Snoring: what it is, causes and what to do to stop it

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Snoring is a disorder that causes noise, due to the difficulty in the passage of air through the airways during sleep, which can end up causing sleep apnea, which is characterized by periods of a few seconds or minutes, during which the person is without sleep. breathe.

This difficulty in the passage of air usually happens due to narrowing of the airways and pharynx, where the air passes, or by the relaxation of the muscles in this region, especially during deep sleep, due to the use of sleeping pills or consumption of drinks. alcoholic.

To stop snoring, you can do exercises that help strengthen the muscles of the airways, in addition to having attitudes such as losing weight and avoiding the use of sleeping pills. If the snoring is persistent or more intense, it is also important to look for the general practitioner or pulmonologist, to identify the causes and guide the treatment.

Main causes of snoring

Snoring happens during sleep because, at this moment, there is a relaxation of the throat and tongue muscles, which are positioned a little further back, which makes it difficult for air to pass. The people most predisposed to developing this disorder are those with anatomical changes that narrow the air passage, such as:

  • Sagging of the throat muscles;
  • Nasal obstruction caused by excess mucus or phlegm;
  • Chronic rhinitis, which is inflammation of the nasal mucosa;
  • Sinusitis which is inflammation of the sinuses;
  • Nasal polyps;
  • Enlarged adenoid glands and tonsils;
  • Chin retracted.

In addition, some lifestyle habits, such as smoking, being obese, taking sleeping pills, sleeping on your back, and drinking alcohol make you more likely to snore.

Snoring can exist in isolation, or it can be a symptom of a disease called sleep apnea syndrome, which impairs breathing and sleep quality, causing various symptoms, such as drowsiness during the day, irritability and difficulty concentrating. Learn more about sleep apnea.

What to do to stop snoring

To stop snoring, it is interesting to perform some exercises that help and strengthen the muscles of the airways, which facilitates the passage of air and reduces the frequency of snoring. In addition, there are attitudes that help a person to stop snoring naturally, such as always sleeping on their side, avoiding smoking, avoiding drinking alcohol, losing weight and using devices that help stop snoring, such as a mouth guard that can be prescribed by the dentist. . Check out more tips on what to do to stop snoring.

If snoring is very bothersome or does not improve with these measures, it is important to see a general practitioner or pulmonologist to help identify the causes and guide the appropriate treatment. 

In the case of more severe snoring or associated with sleep apnea, when there is no improvement with these measures, the treatment should be guided by the pulmonologist, with the use of an oxygen mask called CPAP or with surgery to correct deformities in the airways. that are causing snoring.

Exercises to stop snoring

There are exercises that help strengthen the muscles of the airways, which treats or reduces the intensity of snoring. These exercises should be done with the mouth closed, avoiding moving the chin or other parts of the face, concentrating on the tongue and roof of the mouth:

  1. Push the tongue against the roof of the mouth and slide back , as if sweeping, as much as you can for 20 times;
  2. Suck the tip of the tongue and press it against the roof of the mouth , as if it were stuck, and keep it for 5 seconds, repeating 20 times;
  3. Lower the back of the tongue , also contracting the throat and uvula for 20 times;
  4. Raise the roof of the mouth, repeating the sound “Ah” , and try to keep it contracted for 5 seconds, 20 times;
  5. Place a finger between the teeth and the cheek, and push the finger with the cheek until it touches the teeth , keeping it contracted for 5 seconds, and alternating sides;
  6. Inflate a birthday balloon, cheeks pinched . When you take in the air, you should fill your belly, when you blow the air, feel the throat muscles contract.

To be able to do the movements well, you need some training time. If there is any difficulty, it is recommended to ask for help from a speech therapist to assess whether the exercises are being done correctly.