What Causes My Husband To Snore?
Snoring or Sleep Apnea?
Snoring never seems to be near as much of an issue for the one snoring as it does for their bed partner, or in some cases, everyone else in the house, hotel, campsite…. you name it, we have heard it. I have recently seen an individual that has been left behind on their annual hunting trip because his snoring is too disruptive for the group. Eventually it just stops being funny.
The noise occurs when the soft palate and the uvula vibrate against the back of the tongue or the base of the tongue. As you fall asleep, the soft tissue at the back of the throat, the muscles that line the airway, and the tongue muscles all relax. When this occurs, the tongue drops back into the airway which causes it to narrow. As air passes through this narrow airway, it moves faster and causes the tissues to vibrate against each other, which creates a rattling or snoring sound. As the air passage continues to narrow, pressure increases in the airway and the snoring becomes even louder.
There are a multitude of factors that affect snoring. If this is a concern for you or someone you know, who just may be affecting your ability to sleep, we may very well be able to help both of you. If you want us to evaluate what might be helpful for you, please contact us so we can look at your particular issues. At the very least we can help you determine if this is simply an annoying problem or it is indeed a serious medical and health issue called Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Tags: Sleep Apnea, Sleep disturbances, snoring
