What is snoring?

Snoring is more than an unpleasant sound that some of us do when sleeping. It is an indicator of a possible sleep disorder, and therefore we should not take it lightly. But what exactly is snoring? Snoring originates when we have breathing difficulties when sleeping, caused by sometimes insufficient space between the back of the mouth and nose, which prevents the air from flowing properly. In this area we have several elements that can end up colliding: the tongue, the soft palate and the bell. When all these elements are too close together at bedtime, we produce a vibration when breathing, and that is when the annoying noise of snoring occurs.

Why do we snore?

There are many factors that can influence snoring when we sleep, but the most common are:

• Weakness of the throat muscles: Some people have the muscles of the upper part of the throat somewhat weaker than normal, which causes the airways to narrow, and the sound of snoring occurs. < / li>
• Deviation of the jaw bones : a small misalignment in the jaw can also cause narrowing of the airways. This deviation from the jaw can be caused by tension in the surrounding muscles (what is known as bruxismo )
• Obesity: Several studies relate obesity with a higher frequency of snoring, as well as obstructive sleep apnea (when we stop breathing temporarily between snoring).
• Stimulant abuse like alcohol or drugs, which relax the muscles in the throat, causing the snoring to vibrate.
• Sleep on your back: In this position it is common for the tongue to move towards the back of the mouth, plugging the area and making snoring more likely.

What are the consequences of snoring every night?

There are many people who think that snoring It is a normal reaction of our body when sleeping, and they hardly pay attention to it. But the truth is that if you snore regularly every night, you may be experiencing during the day a series of symptoms that are not beneficial for your well-being. Does any of the following happen to you?

• Sleepiness : People who snore regularly end up having sleep problems, since snoring itself is a symptom that tells you that you are not breathing properly when sleeping, and therefore You don't have enough oxygen in your blood to allow REM sleep, the most restful sleep. And if you can't fully recharge your batteries when sleeping thanks to REM sleep, you'll wake up without feeling rested, and you'll feel sleepy for much of your day.
• Irritability : probably a consequence of the above; if we don't get enough sleep, we feel frustrated, which manifests itself in irritable behavior in our daily lives, which can have negative consequences in our personal and professional life.
• Lack of memory < / strong>: During the REM sleep phase we store all our experiences of the day, and store them on the hard drive that is our brain. Well, if because of your snoring you suffer interruptions in your REM sleep, you will have problems when storing all those memories, and you will constantly suffer from memory failures.
• Low libido >: Especially in the case of men, a decrease in libido may occur, caused by the decrease in testosterone levels that occur in patients suffering from sleep apnea (one of the most common consequences of snoring).
• Marital problems : Call them marital or cohabitation problems; The reality is that having to endure a person who snores on a daily basis, especially if it is in the same room and / or bed, is torture for those who suffer. And this causes sleep disorders to the person who has to live with the snorer, as well as a possible deterioration of the relationship between both people.