Three Health Factors That Make Snoring Worse
We all know what snoring is, but what is snoring really? You hear it everywhere and it's often the butt of some comical jokes you've seen on a tv show or a cartoon where a character snores in an exaggerated fashion. While some people might think it is a laughing matter, those who snore know that it's more serious than that. Snoring can be a BIG SIGN of obstructive sleep apnea and you need to pay attention to it. Many people are not aware that snoring is actually made worse by poor health decisions. Treating your body the wrong way can turn a small problem into a big one. It's undeniable that your physical and mental health are interlinked so if you want to be happy both physically and mentally you should not ignore nightly snoring.
What are the typical culprits of a snoring problem? Well there are many, but the three factors we are going to focus on are poor diet, lack of exercise, and drug and alcohol abuse. If you spend a lot of time eating fast food, or otherwise unhealthy carb laden foods your chance of becoming obese is much much greater. However, those fatties foods don't just contribute to a heavy waistline. The fat will also accumulate around your neck area, and this excess fat weights down on your airway. This extra weight will worsen any preexisting obstruction that you have in your airway. When you hear the sound of snoring, you are actually hearing a vibration that is occurring inside the individuals airway because the soft tissue has caved in on itself. If you snore the last thing that you need is additional fat blocking your airway and making the problem worse.
Certain drugs, and alcohol can significantly make your snoring problem worse as well. Muscle relaxers, and more specifically drugs known as "benzos" which include things like alprazolam and lorezepam tend to contribute to snoring problems. They can greatly worsen any preexisting snoring condition. The reason for this is that these drugs further relax the muscles in your airway which actually need to become more firm so they hold their shape and do not cause a snoring vibration. If the muscles in your airway were not overly relaxed the problem would be non existent in many people, muscle relaxers do obvious harm.
Do you snore at night?
Little to no exercise contributes to a wide range of health issues. A regular exercise routine could perhaps be the most effective, and permanent solution to snoring. There are many exercise programs out there that don't involve pumping iron or doing cardio. Your throat muscles can be exercised just like your biceps, and exercising these muscles will help prevent you from snoring at night. One of the best ways to exercise these muscles is to learn to play the didgeridoo. An Australian aboriginal instrument that is unique in it's ability to strengthen the very muscles that cause snoring because of the way it's played.
Various vocal warm up exercises used by performers, and singing coaches can also be very helpful in order to stop snoring. Deciding to enroll in a vocal training class would not be an unwise decision at all for a nightly snorer.
It's not easy to learn how to stop snoring, especially when it comes to making serious life changes. However, it's well worth it if you are serious about your desire to live a healthier and happier life.