Snoring is something that cannot be stopped at will, neither is it something that can be ‘cured’. It can however, be successfully controlled. Snoring is caused by a physical abnormality that needs to be identified before a control can be found, we can break the cause down to different “types” of snoring.
Find out more about the different types of snorer by clicking the sections below:
If you are a ‘tongue base snorer’, this means that you snore because your airway is liable to vibrate at the base of the tongue. Turbulent air is trying to get into your lungs through this restricted airway, and in doing so it vibrates the tissues of the tongue. The tongue may partially or completely block the airway, preventing you from breathing. This is termed apnoea which means ‘without breath’.
If you are a ‘mouth breather’ and sleep with your mouth open, you will probably snore. When we breathe in through the nose, the air passes over the curved part of the soft palate in a gentle flow into the throat without creating unnecessary turbulence. However, when we breathe in through the mouth, the air hits the back of the throat ‘head on’ and can create enormous vibrations in the soft tissue.
Nasal based snoring can be broken up into two main categories, “small or collapsing nostrils” and “nasal stuffiness”.
During sleep we are designed to breathe through the nose. If for any reason nasal breathing is not possible, our body’s self preservation mechanism forces us to breathe through the mouth, but this can lead to snoring. Difficulties breathing through the nose can be brought on by various issues such as nasal stuffiness, allergies or small, collapsing nostrils.
You may find that your snoring is not confined to a single cause but is multi-factorial. For example, you may be snoring because you are sleeping with your mouth open. But the reason you habitually breathe with your mouth open may be because you have an allergy that is causing nasal stuffiness and preventing you from breathing through your nose. In this situation you will need to address both the nasal stuffiness and the mouth breathing to control your snoring.
Stick your tongue out as far as it will go and grip it between your teeth. Now try and make a snoring noise. If the snoring noise is reduced with your tongue in this forward position, then you are probably a “tongue base snorer”.
Open your mouth and make a snoring noise. Now close your mouth and make the same noise. If you can only snore with your mouth open then you are a “mouth breather”. Somni Snore Guard or Snore Calm Chin-Up Strips will help to keep your mouth closed and encourage you to breathe correctly through your nasal airway
Looking in a mirror, press the side of one nostril to close it. With your mouth closed, breathe in through your other nostril. If it tends to collapse, try propping it open with the clean end of a matchstick. If breathing is easier with the nostril propped open, nasal dilators may solve your snoring problem.
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