Snoring is a common sleep phenomenon in life. Some people think that snoring in sleep means that the person is sleeping very well and the quality of sleep should be good, but in fact it is just the opposite. Snoring is a warning sign for human health. It is a sound produced by the sound of the upper respiratory tract being obstructed, and the air flow inhaled vibrating with the soft tissues of the respiratory tract when you have to breathe hard while sleeping.
According to statistics, about 20% of adults in general will snore, about 60% of men and 40% of women in middle-aged and older adults (41 to 65 years old) have habitual snoring.
Snoring can be divided into pathological and physiological. General physiological snoring is common in the daytime overwork, leading to sleep at night, causing a short period of snoring, but the sound is not very loud, as long as a change of sleeping position (such as lying down for side sleep) can be eliminated, this physiological snoring can not be too worried.
Pathological snoring is usually very loud, often accompanied by airway obstruction, and in severe cases, even sleep apnea. People who often snore in their sleep suffer from chronic hyperventilation, resulting in reduced blood oxygen and hypercapnia, which can have adverse effects on the heart and lungs. According to the literature, people who snore are prone to hypertension, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc.
If snoring occurs during adolescence, it will seriously affect your health. In addition, poor sleep quality can also affect schoolwork and even emotional disorders. It is important to note that obstructive apnea syndrome in children is usually characterized by restlessness during the day, inability to concentrate, behavioral problems and learning difficulties, and is therefore often misdiagnosed as hyperactivity.
The elderly snoring can affect life expectancy. The metabolism of the elderly is already slower, and the heart and brain are prone to hypoxia. And snoring in bed will increase the lack of oxygen to the heart and brain, thus increasing the incidence of hypertension, stroke, heart disease, cardiopulmonary insufficiency and other diseases.
Women who snore are prone to aging. Women who snore lead to insufficient blood oxygen in the body and poor qi and blood flow, then they are prone to facial skin relaxation and roughness, which can lead to premature appearance of crow’s feet. Because of the poor quality of sleep, it is easy to have dark circles and large bags under the eyes, which can also cause menstrual disorders and other symptoms.
The causes of snoring
1.Obesity: there are many reasons for snoring, however, the most common reason is obesity, accounting for about 70% to 90%, because excess fat in the neck will narrow the airway.
2.Decreased muscle tone: It is generally believed that the muscle tone around the throat decreases with age, becoming easily closed and the tongue tends to block the airway backwards. However, in Chinese medicine, this phenomenon is mainly thought to be caused by “qi deficiency”, which leads to a lack of muscle tone.
3.Tectonic abnormalities: Any factor that causes narrowing of the respiratory tract can cause snoring, for example: enlarged turbinates (common in people with allergic rhinitis), curved nasal diaphragm, enlarged tonsils, large tongue (the tongue tends to swell when there is a deficiency of qi), short chin, etc.
4.Nasal congestion: Inflammation and edema in the nasal cavity when you have a cold or allergy, making the airway narrow; or inhaling excessively dry air at night, the nasal cavity and the nasal snot in the throat become thick and dry, thus blocking the air circulation.
5.Smoking: Smokers can irritate the upper respiratory tract making it inflamed.
6.Alcohol consumption: Those who usually sleep without snoring will also snore like thunder after drinking, while those who usually snore will have their symptoms aggravated after drinking, and the rate of drinking affecting snoring is about 65%.
7.Medications: Sedatives used to treat insomnia and anxiety, for example, and muscle relaxants to ease back pain and arthritis, may make the muscles in the throat more relaxed than usual, causing narrowing of the airway and leading to increased snoring.
Natural treatment for snoring
1.Since obesity is an important cause of snoring, if you are used to snoring in bed and happen to be obese, weight loss is the first thing to consider.
2.People who have the habit of smoking and drinking should try to quit.
3.Sleeping on your side reduces the problem of the tongue blocking the airway backwards, thus reducing the chance of snoring.
4.The lack of muscle tone, which is one of the causes of snoring, is considered by Chinese medicine to be mainly due to Qi deficiency, so taking Qi tonics or exercising more to increase the body’s Qi can reduce the symptoms of snoring.
5.The symptoms of upper respiratory tract obstruction caused by turbinate hypertrophy, tonsillar hypertrophy, and nose allergy are considered in Chinese medicine to be phlegm stagnation in this system of the lung meridian, and therefore can be treated with herbs or acupuncture to improve the symptoms of upper respiratory tract obstruction.