Even though 40% of the worlds population snore, few snorers know what the cause(s) of their snoring is / are, and how they can fix the problem. The common causes of snoring are being overweight, drinking alcohol and smoking. Let's talk about alcohol here and see how it may play a part in your snoring. Most people drink because alcohol relaxes them and for a lot of people, especially after a really "stressful day", nothing beats a beer, glass of wine or cocktail. Alcohol relaxes the muscles of the body even more so than normal sleeping does. Since your muscles are more relaxed while under the influence, your orophanyx (the back of your throat) begins to collapse more rapidly and obstruct the flow of air. Alcohol is also known to cause congestion in the nasal passages and this congestions becomes another obstruction to your breathing freely. If possible, STOP DRINKING. Not only will it help with your snoring, but it is also thought that drink anything more than, in "moderation", is detrimental to your health. At the very least stop drinking 4 - 6 hours before going to bed. This grace period will allow your body a chance to for the effects of the alcohol to wear off and reduce the effects that it may have on your sleeping, helping you to sleep without snoring. Sedatives such as sleeping pills behave much in the same way as alcohol, and amplify the affect if you take them while drinking, causing your body to relax its muscles and inducing many of the same symptoms as alcohol. When you snore, you not only do you hurt yourself - studies have shown that a spouse, or significant other, can lose up to an hour of sleep per night. Causing them not only to be 'cranky' in the morning, but potentially destroying your relationship. So, don't just do it for yourself - do it for your loved one! |
