| There are two types of snoring: primary snoring and | | | | disease. Unfortunately, 90% of OSA sufferers are |
| snoring indicative of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If | | | | undiagnosed and untreated. |
| your significant other is a snorer, you can conduct a | | | | Snoring occurs because of the vibrations of tissues |
| sleep study, which is called a polysomnogram, to | | | | against each other in the back of the mouth and nose. |
| determine which type of snoring your significant other | | | | These tissues obstruct the airway and consist of the |
| is suffering from. Of the two types of snoring, primary | | | | soft palate, the throat, the uvula, the tonsils, or the |
| snoring, which is also called simple snoring, is the one | | | | adenoids. Snoring occurs during sleep because deep |
| that you should be concerned about the least. A | | | | sleep is what causes the relaxation of the throat |
| person will not suffer from any health problems or lose | | | | muscles. This partially closes the airway. This |
| out on any sleep because of primary snoring. You can | | | | narrowing of the airway obstructs the air flow, which |
| tell a person is suffering from primary snoring if you | | | | causes the snoring. A narrower airway will cause |
| can hear loud breathing while that person is sleeping. | | | | louder noise because there will be more friction. There |
| Primary snoring is uninterrupted and periodic. The noise | | | | are several other causes of snoring. If you're not in |
| from the loud breathing can be of any decibel level. | | | | shape, this can lead to poor muscle tone and lax |
| Primary snoring results from some type of nasal | | | | muscles, which can contribute to snoring. Alcohol, |
| passage blockage. The other type of snoring is more | | | | sleeping pills, or antihistamines can increase the |
| of a health concern and a doctor should be consulted | | | | relaxation of throat and tongue muscles. Excessive |
| for treatment recommendations. OSA can | | | | fatty tissue in the neck can cause your throat to |
| occasionally cause a complete blockage of the air | | | | become smaller. A long soft palate or uvula can |
| passages for as long as 10 seconds and this may | | | | narrow the opening of the airway. A stuffy nose from |
| result in death due to suffocation. According to the | | | | a cold can block your nasal airways and make it |
| National Institutes of Health, 12 million Americans have | | | | harder to pull air through it. This will create a vacuum in |
| OSA and it is as common as diabetes. OSA sufferers | | | | your throat and pull together the tissues of the throat. |
| can have as many as 20 to 30 involuntary breathing | | | | Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke can |
| pauses per hour during sleep. These pauses occur | | | | cause the throat muscles to relax and also creates |
| because the throat muscles and tongue relax and | | | | nasal and lung congestion. Men are more likely to |
| block the opening of the airway. A person suffering | | | | snore than women because they have narrower |
| from this type of snoring will have early morning | | | | airways. When you're middle-aged or older, your throat |
| headaches, problems staying awake during the day | | | | become narrower and the muscle tone in your throat |
| and low oxygen levels in the blood. If OSA is left | | | | decreases. A deviated septum, which is a deformity of |
| untreated, a person can have high blood pressure and | | | | the wall that separates one nostril from the other, can |
| increased risk of cardiac arrest, stroke and heart | | | | cause obstructed breathing. |