Do you ever wake up from your own snoring, or do you have a partner who snores? Then you know how annoying that can be. But is it just irritating, or is there more to it? And also: which remedies for snoring really work?
Snoring is very common, says Ghizlane Aarab, professor of dental sleep disorders at the Academic Center for Dentistry in Amsterdam. “It’s laughed about, but snoring can have a big impact on the person who snores and their environment,” she says.
Where does that sawing sound actually come from? “Snoring occurs when the airflow is obstructed during breathing. This is the case if soft parts in your mouth and throat narrow the airway. Due to the high resistance to the airflow, the soft tissue vibrates and that characteristic snoring sound is created.”
That is not only annoying for yourself, but also for the people with whom you share a bed or bedroom. Many people who struggle with snoring therefore hope for a miracle cure. There is all sorts of things for sale at the drugstore. “All nonsense, for which there is no scientific evidence,” says Aarab. “Nose patches or nose spreaders… It doesn’t work at all.”
What does work is a mouthguard. The so-called mandibular repositioning appliance, the professor recommends. “With it, you keep your lower jaw and tongue forward and pull your throat further open. In this way, the airway is enlarged and the air can flow through it more easily.”
A healthy lifestyle can help
Sleep coach Sigrid Ruigrok advises going to sleep with your mouth taped shut. Although there is no scientific evidence for this yet, she says she regularly hears that it works. “By teaching yourself to breathe through your nose with your mouth closed, you will snore less or even stop snoring.”
Furthermore, you can also adjust your lifestyle and thereby reduce or even counteract snoring. There are a number of risk factors that can increase the chance of snoring. Aarab mentions being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol as the most common.
There are also risk factors that you can do little or nothing about. Think, for example, of aging and the build of your body. “As people get older, the muscles in the throat can weaken, which can cause or worsen snoring.”
Can be a warning sign
In most cases, it is mainly about the social discomfort that snoring entails. Snoring does not have to be serious, although it can be a warning sign for obstructive sleep apnea, Aarab knows.
If you suffer from this, the muscles in the mouth and throat relax during sleep in such a way that the tongue and soft parts in the throat block breathing. These breathing interruptions ensure that you cannot sleep deeply.
This condition not only results in complaints such as restless sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and concentration and memory problems. You also have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and traffic accidents.
Do you snore, and do you notice that you are tired during the day and/or do not wake up rested? Then it may be a good idea to call the doctor.