Snoring is an unpleasant sound produced when one has some sort of breathing problems especially during sleep. The sound is produced due to a vibrating respiratory system. Both men and women are found to snore even though it is more common in men. The person who snores is mostly unaware of it. The sound may be soft but generally snoring starts with a soft sound and gradually increases its loudness reaching a peak within minutes. Some people make sound while breathing even when they are awake due to nasal or throat congestion.

Typical causes of snoring include

1. Congestion in the respiratory system

2. Some sort of throat infection or weakness

3. Incorrect posture during sleep

4. Blocked nose

5. Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The congestion in the respiratory system can be due to accumulation of fat around the throat where by proper air flow is restricted.

When the throat is infected or weak, the flow will be improper and there could be a vibration producing the snoring sound.

The tongue may get dropped to the back of the mouth when one sleeps on his/her back, thus partially closing the air passage way.

The nostrils may be blocked due to Common Cold or Sinusitis and one will tend to breathe through the mouth while sleeping.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common type of Sleep Disorder and usually it is due to the obstruction of the upper respiratory system. The pause in breathing is called Apnea, which normally lasts for few seconds. This sort of sleep disorder will reduce the blood oxygen saturation.

How to control snoring

The snoring can be controlled to a great extend by

1. Breathing through the nose. Practice deep Pranayama which is a sort of Yogic treatment

2. Doing some surgery to widen the airway by removing fat tissues in the back of the throat

3. Correcting the sleeping position. Try to sleep to either left or right side whichever is comfortable

4. Using some natural or herbal anti-snoring nasal spray as well as nasal strips

5. Sleep without pillows or use a thin pillow

There are acupressure devices and specialized acupuncture treatment to control snoring. There are some special dental devices which allow positioning the tongue forward by slightly advancing the lower jaw.

Remember, your snoring can be dangerous to your bed partner’s health as well because he or she will lose about one to two hours of sound sleep because of your snoring. This can create adverse effects in your relationship over a period of time.