Snoring, these days, is a sign that you need to see your doctor. It could be a symptom of sleep apnea, an oxygen depriving, sleep disrupting condition that increases your risk for heart problems and more. Or it could be a sign of other, more mild health problems.
You may be tempted to take the easy way out and slap a breathing strip on your nose. While that may fix your partner’s disrupted sleep, all it’s doing is masking the underlying cause of the snoring by getting rid of the sound. It won’t regulate your breathing if something is obstructing it!
There are more mild causes of snoring, like being overweight, allergies, and congestion. Losing weight (even a few pounds) can open up your airways, and running a humidifier can help with congestion. Depending on if you’re a light or heavy sleeper, you might even find success with a new sleep position or different pillow.
But if those don’t work, it’s time to seek a diagnosis.
If it’s sleep apnea, the best treatment is usually a CPAP machine. It’s inconvenient, but far less invasive than surgery. It can be hard to diagnose sleep apnea, but you may prevent a lot of health problems down the line if you take care of it now.
Does snoring bother you? Share your story in the comments:
