitter consequences of this disease. Knowing why we snore will help you contact a specialist in a timely manner and get rid of the problem.

What is snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?

To understand why a person begins to snore, it is necessary to remember the structure of the nasopharynx. It is an anatomical structure that communicates nasal cavity, oral, entrance to the larynx and esophagus. The mouths of the auditory tubes also open into it. The oral cavity is delimited from the nasopharynx by the uvula, soft palate, and palatine arches. These structures are associated with the sound effect of snoring. Why does a person snore in his sleep:

• During sleep, there is a slight decrease in smooth muscle tone.
• The soft palate and uvula approach the back wall of the pharynx.
• The space through which the air flows narrows.
• When air passes through the nasopharynx, vibration occurs in the soft palate and uvula.
• A sound is formed and the person begins to snore in his sleep.

Cases when the respiratory lumen is completely blocked are fraught with the occurrence of sleep apnea. If a person periodically stops breathing at night, we are talking about obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA). As a rule, after an episode of apnea, the patient snores heavily and begins to convulsively inhale air. In some cases, he wakes up and then falls asleep again. The apnea episode does not remain in memory.

In more detail, why snoring occurs is written in the article:.

Causes of snoring and factors contributing to it

The mechanism by which a person snores is always the same, but the reasons and factors that cause snoring are quite diverse. Problems with breathing during sleep are associated with a violation of the structure of the facial part of the skull. Bite pathology: micrognathia, retrognathia, leads to the fact that the tongue moves back. This means that the space between the uvula, soft palate and back wall pharynx decreases. As a result, when a person sleeps, snoring appears.

Factors that contribute to snoring:

• Smoking tobacco products, hookah. Smoke containing nicotine causes vasoconstriction in the mucous membranes respiratory tract. Their trophism is disrupted. In addition, inflammation occurs in frequent cases. As a result, the respiratory lumen narrows.
• Drinking alcohol before bed. Alcohol causes muscle relaxation, which is why, when a person falls asleep, the tone of smooth muscle tissue drops so much that it provokes apnea. If a person sometimes snored before, then under the influence of alcohol the symptoms intensify significantly.
• Obesity. With excess body weight, adipose tissue appears in the structures of the nasopharynx, narrowing the respiratory lumen.
• Body position during sleep. Symptoms of the disease are more pronounced when sleeping on your back. Therefore, it is recommended to fall asleep in a position on your side or stomach.
• Taking medications. Muscle relaxants, sleeping pills, and tranquilizers have a hypotensive effect. People prone to snoring and sleep apnea should use them with extreme caution.

Snoring during sleep is more common in older people. This is associated with a physiological decrease in muscle tone and atrophy of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.

Diseases of which snoring during sleep may be a symptom

There are diseases that are accompanied by snoring, periods of apnea and sleep-disordered breathing. The mechanism by which they develop involves a component of muscle hypotonia, obesity, or dysregulation of breathing in the brain. The first group includes:

• Hypothyroidism. This is a disease thyroid gland, which is characterized by a decrease in its function. An insufficient amount of thyroid hormones enters the blood. As is known, they regulate the processes of anabolism and catabolism in the body. The resulting imbalance leads to the development of obesity.
• Diabetes mellitus type 2. The pathology occurs in older people, often due to excess weight. The combination of age and obesity leads to sleep breathing problems. Interesting fact that snoring in this case causes an even greater increase in body weight. This leads to worsening breathing problems. A vicious circle is created.
• Myasthenia. Autoimmune disease, which is based on the blockade of acetylcholine receptors in the muscles. Main symptom disease - pathological weakness of muscle tissue.

Pathologies in which the regulation of breathing is disrupted include central alveolar hypoventilation and Ondine's curse syndrome. In the first case, the respiratory center, which is located in medulla oblongata, is not able to adequately respond to the concentration of oxygen in the blood. A sleeping person's breathing is irregular, and stops are often observed - apnea. Ondine's curse syndrome is a disease in which the body is unable to automatically control the phase of inhalation and exhalation.

Snoring can occur in people suffering from chronic tonsillitis, adenoid vegetations, and a deviated nasal septum. During pregnancy, problems with breathing during sleep are also observed. This is due to a woman’s weight gain and rhinitis during pregnancy. IN postpartum period snoring usually goes away on its own.

Why is OSA dangerous?

OSA can only occur when the walls of the respiratory tract collapse at the level of the pharynx. In cases where the respiratory lumen is completely blocked, apnea occurs, in others, hypopnea occurs. The danger of OSA is due to the changes that occur in the human body during respiratory arrest.

Stopping the supply of oxygen to the lungs leads to a drop in saturation (oxygen saturation in the blood). Special receptors located in the walls of blood vessels react to oxygen levels. They register hypoxia and signal this to the brain, namely to the respiratory center. The body goes into a state of stress and activates defense mechanisms. The main one is the sympathoadrenal system. A large amount of catecholamines is released into the blood: adrenaline and norepinephrine. These substances fight muscle hypotension, bringing muscles into physiological tone.

Decreased oxygen saturation leads to hypoxic conditions. Brain cells are the most sensitive to this condition. Some of them simply die when breathing stops for a long time. On the other hand, the release of stress hormones leads to spasm of blood vessels throughout the body. This increases the risk of violations heart rate, arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke. In one night the number of respiratory arrests reaches several hundred. The quality of sleep deteriorates significantly. As a result, a person feels tired and headaches in the morning. OSA changes the psyche. It makes the patient irritable and aggressive.

In severe cases of sleep apnea syndrome, changes affect the endocrine system. Hormonal levels are disrupted. This primarily affects the concentration of testosterone and growth hormone. Such changes lead to obesity and impotence.

Which doctors treat snoring problems?

The problem of snoring and breathing pauses during sleep is dealt with by specialists from various fields. Patients often treat the consequences of snoring without realizing main reason. Arterial hypertension, which arises against the background of sleep apnea syndrome, is usually resistant to the action of antihypertensive drugs. To get rid of snoring, it is important to first diagnose the cause of its occurrence. To do this, you should contact your family doctor. After diagnosis and determination of the cause of the disease, the patient is referred to one of the specialists. The table shows which doctor treats the pathology depending on the cause:

Doctor's advice. If a person close to you begins to snore and interferes with sleep, take pity on yourself and him. See your doctor as soon as possible to avoid negative consequences

Treatment methods for night snoring

Treatment of patients with snoring and OSA should begin with lifestyle modifications. They are advised to adhere to a rational low-calorie diet and, if possible, to stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Sleeping on your side significantly reduces snoring symptoms. The answer to the question of what snoring is and how to deal with it is individual in each case:

• For micrognathia and retrognathia, special applicators are used. They correct the position of the lower jaw.
• For hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone preparations are prescribed.
• Myasthenia gravis is treated with drugs from the group of cholinesterase inhibitors.

CPAP therapy is a method of treating sleep apnea (photo: www.klinikasna.com.ua)

Pathology of the uvula and soft palate is eliminated surgically. Both open methods and laser and radio frequency methods are used.

Treatment of OSA requires a special approach. Getting rid of it is carried out using the CPAP method, which appeared not so long ago, but shows good results. The essence of the method is to create a slight constant pressure in the airways. This prevents the walls of the pharynx from collapsing and breathing stops. The device itself consists of a compressor, tubes and a mask through which air flows. There are many devices and devices on the pharmaceutical market to combat snoring. These include special clothing, bandages, clips, mouth guards, pillows, etc. Unfortunately, most of them have only a symptomatic effect and do not address the root cause of the problem.

Approximately 20% of the world's population snores, which negatively affects both the state of the body and the social health of a person. Before you find out why a person snores in his sleep and how to get rid of unpleasant symptom, it’s worth understanding what snoring is.

Snoring affects a person's health and well-being

Snoring during sleep is a manifestation of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. occurs when there is a narrowing or almost complete occlusion of the lumen of the upper respiratory tract. The causes of snoring are varied.

Snoring is pathological condition, it should not occur normally. When the airways are narrowed or blocked, hypoxia occurs in the body. This is harmful because with a lack of oxygen, the functioning of all organs without exception occurs.

The brain is most susceptible to the negative effects of hypoxia. Nerve cells require a constant level of oxygen concentration in the blood. If its level decreases, this leads to disturbances in mental activity and disruptions in the conduction of nerve impulses. Therefore, you need to get rid of snoring as quickly as possible by eliminating the main causes of snoring.

Prolonged snoring causes brain hypoxia

The cardiovascular system also responds to hypoxia. This manifests itself in the form of tachycardia (increased heart rate), decreased blood pressure. The pressure decreases due to the fact that the heart muscle does not have enough oxygen to fully contract. If people snore at night, this condition can lead to the development coronary disease heart or stroke.

Why does snoring occur?

The causes of snoring are different and there are many of them. This includes diseases, external negative factors. Here are the main ones:

It is necessary to get rid of snoring, because it tends to progress. In some cases there are even deaths due to complete occlusion of the airways. This phenomenon is called asphyxia and is the most dangerous complication of snoring.

It is also worth noting that the sound that a person makes interferes with himself. He does not wake up from this, but the deep sleep phase does not begin, in which the body rests as much as possible. This gradually begins to lead to lack of sleep and constant fatigue. This condition is dangerous because exhaustion occurs, premature aging body. Chronic fatigue syndrome can lead to the development of chronic diseases gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system.

Prolonged snoring causes chronic fatigue

Treatment of snoring

Whatever the cause of the sound phenomenon, it must be eliminated. Medicine does not stand still and many methods have been found to combat snoring.

Today they are already in use innovative technologies, such as cryotherapy, laser units. With their help, plastic corrections of the arches of the upper palate are carried out, adenoids and polyps are removed, and operations are performed to expand the glottis. The cost of such manipulations is high, but they allow you to get rid of night snoring.

With the development of pharmacology it became possible use medicines to eliminate this unpleasant manifestation. Their principle of action is to irritate the mucous membrane and reflexively increase muscle tone. They are produced by various pharmaceutical factories in the form of aerosols and drops. Depending on the country of origin, the price may vary significantly. Any medicine has contraindications, so you need to carefully study the instructions before use.

Special drops and aerosols are used to treat snoring

In addition, there are special devices to combat noisy sleep. Some of them do not have the promised effect. But there are also devices based on real developments that have a therapeutic effect. Among them, it is worth highlighting a mouth guard, a bandage and an anti-snoring pillow.

And the bandage has a similar operating principle. Their essence is to bring the lower jaw forward and prevent it from sinking. But to really get rid of snoring, they need to be selected individually and pay attention to contraindications.

Anti-snoring pillows also help get rid of it if the cause is spinal curvature cervical spine. They support it in its anatomical position and ensure optimal airway patency.

Orthopedic pillows effectively eliminate snoring

There are also folk remedies, but there is no scientific evidence of their effectiveness. The exception is gargling with strong saline solution. The mechanism of action of this method is based on osmosis. Salt attracts excess fluid from the tissues and reduces their swelling. This method is effective for inflammatory and purulent diseases.

Prevention of snoring

Snoring is very easy to prevent, but not everyone is willing to take the necessary measures. To prevent snoring, you need to choose the right pillow. Optimal size pillows will be purely individual for each person and depend on the size of the head, neck length and shoulder width. Right choice pillows prevent curvature of the neck and, accordingly, the larynx.

Giving up bad habits significantly reduces the likelihood of snoring. Quitting smoking will reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract, and quitting alcohol will ensure best condition muscles.

If you give up bad habits, you can reduce the risk of snoring

A balanced diet is important factor in the prevention of almost all diseases. A sufficient amount of nutrients and elements in the diet will maintain tissues in the required condition much longer. Their tone will not decrease, elasticity and consistency will be maintained.

The effect of physical exercise on reducing the risk of developing certain pathologies has been scientifically proven. This relates directly to snoring, because when the muscles of the neck and lower jaw weaken, it sinks. Regular morning exercises will help avoid this.

If diseases occur, you should consult a doctor, and not try to cure them yourself or wait for them to “go away on their own.” Without treatment, many diseases develop into chronic form. This also applies to diseases of the throat and nose. Chronic diseases cause destructive changes, which lead to snoring, which will be more difficult to get rid of.

The appearance of snoring requires immediate medical attention

A person may snore at different ages, By various reasons, but in any case he must take measures to combat this disease. Noisy sleep should not be ignored, because it carries with it serious consequences and complications.

The information in the following video provides an answer to the question of why people snore:

All doctors agree that healthy sleep- deposit good health and good health. At first, the lack of proper rest causes drowsiness and a feeling of constant fatigue during the daytime. Physical endurance also decreases. Then a variety of chronic, sluggish diseases develop, which negatively affect the patient’s quality of life.

Often, sleep disorders provoke such a seemingly ordinary phenomenon as snoring. And the question of why a person snores worries not only people suffering from a similar problem, but also their loved ones who do not get enough sleep due to constant night noise.

But what is the nature of such a phenomenon? The human respiratory tract is a combination of different structures (nasal cavity, pharynx and larynx). The basis of the upper respiratory tract is fibrous and muscular tissue, and from the inside these organs are lined with epithelium, which differs in structure.

Its main function is the secretion of sputum, the removal of dust particles through sneezing and coughing.

When oxygen enters the lungs, it binds with hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells, erythrocytes, and is carried to all organs and tissues without exception, replaced by carbon dioxide. It enters the lungs with venous blood and is eliminated with exhaled air. Even from biology courses at school, every person knows the role of oxygen in the life of the body. A person can relatively for a long time do without water and food, but without air - in a matter of minutes.

What happens when you snore? Normally, inhaled air passes freely through all parts of the respiratory tract and enters the lungs. However, for a number of reasons, obstruction occurs in various structures of the respiratory system, preventing the passage of air into the lungs. The walls of the pharynx vibrate, which, in fact, manifests itself in the form of snoring.

But in addition to the objective discomfort for the person suffering from this condition and his family members, snoring is a symptom of a much more serious illness - obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (or OSA for short). This disease is characterized by a respiratory pause during night rest, which is accompanied by a decrease in the flow of inhaled air by 70% or more compared to the original for at least 10 seconds.

The pathophysiological mechanism of why a person snores is based on airway obstruction in the supine position, which can be caused by:

• a decrease in the muscle tone of the walls of the pharynx, which is sometimes accompanied by their complete closure;
• pathological processes in the respiratory tract;
• side complication medicines with a muscle relaxant effect;
• high blood pressure in the lumen of the upper respiratory tract against the background of a runny nose of various etiologies, anatomical features of the structure of the nasopharynx and nasal cavity, compression as a result of obesity, thyroid diseases, etc.

Acute lack of air leads to oxygen starvation of tissues (hypoxia), which in turn causes stimulation of the sympathoadrenal system and an increase in blood pressure. As a result, there is a partial “awakening” of the central nervous system, the tone of the pharyngeal muscles is restored, and the lumen of the airways expands. But after a person is immersed in deep dream this process is repeated again. And there can be more than a hundred such episodes throughout the night.

This condition is dangerous and is fraught with diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous systems, progressive obesity and other quite serious health problems. But before starting treatment, it is necessary to accurately determine the underlying cause of both snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA).

Regardless of gender, this condition can be a consequence of:

• overweight;
• endocrine pathologies;
• anatomical features of the structure of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx;
• benign and malignant neoplasms in the lumen of the upper respiratory tract;
• rhinitis, regardless of genesis and etiology; v
• neurodestructive and atrophic processes in the muscle and mucous tissue of the respiratory tract;
• age characteristics hormonal levels and structure of muscle tissue of the nasopharynx;
• taking strong sleeping pills (neuroleptics, tranquilizers), one of adverse reactions serves as muscle relaxation.

Among the fairer sex, snoring often occurs during pregnancy due to compression of the respiratory tract. Often a similar problem is noted during menopause due to a sharp change in hormonal levels. In addition to the above reasons, snoring in men is often caused by addiction to nicotine and alcoholic beverages.

In children, snoring is always a symptom of some disease and requires consultation with a doctor. Usually in early age This condition occurs due to:

• pathological proliferation of lymphoid tissue in the nasopharynx (adenoiditis);
• rhinitis and inflammatory processes affecting the upper parts of the respiratory system (ARVI, laryngitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, etc.), especially if they become chronic;
• nasal polyposis;
• obesity due to serious dietary disorders or pathologies endocrine system;
• congenital or acquired as a result of traumatic injury changes in the structure of the organs of the respiratory system and facial skeleton.

This condition is especially dangerous at an early age. Chronic hypoxia may cause irreversible damage to internal organs and tissues. Nasal breathing disorders serve as a provoking factor for otitis media, bacterial complications of colds and viral infections. The child is forced to constantly breathe through his mouth, which leads to a characteristic facial expression, and sometimes - permanent change facial skeleton.

Why do people snore in their sleep: respiratory tract obstruction, hypertrophic changes in nasopharyngeal tissue, anatomical features

Doctors consider one of the main etiological factors of snoring to be obstruction of the airways caused by a runny nose.

The reasons for this phenomenon may be:

• vasomotor rhinitis;
• chronic and acute sinusitis;
• runny nose caused by ARVI and colds.

Fortunately, in the arsenal of pharmacies there are many different drugs that can quickly deal with the question of why people snore in their sleep. These are vasoconstrictor drops, nasal sprays based on corticosteroids, antihistamines, antiallergic drugs.

Hypotrophy of the muscles of the nasopharynx

This condition often occurs as a result of age-related changes and smoking. During sleep, the muscles of the nasopharynx relax, which causes vibration and contact of its walls. The situation can be corrected using minimally invasive laser procedures, exercises, various plant-based sprays and aerosols.

Pregnancy and menopause

Menopause in the fairer sex is accompanied by radical hormonal changes in the body. Slowing down and, over time, completely stopping the ovulation process leads to a strong decrease in estrogen concentration. This is accompanied by metabolic disorders at all levels. Edema often occurs, and excess weight, osteoporosis, and atherosclerosis are often noted. The combination of these factors provokes snoring at night.

Pregnancy is also accompanied by hormonal changes. However, women in an “interesting” position face a similar problem more likely due to an increase in body weight. In addition, an actively growing uterus (especially after 20 weeks) changes the position of all internal organs, which leads to mechanical compression of the upper respiratory tract and respiratory failure.

Adenoiditis

Adenoids (also called pharyngeal tonsils) are lymphoid tissue that responds to various viral and bacterial infections, increasing in size. In some children, this problem becomes chronic. The shape and size of the adenoids changes upward. Over time, pharyngeal tonsils affect the functions of the hearing organ, causing frequent otitis media. Resistance to colds is also reduced.

Conservative therapy in in this case ineffective. Therefore, the child is scheduled for surgery.

Anatomical features of the structure of the respiratory tract

Violation of the shape of the nasal septum (a fairly common consequence of injury) serves as an obstacle to inhaled air, which provokes snoring. The only method of therapy is surgery. The same applies to changes in the structure of the palatal region.

Enlarged tonsils

As a rule, such a condition is typical for early and adolescence, is less common in adult patients. Typically, the reason why some people snore in their sleep lies in chronic tonsillitis, which, in addition to discomfort at night, is dangerous due to systemic autoimmune disorders. Therefore, if there is no result from antibiotic therapy, doctors suggest performing a tonsillectomy.

Why does a person snore in his sleep: pathologies of the endocrine system, age-related changes, excess weight and the influence of bad habits

As practice shows, before the age of 40-45, snoring is more common among the stronger sex, but after 50 years, the “chances” become equal. Doctors attribute this to age-related changes that affect the hormonal system. The production of sex hormones is disrupted, which manifests itself in the form of menopause in women and erectile dysfunction in men. The activity of other endocrine glands also deteriorates, which often leads to an increase in body weight. Dystrophic processes occurring in the muscle tissues of the nasopharynx also play an important role. This leads to a decrease in the lumen of the airways and, accordingly, to snoring.

Hormonal imbalances

Snoring occurs with a fairly serious and, fortunately, rare pathology of acromegaly. The disease appears against the background of damage to the hypothalamic-pituitary system and manifests itself in the form of disproportionate body growth. Hypertrophy of the tongue, deformation of the facial skeleton and provoke snoring. However, this problem is lost against the background of other symptoms and complications associated with acromegaly (cardiovascular pathologies, diabetes, increased risk malignant neoplasms).

One more endocrine pathology which indirectly causes snoring - diabetes. Occurs when there is a disruption in the production or pathological resistance of tissues to the action of the main pancreatic hormone - insulin. The disease is accompanied by a characteristic symptom complex, which is often combined under the general term metabolic syndrome. Diabetes causes obesity in most patients, and as a result, snoring and OSA.

Hypo- and hyperthyroidism are characterized by disturbances in the secretory activity of the thyroid gland. On the one hand, such changes are accompanied by obesity, and on the other, by an increase in the size of this organ. Thus, the gland mechanically compresses the airways, which can cause snoring.

Excessively increased body weight

This is one of the common causes of snoring. According to clinical data, more than 90% of patients with sleep apnea syndrome are overweight.

Depending on the etiological factor obesity can be:

• nutritional, caused by disorders eating behavior, sedentary lifestyle;
• hypothalamic, provoked by pathologies of the hypothalamic-pituitary system located in the brain, characterized by the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area, attacks of headaches, hyperhidrosis and other autonomic disorders;
• endocrine, as a rule, occurs against the background of disturbances in the concentration of thyroid and sex hormones.

Why does an obese person snore in their sleep? First of all, the lumen of the airways decreases due to the accumulation of adipose tissue. In addition, against the background of excess weight, dystrophic processes develop in the muscles of the upper respiratory tract.

However, losing excess weight in such a situation is not so easy. Often diets and exercise do not bring desired result. The fact is that with snoring and OSA, the duration of the deep sleep phase is reduced, during which the active production of somatotropic hormone occurs. And its deficiency provokes the deposition of adipose tissue.

In addition, sleep disorders lead to fatigue during the day, which prevents active physical activity. And tissue hypoxia is accompanied by a slowdown in metabolic processes and the breakdown of lipids. Therefore, in this case, in order to lose weight, it is recommended to “connect” drug or hardware therapy for snoring and OSA.

Bad habits

Often the reason why a person snores during sleep lies in both isolated episodes and regular consumption of alcohol. Intoxication depresses the functions of the central nervous system and leads to a decrease in the tone of the muscles of the nasopharynx, which quite naturally ends in snoring. The treatment method is very simple - you need to either completely give up alcohol or limit its amount.

Good sleep is a determining indicator of the performance of the coming day. But this is not the most important purpose of a night's rest. Adequate sleep is important for human health. For many years, scientists from many countries have been studying all the parameters of sleep, finding out its significance for the body, and understanding the causes of snoring, which is sometimes the main enemy of quality sleep. It is believed that the meaning of sleep is, on the one hand, to accumulate emerging energy, and on the other, to replenish lost energy.

The duration of night sleep for an adult is individual. On average, sleep should be from 7 to 8 hours (although there are cases when a person needs 3 hours of sleep a day). Sleep disorders can cause both social and medical problems. Without treatment, inadequate sleep can lead not only to constant fatigue and decreased performance, but also cause long-term consequences - such as periodic attacks of drowsiness (hypnolepsy), myocardial infarction, decreased body defenses, or impaired brain activity.

If a person cannot get enough sleep for a limited time (due to illness or some other everyday circumstances), then he can then “get” his missing hours of sleep. But what to do if a person snores while sleeping, and snores every night? In this case, he does not get enough sleep all the time!

But insomnia can affect the body even with a lack of sleep of only 2-3 hours. According to statistics, lack of sleep causes more than 100 thousand road accidents every year.

Moreover, the quality of sleep not only suffers for the culprit of snoring, but the sleep of people who are in the same room with him is disturbed, because they, too, cannot fully rest. Snoring sometimes causes divorce. And no wonder. Some people experience snoring as loud as 112 decibels. Imagine how big these numbers are, because a sound volume of 75 decibels can be harmful to health.

What is snoring?

Snoring is a low frequency acoustic vibration that occurs when you inhale during sleep. When a person falls asleep, due to certain factors, people's muscles relax due to a decrease in their tone. Because of this, the opening of the nasopharynx decreases. When the sleeper inhales, the soft tongue and the walls of the throat begin to tremble, and those around them hear an intermittent sound, which is called snoring.

According to statistics, 25% (according to other authors - up to 30%) of people on Earth after thirty years snore in their sleep, and this applies to both men and women. Snoring makes it difficult for a person to sleep, but does not interfere with sleep as much as apnea, which is the most serious consequence of snoring.

What is apnea?

Apnea is the cessation of breathing. If during snoring the mucous membranes of the oropharynx and nasopharynx only tremble and vibrate, then with apnea they completely close. This closure - blocking patency - can last 10-30 seconds. During this time, oxygen does not enter the lungs.

There may be several pauses in breathing during sleep. As a result, a person cannot get a full night's sleep. A person wakes up due to breathing problems, then he needs to fall asleep again, soon a new apnea wakes him up, etc. Numerous apneas haunt the snorer throughout the night. Of course, during the next day he will be irritable, sleepy, and may be restless headache. And although deaths are very rare, apnea can provoke serious pathology. Even a term has appeared - obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and this phenomenon already requires medical intervention, since the body experiences serious oxygen starvation.

Both snoring and sleep apnea can be caused by many different things.

What are the causes of snoring during sleep?

The causes of snoring are varied, they depend on the structure of the larynx, the position of the tongue during sleep, and the anatomical features of the jaw. In order to understand the causes of snoring, let's remember a little basic physiology.

By inhaling air, a person receives oxygen, and by exhaling, he gets rid of carbon dioxide. If the air flow is obstructed in the oropharynx, snoring occurs. When does this usually happen?

Snoring explained anatomical structure oropharynx. If the lower jaw is too small and not pushed forward enough (posterior displacement), then the tongue attached to it is also too far back and blocks the airway due to lack of space. Such people will also have external features: visually the chin is located somewhat behind and a double chin is often found. If a person with such anatomical features sleeps on his back, the tongue falls back and blocks the airways like a traffic jam.

During a forced cessation of breathing, the entire body suffers. The gray cells of the medulla of forced oxygen starvation sound the alarm, the person awakens, breathing is restored to a short time awake, but soon everything repeats itself.

Reasons that provoke snoring

• Hereditary anatomical features(chin displaced posteriorly, small lower jaw - micrognathia, large tongue, cleft palate, deviated nasal septum, elongated uvula of the palate).
• Chronic diseases of the nasopharynx (adenoids, sinusitis, chronic tonsillitis, allergic rhinitis).
• Reduced thyroid function. A lack of thyroid hormones leads to swelling of the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and obesity, that is, two factors that provoke snoring.
• Age. With age, the elasticity of the throat muscles decreases, the uvula sags.
• Floor. Men are more likely to snore because their airways are smaller than women's.
• Body position during sleep. If a person lies on his back and even on a low pillow, the head is thrown back, the tongue blocks access to the lungs.
• Obesity. If you are overweight, muscle tone becomes weak, which causes snoring. Even with mild degree Obesity increases the risk of snoring 10 times, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is diagnosed in more than half of cases.
• Alcohol and smoking. These bad habits increase muscle relaxation of the soft palate and the entire nasopharynx, as a result, the lumen of the airways decreases and snoring occurs. And if you consider that the brain cells are in a state of alcoholic intoxication and do not have time to quickly respond to a lack of oxygen, then you can understand how dangerous this situation is for snoring man.
• Some medications. Sedatives (especially Phenazepam and its derivatives) and sleeping pills can cause apnea. These drugs relax the muscles of the oropharynx, and also inhibit the reaction of the central nervous system to oxygen starvation (as is the case with alcohol).

All these reasons can cause persistent snoring, which affects human health and causes pathological processes in organism.

Typical symptoms of sleep apnea

Often patients have overweight which makes snoring worse. Other signs that may indicate that a person may be suffering from snoring and sleep apnea include a small, receding chin. Such people often have a double chin. Typical symptoms obstructive sleep apnea are:

• Loud snoring;
• sleep apnea;
• increased blood pressure;
• loss of libido (sexual desire), impotence;
• often - diabetes mellitus;
• constant fatigue during the day;
• increased fatigue;
• falling asleep while driving, dozing (“nodding off”);
• lack of concentration;
• severe, irregular snoring with more than 10 apneas in an hour;
• frequent urination at night;
• restless sleep and night sweats

Consequences of snoring and sleep apnea

The life-threatening consequences of snoring and the resulting obstructive sleep apnea are caused by a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. Sometimes in just one night breathing can stop up to 500 times, and in total amount The duration of such apneas can reach 4 hours. During forced breaks in breathing, the oxygen content in the blood rapidly decreases, the heart palpitates, blood pressure rises, and “stress hormones” such as cortisol and adrenaline are released.

The heart and brain react especially sensitively to a lack of oxygen.

Lack of oxygen during sleep gradually leads to the death of brain cells, their destruction and a decrease in the mental abilities of the snorer. These data on the consequences of snoring and apnea were confirmed by intelligence tests. It is known that the average life expectancy of patients with sleep apnea is shorter.

"Sleep apnea is serious medical problem. After all, this means at least five to ten missed breaths per hour, which not only leads to constant fatigue, decreased motivation and exhaustion, but also has serious consequences for your health,” emphasizes Professor Seiler, who has been treating snoring for many years .

Constant hypoxia during sleep can contribute to the appearance of problems such as

• development of diabetes mellitus,
• memory loss and the appearance of dementia (dementia),
• risk of high blood pressure,
• heart attack and stroke,
• neurasthenia;
• impotence.

If sleep apnea is suspected, immediate evaluation at a sleep laboratory becomes necessary to prevent serious health consequences. After cardiorespiratory monitoring and identification of the causes of snoring, specific treatment options can be selected. In the clinic, headed by Professor Seiler, a multidisciplinary team will work with you the best specialists with extensive experience working with sleep problems. You will be offered best options snoring treatment. In particular, Professor Seiler offers a simple and effective surgical technique - “rotation advancement”, thanks to which you can cure snoring forever. With this operation, a permanent expansion of the airways is achieved. The unique method was developed at the University Hospital of Zurich by Professor Seiler more than 25 years ago, and since then the operation has been performed many thousands of times. This so-called “rotation advancement” technique, by removing the causes of snoring, eliminates it and cures sleep apnea; follow-up studies in the sleep laboratory and Scientific research confirm this.

You don't know how to get rid of snoring? Exist traditional methods, special devices and medicinal sprays. Many people need complex treatment.

Let's look at what snoring is, why it is dangerous for a person, and find out how to deal with it.

What is snoring

Snoring is a noisy sound from the nasopharynx that occurs during sleep. He is the harbinger apnea syndrome sleep. During rest, breathing stops and the person feels constant fatigue and irritability.

The airways are blocked, so the body does not receive enough oxygen. Suffering from this the cardiovascular system. Heart attacks, strokes, and in the worst case, death occur.

Main reasons

The appearance of rhonchopathy signals problems in the body.

Noisy breathing appears due to congenital structural features of the nasopharynx (curved nasal septum, small jaw, long tongue) or acquired (enlarged adenoids and tonsils).

There are other reasons:

• excess weight;
• bad habits;
• viral diseases throat or nose;
• taking sleeping pills;
• thyroid diseases;
• hormonal disbalance.

The manifestation of symptoms of the disease indicates sagging muscles of the nasopharynx. If they lose their tone, they begin to bang against each other. Chronic fatigue, lack of sleep worsens the situation.

If you don’t know how to eliminate snoring, contact an otolaryngologist. The doctor will conduct a diagnosis and determine the exact cause.

Ways to get rid of snoring

Getting rid of snoring interests many people. Exist effective methods, which guarantee the cessation of night sounds. Let's talk about them to cure snoring and normalize your rest.

Gymnastic

How can you get rid of the symptom at home? When you do gymnastics daily, muscle tone increases.

1. Grasp your lower jaw with one hand. Move it to the right, and then to the left. Repeat 10-15 times.
2. Open your mouth and stretch your tongue forward as much as possible. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes. Do it 10 times.
3. For 1-2 minutes, press the tip of your tongue on the upper palate. Repeat 8-10 times.
4. Open your mouth and rotate lower jaw to the right, and then to left side. Make 10 circular movements.
5. Say vowel sounds out loud 20-25 times. Try to do this as loud as possible, tensing your neck muscles.

Thanks to special exercises you will feel relief. You can do them individually or in order, the main thing is every evening. Within a month, the sound vibration will disappear.

Video: Effective exercises against snoring.

People's

Do you want to get rid of snoring at home forever? On initial stages folk remedies are effective.

Effective recipes:

1. Chop a few cabbage leaves and add a tablespoon of honey. For a month, take 1 tablespoon before bed.
2. Place 1 drop of sea buckthorn oil in each nostril. The first results will appear after 3 weeks.
3. Conduct fasting days. This is true for overweight people. Eat only fresh vegetables and fruits.
4. Mix a tablespoon of calendula and oak bark. Pour boiling water over the mixture and let stand for 1 hour. Gargle in the evening.

Doctors recommend drinking at least a liter of filtered water daily, which will help cleanse the body of mucus and toxins. Use anti-snoring sprays if you have an uncomplicated form of rhonchopathy.

Adaptations

Many devices have been developed to combat the disease, but is it possible to get rid of it with their help? They are believed to be quite effective at eliminating sound vibrations.

Oral and other devices:

1. Pacifier. The device looks like a cup-shaped petal with a fixing rim. Helps improve muscle tone of the nasopharynx.
2. Clip. A silicone ring with a bridge is fixed in the area of ​​the nasal septum. There are clips with magnets at the ends.
3. Mouth guard. The device is attached to one or both jaws. It allows the jaw to move forward and expand the size of the airway.
4. Bracelet. It affects the body using electrical impulses. Allows you to change your position while resting. Not used for apnea and inflammatory processes throats.
5. Orthopedic pillow. Ensures correct neck position and deep sleep.
6. Ring. It is worn on the little finger before going to bed. Affects special points. The nasal passages expand and breathing becomes easier.
7. CPAP therapy. The body is saturated with oxygen throughout the night using a special mask. Used if there are respiratory arrests.

Regular use of these devices will ensure quiet and deep sleep. You will no longer feel sleep deprivation, fatigue and lethargy.

Video: Discussion of anti-snoring devices.

Medication

To escape from unbearable serenades, doctors recommend turning to drug treatment. The action of medications is aimed at improving the muscle tone of the palate and pharynx, eliminating respiratory tract diseases.

Sprays and drops eliminate dry nose and sore throat, and help with allergies. You can stop snoring using vasoconstrictor nasal drops:

• Naphthyzin;
• Sanorin;
• Nazivin;
• Asonor.

Sprays based on essential oils:

• Slipex;
• Silence;
• Snorex;
• Mysleepgood.

The drugs are used for uncomplicated forms of ronchopathy. The effect of the drugs begins after two weeks. If there is no improvement, consult your doctor.

Surgical

The operation eliminates the problem of a sagging palate and elongated uvula.

It happens that traditional methods are powerless in the fight against a disease. To quickly get rid of the problem, they resort to surgery.

If you have enlarged adenoids or tonsils, they will be removed during surgery. If there is a deviated septum or polyps, the original shape of the nose will be restored and the polyps will be removed. In case of congenital features in the form of a long tongue or sagging tissues of the palate, uvulopalatoplasty is prescribed.

The most effective way

Most effective means A spray is considered to help both men and women against snoring. He handles it with ease inflammatory diseases throat, trachea and nose.

A spray based on essential oils restores muscle tone and has a comprehensive effect on respiratory system , increases immunity and begins to act after the first use.

Prevention

An orthopedic pillow prevents many diseases.

One of the answers to the question “what to do to avoid snoring while sleeping” is to take care of your health. Follow certain rules:

• get rid of excess weight;
• refrain from smoking and alcoholic beverages;
• do not abuse sleeping pills;
• strengthen the muscles of the palate and pharynx with gymnastics;
• Don't get overtired and go to bed on time.

Pay attention to alarming symptoms your body. Treat your thyroid gland, nasopharyngeal diseases, and adjust your hormonal levels. Remember that rhonchopathy is preventable.

You can get rid of rhonchopathy if you stick to simple recommendations:

1. Buy an orthopedic pillow. It allows you to take the correct body position. Then the tongue stops falling into the throat, the sounds stop.
2. Try to sleep only on your side. This advice helps many men and women avoid sleep problems.
3. Try doing simple exercises before bed. Our article shows effective exercises.
4. Raise the head of the bed a few centimeters.

Now you know what to do to never hear the sound of snoring again. Take this problem seriously and consult your doctor.