The dangers of snoring and 7 natural remedies

Do you snore? Do you have any idea how disruptive and loud snoring is? Have you ever considered the fact that you may be suffering from sleep apnea? Did you know 90 percent of people that snore have sleep apnea? Do you know snoring could be a result of your sleeping habit which may affect every aspect of your life and health? Below are some ways that how snoring can impact your health;

• High blood pressure

Not having adequate quality sleep stresses your body. Your hormone system goes into overdrive and increases your blood pressure level. When you are unable to breathe well while sleeping, the oxygen in your blood reduces which also leads to high blood pressure.

• Heart disease.

Heart disease is linked to high blood pressure which is caused as a result of low oxygen in the blood or intermittent waking up at night. Sleep apnea interrupts how the body takes oxygen in and makes it impossible for the brain to control blood flow in the body. Obstructive sleep apnea can also be responsible for atrial fibrillation and stroke.

• Type-2 diabetes

Improper usage of insulin can cause diabetes and not getting adequate quality sleep prevents the body from utilizing insulin.

• Weight gain

Sleep apnea sometimes leads to weight gain and weight gain causes sleep apnea too. When you gain weight, you will have extra tissues along your air passage which blocks the flow of air through the passage and make you snore. Sleep apnea makes it difficult to sleep at night the same way being overweight makes you have low energy which slows down your body metabolism. With a slow body metabolism, your body will be unable to burn as many calories as it should which is unhealthy to your overall health.

• Mental health problems

Lack of sleep leads to you having a cranky mood which can deteriorate into chronic anxiety or depression.

• Other accidents.

Sleep apnea reduces the quality of sleep you get leaving you to feel sleepy for most of your day. The feeling of grogginess and low concentration can interfere with your daily activities leading to accidents at work.

Natural snoring remedies that you should try out.

• Sleep on your side

Sometimes, snoring happens as a result of poor sleeping position such as sleeping on your back. This position makes the back of your tongue collapse against the throat which blocks the free flow of air and causes the vibration sound during sleep. Changing your sleep position to your side can help fix this. If you find yourself returning to sleeping on your back, you can use a body pillow for support. Another effective way to reduce your snoring is to raise the head of your bed. With a raised head, your nasal airway will be free. If you do not stop snoring after these measures, then you may have obstructive sleep apnea.

• Shed some weight

Although, weight loss does not help everyone who snores. After all, we have people who are not overweight who snore. Weight loss may only help you if your snoring started after you gained weight. It means the diameter of your throat has reduced due to an increase in the tissues around your throat and is the reason why you snore while asleep.

• Stay away from alcohol

Alcohol makes the muscles at the back of your throat relaxed. Even if you do not snore normally and you take alcohol, there is a likelihood that you will snore after taking alcohol.

• Maintain good sleep hygiene.

Bad sleep habits without getting adequate sleep can also make you snore. Imagine working for long hours and then finally getting to sleep, you would sleep deeply which makes the muscles floppy and make you snore. Sleeping at the right time and for the right number of hours will help make sure you do not snore.

• Keep your nasal passages open.

Blocked nasal passages contribute to snoring as air will not be able to flow freely which leads to difficulty in breathing and causes snoring. See your nose as a water hose with running water. If it is blocked, the water will not flow freely. To open up your nasal passage, take a hot shower before going to bed and rinse your nose with some saltwater while showering. Nasal strips are also effective for lifting your nasal passages and keeping them open through the night.

• Change your pillows

Sometimes allergens in your pillow and your bedroom at large may cause snoring. Did you dust your ceiling fan recently? When did you change your pillows? Pillows are known to accumulate dust mites which are capable of causing allergic reactions that make you snore. If you have pets and you allow then climb your bed, you may be breathing in animal dander which is another irritant.

If you have no problems with breathing during the day but find it hard to breathe while you are trying to sleep at night, then there must be something going on with your pillow or bedding. Is your pillow too flat? Replace your pillows every six months and on a weekly basis, put them in the air fluff cycle. This will reduce allergens and dust mites. Also, do not allow your pets to get on your bed.

One last thing you can do about your bedding is to get a special anti-snoring pillow designed to prevent snoring. They may work if it props up your head, which fixes nasal issues, however, it can cause neck pain, too.

Stay Well Hydrated.

Drink plenty of fluids. Secretions in your nose and soft palate become stickier when you're dehydrated. This can create more snoring. According to the Institute of Medicine, healthy women should have about 11 cups of total water (from all drinks and food) a day; men require about 16 cups.

Overall, get enough sleep, sleep on your side, avoid alcohol before bedtime and take a hot shower if nasal passages are clogged. These simple practices can make a huge difference in reducing snoring.

Hannah Edmonds is a creative and enthusiastic freelance writer who has been loving this gig for 8 years now. Her personal mission is to encourage a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life experience for people through her writing.