Snoring results from vibrations in the soft palate and other tissues of the throat. Simple methods can take care of mild snoring. However, in some cases, snoring is so loud it can disrupt a partner's sleep and interrupt sleeping patterns throughout the night for the snorer. Severe snoring leads to health issues because of the constant sleeplessness it causes.
Routine Changes
Some adjustments in your life may alleviate snoring problems. Being overweight causes snoring because the throat tissues are more likely to vibrate when breathing, the Mayo Clinic explains. Extra weight also narrows the airway in the throat. Losing as little as 10 pounds can make a difference, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS).
Lying on your side during sleep helps prevent snoring. Lying on your back partially obstructs airflow because the tongue falls back into the throat. Avoid drinking alcohol at least four hours before going to sleep. Alcohol and sedatives relax tissues and muscles in the throat, which obstructs the airway and causes snoring.
Products
Adhesive nasal strips applied to the nostrils help widen the air passages during sleep for better breathing. Dental mouthpieces help to keep the tongue in a forward position to keep the airways open. A dental specialist can fit you with a mouthpiece. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) includes a pressurized mask attached to a small pump, the Mayo Clinic says. The mask is placed over your nose as you sleep while a device pumps air into the airway so it stays open. CPAP works for people with sleep apnea, but some patients complain of discomfort.
Surgery
Ear, nose and throat specialists, known as otolaryngologists, or oral and maxillofacial surgeons perform surgery for snoring. Radio frequency surgery shrinks tissues in the throat and tongue to expand the airway, according to AAOMS. Surrounding tissue is left unharmed, but the surgery requires several treatments.
Laser-assisted uvuloplasty removes the uvula, the small tissue that hangs over the tongue, and other tissue to keep the airway open behind the palate. The procedure is performed with a small laser beam.
Nasal surgery to correct a deviated septum, the tissue separating the nostrils, clears up blockage in the nose. The surgery provides better breathing during the day as well as during sleep, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association.
A tongue suspension procedure keeps the tongue from falling back over the airway during sleep. A small screw inserted into the lower jawbone connects below the tongue, the American Sleep Apnea Association explains. The surgery is reversible.
