Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of respiratory disorders and preventable death in the United States. It irritates your bronchial tubes and causes inflammation of the airways, leading to snoring and sleep breathing disorders. In fact, 24 percent of smokers and 20 percent of past smokers snore, according to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Significance
Snoring is caused by the air that flows along the passageway between your nose and mouth vibrating off the uvula and the rear portion of your soft palate. Smoke inhaled from cigarettes irritates and inflames the mucous membranes in your airways, making it more difficult to breath and contributing to snoring. In fact, the more a person smokes, the more frequent the snoring is, according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in 2004.
Effects
Smoking may cause or worsen snoring by causing the mucus membranes of your nose and the tissue of your throat to become irritated and inflamed, making it difficult to breathe. This inflamed tissue creates a blockage in your airway and your windpipe narrows, so it is like breathing through a straw that is getting narrower. Mucus increases in your throat, making it more difficult to breathe. Smoking also damages your lungs, lowering their capacity by blocking the small vessels.
Passive Smoking
There is epidemiological data that links passive smoking and snoring. A 1992 study published in the "International Journal of Epidemiology" and a 2003 study published in "Pediatrics" showed that children exposed to second-hand smoke from one or both parents were more likely to snore. A 2004 article published in the "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine" reports that a postal survey of nearly 22,000 randomly selected subjects from five countries in Northern Europe linked passive smoking and habitual snoring.
Sleep Pattern
Snoring affects sleep patterns. The lungs of a smoker are often weak, which can result in frequent sleep interruption during the night if not enough air reaches the lungs. The urge to cough throughout the night also affects sleep patterns. Due to this increased tendency for snoring, coughing and spluttering, smokers spend less time in deep sleep and more time in light sleep.
Quitting
Quitting smoking helps improve your quality of sleep and may curtail snoring. There are a few ways to quit smoking. Replace smoking with another activity. Keep cigarettes out of your bedroom. Acupuncture may help curb cravings to help you stop smoking, according to Reader's Digest. Exercise regularly and use nicotine patches or gum to reduce cravings. Join a support group and enlist the help of family and friends to encourage you.
References
- Snoring Magic: Causes of Snoring Continued...
- "International Journal of Epidemiology": Effects of Environment and Passive Smoking on the Respiratory Health of Children
- "Pediatrics": Sleep and Neurobehavioral Characteristics of 5- to 7-Year-Old Children With Parentally Reported Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine": Snoring and Passive Smoking
- Reader's Digest: 25 Ways to Stop Smoking Cigarettes
