Snoring, a common yet often overlooked sleep disorder, has been identified as a significant disturbance to sleep quality, particularly among couples.
According to Dr. Martin Adu Afram, a physician assistant at Amphred Hospital in Nkoranza, in the Bono East Region, says snoring can have far-reaching consequences on relationships and overall well-being.
In an interview on Fabea FM's "Me Man Ho Dadwen" with Apiah-Kubi, Dr. Afram revealed that snoring occurs when the respiratory tract system is blocked, preventing air from passing through the nostrils.
Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues, such as your tongue, soft palate and airway, as you breathe. The sagging tissues narrow your airway, causing these tissues to vibrate.
He attributed the condition to various factors, including cattarrh (throat or nasal congestion), overeating, obesity, excessive alcohol intake, and sleeping position.
Illustration showing how narrowed airway contributes to snoring
Snoring
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Snoring can be caused by a number of factors, such as the anatomy of your mouth and sinuses, alcohol consumption, allergies, a cold, and your weight.
When you doze off and progress from a light sleep to a deep sleep, the muscles in the roof of your mouth (soft palate), tongue and throat relax. The tissues in your throat can relax enough that they partially block your airway and vibrate.
The more narrowed your airway, the more forceful the airflow becomes. This increases tissue vibration, which causes your snoring to grow louder.
The following conditions can affect the airway and cause snoring:
Your mouth anatomy. Having a low, thick soft palate can narrow your airway. People who are overweight may have extra tissues in the back of their throats that may narrow their airways. Likewise, if the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate (uvula) is elongated, airflow can be obstructed and vibration increased.
Alcohol consumption.
Snoring can also be brought on by consuming too much alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol relaxes throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction.
Nasal problems. Chronic nasal congestion or a crooked partition between your nostrils (deviated nasal septum) may contribute to your snoring.
Sleep deprivation. Not getting enough sleep can lead to further throat relaxation.
Sleep position. Snoring is typically most frequent and loudest when sleeping on the back as gravity's effect on the throat narrows the airway.
Dr. Afram emphasized that, snoring is not just a personal issue but also affects those around the snorer, particularly partners. "Snoring can disturb the sleep of others, leading to fatigue, irritability, and other related health problems," he cautioned.
To manage snoring, Dr. Afram recommended lifestyle changes, such as reducing alcohol intake, exercising regularly, sleeping sideways, and avoiding overeating before bedtime.
He also advised that individuals who snore can seek medical attention to obtain mechanisms to help manage the condition.
Dr. Afram's advice comes as a welcome relief to many who have struggled with snoring, by raising awareness about the condition and its consequences.
He hopes to encourage individuals to take proactive steps to manage and prevent snoring.
"Snoring is a common human condition that can be managed and abated with awareness, lifestyle changes, and medical intervention," Dr. Afram emphasized.
He concluded that as the medical community continues to shed light on the importance of addressing snoring, it is essential for individuals to prioritize their sleep health and seek help when needed.
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