Top Health Tips on Treating Snoring

The thought of waking up fresh in the morning after a good night s sleep itself is refreshing. However, many are deprived of this simple pleasure of life, one of the main cause behind it is snoring. Whether you are snoring or have a person next to you snoring, the result is a disturbed sleep, which leaves you feeling tired and not-very-rested.

Snoring is caused by multiple reasons including stress, obesity, smoking, sinus problems, circulatory problems, poor diet, large tongue or tonsils and with age. This leaves the person sleep deprived, including a feeling of drowsiness, sore throat, increased risk of heart disease, reduced libido and decreased concentration.

While there are surgical corrections that can get rid of snoring, yoga has some simple, effective pranayamas and asanas that have been proven to be effective since times immemorial. They improve lung capacity, help in weight management, keep the air passages open and also help in stress management.

Try the following asanas and pranayamas to see snoring disappear.

Pranayama: This improves the strength of the facial and throat muscles. Bhramari or Humming Pranayama and Ujjayi pranayama are specifically useful in snoring patients. In Bhramari Pranayama, the lips are closed and the soft palate vibrations are entirely due to nasal airflow. Practised mouth snoring over a period of time where the soft palate is lifted towards the pharynx produces a buzzing bee sound. Both breathing in and out happens through the nostrils producing this sound, although slightly different during inhalation and exhalation. Ujjayi Pranayama is where a hissing breathing sound is produced due to the nasal snoring instead of the mouth snoring in the Bhramari exercise.
Breathing and Chanting the Om Mantra: Sit on the floor in a relaxed position with eyes closed and take few deep breaths. Begin to chant the word OM repeatedly for a few minutes. Break the word into two parts, the first part of OOOO should come from deep within followed by the lighter MMMM. This helps meditate, relax, and reduce snoring. Try to do this breathing and chanting at least ten to twelve times, and more if possible, on a daily basis.
Another effective measure is the Simha Garjasana or Roaring Lion Pose where you kneel down on the mat, lean back so that the hips are resting on the heels. The palms are faced in the space between the knees with fingers spread apart. Tilt your head back while taking deep breaths. This improves the airway and reduces the snoring.
Kapalbhati, Bhujangasana Dhanurasana, Warrior Pose and Surya Namaskar are also other effective asanas. When done regularly over a period of time, it helps in getting rid of snoring. This in turn, makes you feel fresh in the morning; ready to take on the day.

About a 45 percent of adults snore occasionally, and although most people tend to ignore it, snoring is a problem that must be dealt with consideration. There are many families where one spouse snores and keeps the other person from a good night s sleep. It has been reported that snoring can create severe disputes in marriage and one who snores must take steps to control snoring.

Snoring is not simply a nuisance, but a major proportion of individuals who snore are affected with obstructive sleep apnea by which breathing is disrupted while a person is fast asleep.

This condition increases the risk of heart diseases. Fortunately, there are ways to control a person's snoring.

Have a look at them below:

Weight loss: Having a large neck circumference and being overweight increases the risk of pushing the fat down at the throat resulting in snoring. With a suitable weight loss training, one can control the snoring to a considerable extent.
Altering sleep positions: Sleeping on the sides help in forbidding the tongue from resting backwards and blocking the throat while sleeping. Some specially created pillows can help the individuals from rolling back during sleep.
Limit alcohol intake: Intake of alcohol contributes to further relaxation of muscles in the airways and collapses the path which makes snoring even worse. Limiting consumption of alcohol and avoiding to drink it at least 4 to 5 hours before going to bed can reduce snoring to a significant extent.
Stop smoking: Smoking invariably leads to nasal congestion as well as inflammation which in turn worsen snoring. If one is running out of reasons to avoid smoking, then this is one of the most convincing reasons to for the same.
Certain medications: There are some medicines, particularly sedatives and antihistamines, which are designed to have a relaxing effect and can, therefore, aggravate snoring. But, it is advised to consult with a general physician before making any alterations in the medicine routine.
Avoid opening the mouth: Those who are aware of snoring with the mouth open must avoid opening the mouth during sleep by using a specifically designed tape or adhesive for closing shut the mouth while sleeping.
Using specialised device: The mandibular advancement device is specifically crafted for those who suffer from tongue-based snoring. This equipment helps in moving the jaw forward as well as prevents the tongue from blocking the backside of the throat while sleeping.
Avoid nasal collapse: Those who suffer from nasal collapse must use some form of adhesive nasal dilator strip which has to be placed over the nose. This would aid in keeping the airways open as well as reduce snoring.
Treat allergies: Inflammation, as well as nasal congestion triggered by allergies, is a common cause of snoring while sleeping. One must opt to do an allergy test to identify and reduce potential allergens in the area where the individual sleeps such as bedding type, pet hair, dust mites, wheat or dairy intolerance and lessen snoring.
Thus, snoring can be controlled before it becomes a problem.

About a 45 percent of adults snore occasionally, and although most people tend to ignore it, snoring is a problem that must be dealt with consideration. There are many families where one spouse snores and keeps the other person from a good night s sleep. It has been reported that snoring can create severe disputes in marriage and one who snores must take steps to control snoring.

Snoring is not simply a nuisance, but a major proportion of individuals who snore are affected with obstructive sleep apnea by which breathing is disrupted while a person is fast asleep. This condition increases the risk of heart diseases. Fortunately, there are ways to control a person's snoring.

Weight loss: Having a large neck circumference and being overweight increases the risk of pushing the fat down at the throat resulting in snoring. With a suitable weight loss training, one can control the snoring to a considerable extent.
Altering sleep positions: Sleeping on the sides help in forbidding the tongue from resting backwards and blocking the throat while sleeping. Some specially created pillows can help the individuals from rolling back during sleep.
Limit alcohol intake: Drinking alcohol contributes to further relaxation of muscles in the airways and collapse the path which makes snoring even worse. Limiting consumption of alcohol and avoiding to drink it at least 4 to 5 hours before going to bed can reduce snoring to a significant extent.
Stop smoking: Smoking invariably leads to nasal congestion as well as inflammation which in turn worsen snoring. If one is running out of reasons to avoid smoking, then this is one of the most convincing reasons to quit smoking and enjoy overall good health.
Certain medications: There are some medicines, particularly sedatives and antihistamines are designed to have a relaxing effect and can, therefore, aggravate snoring. But it is advised to consult with the general physician before making any alterations in the medicine routine.
Avoid opening the mouth: Those who are aware of snoring with the mouth open must avoid opening the mouth during sleep by using a specifically designed tape or adhesive for closing shut the mouth while sleeping.
Using specialised device: The mandibular advancement device is specifically crafted for those who suffer from tongue-based snoring. This equipment helps in moving the jaw forward as well as prevent the tongue from blocking the backside of the throat while sleeping.
Avoid nasal collapse: Those who suffer from nasal collapse must use some form of adhesive nasal dilator strip which has to be placed over the nose. This would aid in keeping the airways open as well as reduce snoring.
Treat allergies: Inflammation, as well as nasal congestion triggered by allergies, is a common cause of snoring while sleeping. One must opt to do an allergy test to identify and reduce potential allergens in the area where the individual sleeps such as bedding type, pet hair, dust mites, wheat or dairy intolerance and lessen snoring.
Thus, snoring can be controlled before it becomes a problem.

About a 45 percent of adults snore occasionally, and although most people tend to ignore it, snoring is a problem that must be dealt with consideration. There are many families where one spouse snores and keeps the other person from a good night s sleep. It has been reported that snoring can create severe disputes in marriage and one who snores must take steps to control snoring.

Snoring is not simply a nuisance, but a major proportion of individuals who snore are affected with obstructive sleep apnea by which breathing is disrupted while a person is fast asleep. This condition increases the risk of heart diseases. Fortunately, there are ways to control a person's snoring.

Weight loss: Having a large neck circumference and being overweight increases the risk of pushing the fat down at the throat resulting in snoring. With a suitable weight loss training, one can control the snoring to a considerable extent.
Altering sleep positions: Sleeping on the sides help in forbidding the tongue from resting backwards and blocking the throat while sleeping. Some specially created pillows can help the individuals from rolling back during sleep.
Limit alcohol intake: Drinking alcohol contributes to further relaxation of muscles in the airways and collapse the path which makes snoring even worse. Limiting consumption of alcohol and avoiding to drink it at least 4 to 5 hours before going to bed can reduce snoring to a significant extent.
Stop smoking: Smoking invariably leads to nasal congestion as well as inflammation which in turn worsen snoring. If one is running out of reasons to avoid smoking, then this is one of the most convincing reasons to quit smoking and enjoy overall good health.
Certain medications: There are some medicines, particularly sedatives and antihistamines are designed to have a relaxing effect and can, therefore, aggravate snoring. But it is advised to consult with the general physician before making any alterations in the medicine routine.
Avoid opening the mouth: Those who are aware of snoring with the mouth open must avoid opening the mouth during sleep by using a specifically designed tape or adhesive for closing shut the mouth while sleeping.
Using specialised device: The mandibular advancement device is specifically crafted for those who suffer from tongue-based snoring. This equipment helps in moving the jaw forward as well as prevent the tongue from blocking the backside of the throat while sleeping.
Avoid nasal collapse: Those who suffer from nasal collapse must use some form of adhesive nasal dilator strip which has to be placed over the nose. This would aid in keeping the airways open as well as reduce snoring.
Treat allergies: Inflammation, as well as nasal congestion triggered by allergies, is a common cause of snoring while sleeping. One must opt to do an allergy test to identify and reduce potential allergens in the area where the individual sleeps such as bedding type, pet hair, dust mites, wheat or dairy intolerance and lessen snoring.
Thus, snoring can be controlled before it becomes a problem.

Sleeping disorders or as some people calls it, insomnia, is the condition where a person loses his night sleep completely or is able to sleep only for few hours or minutes. They feel a sudden restlessness when they go to sleep, or they naturally do not get any good sleep. It is a known fact that sleep is a major necessity for any person since the hormone levels and other form of bodily activities are regulated only if the person gets a good night's sleep. The body needs some form of rest after a long day, that is, the normal breaks that a person takes is not sufficient enough to keep him or her healthy, but a proper sleep for atleast 6 to 8 hours is needed to keep oneself fit.

Forms of sleeping disorders:
Sleeping disorders can be of various types and they are not just only about the person's inability to fall asleep. Some common types of sleeping disorders are,

Loss of sleep due to excessive snoring
Sleep apnea
Restless leg syndrome
Insomnia and sleep deprivation
Sleep walking
These are the very common forms of sleeping disorders that can be seen in a person. All the disorders have one thing in common. They generally make the person feel tired all day long, due to complete or partial loss of sleep. At times, the break in the sleeping pattern can also be brought by jet lag or an uncomfortable travelling schedule.

Symptoms:
Sleeping disorders cannot be identified from the day one. The slow build up of symptoms are the only clue to the fact that one is suffering from this condition. Some of the very common symptoms that would help the person to identify the problem are:

Loss of concentration during the day
Falling asleep during the day and during work
Irritable sensation all throughout the day
Loss of patience during work
Suddenly waking up in the middle of the night
Solution to the problem:
The homeopathic remedies involve the use of natural herbs and their extracts. All these are recommended by the doctors in prescribed dosages. Some of the commonly used homeopathic remedies are:

Coffea: This particular herb is considered to be ideal for coping with sleeping disorders. This is more commonly suggested for people, who find it difficult to fall asleep due to over excitation, or else due to sudden mood swings.
Chamomilla: People suffering from sleeplessness due to pain and irritation prefer this.
Belladona: This herb is used in cases where the person has trouble falling asleep due to nightmares or headache.

Just like there are exercises to lose weight, there are simple exercises which you can do to stop your snoring completely. Snoring is a common condition, and it generally takes place more in men than women. It mostly affects individuals who are overweight, and the condition gets worsened with age. Though it is not a serious condition, it has to be dealt as it affects the sleep of your sleeping partner. The main cause of snoring is an improper flow of air through the mouth or nose.

The airflow to the nose is obstructed by factors like:

-Obesity
-Pregnancy
-Genetic factors
-Sinus Infection
-Congestion


How to Prevent Snoring
It is very essential that prior attention is given to this condition before it turns out to be a serious problem. The self-help tips that can be used by individuals to stop snoring include proper exercising, losing weight, quitting smoking, and not drinking alcohol as well as setting up an ideal sleeping pattern. There are devices available in the pharmaceutical stores like the mouth guard device which are specially designed to help stop snoring. There are medications also available that help to stop snoring and have good-quality sleep.


Amazing and Simple Exercises to Stop Snoring
You can cure your snoring problem easily by practicing vocal exercises without the need of even going through a painful and expensive surgery.


Singing is an excellent exercise that is very good for your vocal passage, and that can cure the snoring problem. It is best that you start singing in a warm shower, and the moist steam of the warm water would soothe your throat. The benefit of singing is that it tightens the muscles, and it is an excellent and natural way that would cure your sleeping problem. You can practice singing at least 20 minutes in a day, and you would surely experience the difference.


The second simple exercise that can be done to stop snoring is yawning, which involves opening and closing of your mouth. The exercise done in a yawning motion would strengthen both the inner and outer neck muscles. It is very necessary that the mouth is opened widely, and this activity can be done anytime of the day.


The third exercise that is helpful to get relief from sleep disorders is chewing. You can fix your throat by chewing the tip of a pencil. You don't have to bite the pencil, and you just need to fix your throat muscles to make certain that your air way is clear.

An estimated of 10 percent or more children snore for more than 1 night. Snoring results from the obstruction of breath when the air makes its way through the mouth. The air passage of the throat through which the air goes in and out causes the tissue to vibrate causing snore. The sound of the snore totally depends on the amount of air passing through the mouth and the frequency at which the throat is vibrating. Children above the age of three years tend to snore when they are deep in sleep.

Primary and secondary snoring:
Children who are otherwise healthy should not have a snoring problem unless there is some health disorder. However, if loud snoring is observed in otherwise a perfectly healthy kid, seeking medical help is a wise thing to do. In general, primary snoring is defined as a condition which is not associated with other sleep-related disorders such as lung disorder, OASS, inability to sleep for a longer duration etc.

Other possibilities:
It is estimated that close to three percent of the children suffers from breathing problem while sleeping. OSAS is a condition which is characterised by pauses in breathing and gasps along with loud snores. There could be instances where a kids muscle relaxes way too much obstructing the air to pass through. The body and the brain are both alerted at this stage. As soon as the brain sends a signal, the body wakes up. Thus, most kids suffering from this disorder are not able to sleep well and tend to feel tired throughout the day.

Common causes of sleep apnea:
Sleep apena is a major cause of snoring. It can be caused because of allergies, obesity, GERD etc. In children sleep, apnea can also be caused by tonsil. Since the tonsil size of children less than 7 years of age tends to be bigger than adult individuals, it causes snoring related problem. Swollen tonsils not only obstruct air but creates other health related problems as well.

Symptoms of sleep apnea during the day and night:

Loud snore
Snorts, gasps, pauses during sleep
Heavy sweat during sleep
Social and behavioural problems
Failure to get up in the morning
A nasal voice
Easily irritated, cranky and aggressive
Relief measure:
The first thing a that a doctor does is a physical exam followed by observing the symptoms of a kid. Primary snorting can be addressed by physical exercise, counselling and breathing exercise. Problems related to apnea are addressed through medicine, counselling, and exercise. Certain dietary restrictions also needed to be followed during this time. However, apena is completely treatable within a certain time frame.

Do you snore too much while you sleep? Does your snoring give others a hard time? Snoring is caused because of the vibration of soft tissues and muscles that make up your upper airways. Working out these muscles help in the management of snoring. These soft tissues and muscles stay floppy when you are snoring. The tightening of these muscles helps in reducing the level of floppiness, which results in reduced snoring. There are several simple mouth exercises that are considered to be effective in dealing with snoring. Several researches and experiments have been carried out in order to prove the effectiveness of these exercises in controlling snoring.

The most important and common mouth exercises that help stop your snoring are as follows:

The tongue slide
You have to push the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, or the hard palate.
After this, you simply should slide your tongue backwards. You should repeat this around 20 times.
The roof smash
In order to practice this exercise, you need to turn your tongue in the upwards directions, and press the whole tongue against flush with the hard palate.
This should be repeated 20 times.
Tongue carpet
You have to force the underside of your tongue against the floor of your mouth.
Along with this, you need to keep the tip of your tongue in contact with the bottom part of your front teeth.
Say aah!
You need to lift your soft palate, at the back of your mouth s roof and uvula, similar to how you open your mouth during a throat inspection.
The cheek push
You need to insert your right index finger into the mouth, while pressing the inside of your finger against your left cheek s length.
You should engage your cheek muscle and try to return the pressure back on your finger.
This should be repeated 10 times on each side.
Even chewing
It is important for you to chew evenly even you eat any form of food.
You should alternate both sides of your mouth while chewing and swallowing food.
Similar to any form of exercise, you need to practice these mouth exercises on a regular basis to gain benefits and observe positive results. Unless you practice them strictly and continuously, you may not experience any change in your snoring patterns and intensity. You should try incorporating these exercises into your daily schedule. You may do a set after brushing your teeth, or during evening commutes.

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder in which you experience frequent breathing pauses while sleeping. In case of some, the pauses may last for just a few seconds, while for others, it may continue for a few minutes. Sleep apnea is generally chronic in nature. There are three types of sleep apnea, namely Central, Obstructive and Complex sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea occurs if the brain fails to transmit signals to the muscles responsible for your breathing functions. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs due to relaxation of your throat muscles. Complex sleep apnea refers to a combined condition of both central and obstructive sleep apnea.

Some of the possible causes of sleep apnea are as follows:
1. Blockage of airway during sleep can cause sleep apnea
2. Putting on weight can cause obstructive sleep apnea
3. In some cases, large tonsil tissues can lead to obstructive sleep apnea in small children
4. Intake of certain medicines like Oxycontin or MS Contin can cause central sleep apnea
5. Male people are more prone to sleep apnea
6. Smoking is also a potent trigger for sleep apnea
7. At times, high blood pressure can induce sleep apnea
8. Suffering from sinus can also lead to sleep apnea
9. Large neck size (more than 16 inches) may cause sleep apnea
In case of some people, sleep apnea might be an inherited condition.

The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are mentioned below:
a. Sometimes, obstructive sleep apnea is accompanied by choking or snorting sounds.
b. You may encounter breathing trouble while sleeping, leading to a disruption of your sleep.
c. Maximum times, sleep apnea is accompanied by snoring.
d. Sleep apnea leads to a dry mouth, which can disturb your sleep.
e. You may feel dizzy during daytime.

Hi everyone,

I am Dr. Shashidhar. I am a Paediatric ENT surgeon at Artemis Hospital.i am heading the department and I am very glad to discuss you about the common things which make you come to an ENT. Number one cold in children which is often very debilitating and problematic causing you to give them a nightless sleep. Second is the allergic symptoms of sneezing running nose constant headaches and itching in the eyes and lastly, very common problem amongst most of the children and adults is snoring problem. Coming to the most common reason for recurrent colds although the most common cause is viral infection it should get alright in 4 to 5 days. But a lot of times what we see is this infection persists much much longer and that is the time you have to think that do you have to go and see an ENT because it's not a viral infection anymore, it could be the sign of sinusitis. When I say sinusitis what I want to say is the bones inside the face they are hollow so when you breathe air they circulate through these bones and they take humidity and nice moisture and they become warm the air becomes warm and then it goes into the chest.

But instead of air if these bones have pus inside them it becomes a problem because the patient will often have pain in the face congestion in the nose headache fever and constant cough and nose block. These are the symptoms of sinusitis and id they persist for more than 2 weeks we call it subacute sinusitis. Most of the time you may require an antibiotic a long course to treat these infections but sometimes you need an ENT consult because there may be an associated deviated nasal septum. The nasal bone which is separating the nose into 2 partitions if it is twisted then it is called a deviated nasal septum and this needs to be corrected. The easiest way to fix the problem non surgically is actually giving good saline nasal washes, multiple saline nasal washes 6 to 8 times steam inhalations they all go long way in helping the nose to heal itself. The 2nd problem which I was referring to is an allergic problem in children. We often are forced to do nebulization to kids and it is always a good idea to check adenoids in the kid because they all mimic the symptoms of allergy in kids.

The child may have snoring breathing difficulty and this can be adenoid. Adenoids are swelling on the back of the nose which block the nose which is due to an infection or allergies which cause adenoid to grow up and once they block the nose they cause a lot of secretion in the nose which causes severe symptoms of allergy and nasal congestion. All these steroid nebulization help a little bit but they don t cure the adenoid. So if your child or if your adult patient has chronic nasal blockage for more than 3 weeks its time to have an ENT consult for that to check out for sinusitis or adenoids. And to keep it brief the last problem which I would like to discuss is snoring. Now snoring is not something which is normal although up to 5200 times a night one can snore if they are tired or they are very very stuffy at night someone who is snoring and also making sounds at night like kh kh kh choking sort of a sound then it means they may be having obstructive sleep apnea. And this is a different problem than simple snoring because in this the breathing stops the oxygen level goes down and the heart rate kicks in which cause several changes in the body which may decrease the life expectancy which may decrease your performance during the day and cause you very sleepy the next day.

In children, it can cause often a very hyperactivity symptom in the day. How do you detect what is the cause of this snoring? A simple ENT examination should be done to see if there is a blockage of the nose the back of the nose nasopharynx the palate with very bulky or blocking the tongue if its bulky or falling back the tonsils and also the larynx and the hypopharynx which is the opening of the windpipe and the area near the food pipe. So they are all very important in deciding the sight of the snoring. And often we find multiple slides can be involved in causing snoring and sleep apnea. In a child, it's not a brainer that if a child has sleep apnea it is almost always tonsils or adenoids. Although you have exceptions of the squeezy windpipe which is called laryngomalacia or any obstruction downwards which is called Subaortic stenosis or retekomalacia. But all these are congenital problems that we don t see them very often. So how do you effect snoring? Like I said the first part would be a complete assessment. And this will also include assessment of the severity of snoring or sleep apnea by a test called polysomnography or sleep study at night.

We do measure how much oxygen is dropping how your stages of sleep how much heart rate is increasing what stage of sleep you are going into what position of sleep you are sleeping into which is worsening the problem several parameters are measured. And once you do a sleep apnea we know for sure that your sleep apnea needs to be treated aggressively or only way introduction and lifestyle changes to be helpful or you hardly have any sleep apnea. So this is very important in the assessment of the sleep apnea. So to summarise nasal blockage is in recurrent colds allergies and nasal blockages causing sleep apnea all the entities are very easily treatable. Some may require lifelong medication by anti-allergic in spite of a surgery which is not a bad thing because you are symptom-free and these small medications are only going to keep you symptom-free and will prevent you from having the recurrence of symptoms.

The biggest misconception which people have is the sinus surgery should not be done because if we do it will always come back. What our experience is if we could care about sinuses and if you are doing good nasal washes and bushings are also under regular care the recurrence rates are as less as 5%. And the biggest happiness which we get is all these times when you are on medication you are actually completely symptom-free. There are several other problems which can be dealt with also by ENT which helps in the ears like otitis media. So my strong advice to you is although there is a good scope of alternative medicines and regular nasal washes and other things but if your problem is not getting sorted out you should definitely seek an ENT visit with your nearest ENT surgeon who is going to have a good look at your sinuses your nose your throat and larynx and NSAs and tell you what is the way to fix them. It does not mean you will always end up with surgery but it does mean that a potential complication is prevented by taking a good treatment at the right time and all the suffering which you undergo can be completely avoided if you have the consultation at the right time.

Thank you so much for.