WASHINGTON — Snoring can be exhausting — both for the snorer and anyone who tries to sleep nearby. But there are simple steps that can ease the racket.
Being overweight or obese can lead to snoring for some, and dropping a few pounds may make a difference. So can using a nasal decongestant if a stuffy nose or sinuses is part of the problem.
But there are other less obvious lifestyle changes that may help.
“We tell people to eliminate alcohol use, and if you are going to drink alcohol, not to drink several hours before you go to sleep,” said Dr. Carolyn Wang with the Sleep Disorders Center at Sibley Hospital in D.C.
She said certain medications can also cause snoring, and ironically, “these are all sedating medications that people use for anxiety and sometimes for sleep.”
Sometimes the solution is as simple as a new sleeping position.
“It may be a matter of just sleeping on your side and propping yourself up with positioning devices, such as pillows,” said Wang.
Usually, snoring is benign and more of an irritant for a bed partner than a cause for alarm. But sometimes, it can be an indication of a greater problem, such as sleep apnea.
“This is a condition where your airway actually collapses and you are not getting enough air,” said Wang. The lack of oxygen disrupts breathing, and that, in turn, ruins sleep.
“So, no matter how much sleep you are getting, if you are getting very tired, if you find yourself yawning frequently, you are driving and you are falling asleep, that can be an indication that you have obstructive sleep apnea,” she said.
Sleep apnea is treatable and the options range from surgery to oral breathing devices, to mouth guard-like appliances fitted by a dentist.
Men are far more likely to need help for apnea and persistent snoring than women. Wang said 44 percent of men and 28 percent of women snore.
