How To Stop Snoring: Is It Time to Call the Doctor?

Most people want to know how to stop snoring for a number of reasons. Some are aware that it can lead to life threatening health complications such as hypertension, heart disease and stroke while others just want to reduce its damaging effects to his or her social relationships. As you all know by now, snoring can lead to marital discords and divorce. As such, snoring is really a problem that needs to be solved fast!

So, how will you know if it's time to see your doctor about it? You'll know it's absolutely necessary to see your doctor if your spouse or bed partner tells you that you habitually snore heavily and loudly during the night (at least three times per week) or are observed to stop breathing, gasp or choke as you sleep. It is also time to bring your snoring problem to your doctor's attention if you always feel sleepy during the day, fall asleep at inappropriate times or when proven home remedies for snoring don't help solve the problem.

If you or your partner notices any of these symptoms, then the problem must really be getting quite serious. For all you know, these may already be telling you that a more serious sleep problem (known as sleep apnea) is on the prowl.

Sleep apnea is characterized by heavy, loud snoring followed by episodes of totally obstructed breathing. A person with sleep apnea can stop breathing for more than ten seconds each time such episodes happen, causing his or heart to work harder by pumping blood faster.

And this does not happen only once or twice during the night. Sleep apnea patients are observed to undergo such episodes for about 5 to 30 times or more per hour! Knowing this, it is not surprising to know that sleep apnea can lead to various heart problems. Sleep apnea also greatly compromises the supply of oxygen to various parts of the body, including the brain, making one a likely candidate for stroke and other brain injuries.

According to experts, there are three types of sleep apnea – obstructive, central and complex or mixed sleep apnea. Among these three, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common. Its symptoms include loud snoring and restless sleep that eventually leads to daytime sleepiness.

OSA is usually caused by a collapsed or obstructed airway which results from poor muscle tone and bulky soft tissues around the throat area (resulting from obesity or being overweight). As such, losing weight, avoiding alcohol and medications that cause the muscles to over relax and kicking the smoking habit can be very beneficial in treating the problem. OSA patients may also benefit by sleeping on their sides or with their upper bodies in an elevated position. Various anti snoring mouthpieces and snoring aids such as the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as well as surgical procedures to widen the airways can also be of help.

In central sleep apnea, the part of the brain responsible for breathing somehow fails to do its job causing the patient to stop breathing. However, it is interesting to note that during such episodes, the patient shows no noticeable signs of discomfort or struggles. The patient just stops breathing and then starts again.

This type of sleep apnea is most common in adults and infants with heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (disease affecting the blood vessels and the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain) and/or congenital diseases (diseases present at birth).

Complex sleep apnea, on the other hand, exhibits the symptoms of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

There are a lot of health professionals who are qualified to diagnose and treat simple snoring problems but if you suspect that your problem is much more serious than that, you probably need to consult someone who specializes in treating sleep disorders. In diagnosing OSA, your sleep disorder specialist may utilize the aid of self-administered questionnaires such as the Epworth Sleepiness Scale or use polysomnography, otherwise known as sleep study.

Sleep apnea can be treated so there are no reasons for you to take your snoring problems for granted. Keep in mind that snoring can never do you any good. Take the first steps to stop snoring now. It's the perfect time to do so.

The Sample Exercise Goes Like This...

Simply close your mouth and act like you are chewing gum. Chew like this for a minute or so at a time.

To do the exercise right make sure your molars on both sides move apart a little, and then touch lightly again. Also notice that your lips are supposed to be closed the whole time.

This exercise is pretty easy on your jaw because you are not actually chewing anything, but you might still feel a little bit sore in the beginning. Just take it easy-maybe chew for only a few seconds in the beginning and then increase the time you exercise.

You can make an "mmm" sound as you chew. This will open the throat better. Making an "mmm" sound is not necessary, it will just give the exercise extra boost.

This is the weak tissue that you are contracting, which you feel opening up your airways.

The muscles you now feel contracting in the back of your throat... are one of the main problem areas in your snoring. If you felt them opening up, then...