What is seldom snoring

We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. A study shows that the number of people with known sleep apnea continues to grow, affecting:. If you have 15 or more of these episodes per hour, your apnea is considered moderate to severe.

And the health impact is enormous. If you have heart failure , it increases your risk of hospital admission. Sleep apnea also raises your risk of motor vehicle accidents, work-related injuries and accidents, and academic underachievement at all ages, even in early childhood.

Most telling: Worldwide, people with obstructive apnea rate their quality of life worse in every dimension. Mild sleep apnea presents in unpredictable ways. You may wake up often without knowing why, or get morning headaches. In addition to lifestyle changes, most people with sleep apnea will need to seek treatment that helps keep the airway open during sleep.

Currently, the most effective treatment for mild to severe sleep apnea is continuous positive airflow pressure — or CPAP — therapy. A CPAP device is a machine that uses a hose and airtight nosepiece or mask to deliver a steady stream of air as you sleep.

The air pressure helps keep your airway open, preventing pauses in breathing. CPAP technology is constantly being updated and improved, and the new CPAP devices are lighter, quieter, and more comfortable than they used to be. It can take some time to get accustomed to sleeping while wearing a CPAP device. When it comes to CPAP therapy, one size does not fit all. There are many different types of masks available, including ones that cover the full face and ones that cover only the nose. Masks also come in a range of sizes, to accommodate different face shapes.

There are also options that allow you to sleep in any position, accommodate glasses, and stay on if you toss and turn. Be sure to discuss your options with your doctor and schedule follow-up appointments to check the fit, evaluate your treatment progress, and adjust or switch your mask if necessary.

Ease into it. Start by using your CPAP device for short periods. Try wearing it for a half hour or an hour while sitting up in bed watching TV or reading a book. Most devices can be programmed to start slowly and gradually increase air pressure.

The goal is to be asleep before the machine reaches your prescribed pressure setting. Most people find this makes falling asleep much easier and more comfortable. Reset the machine if air flow wakes you. If a high-pressure stream of air wakes you up, turn the CPAP device on and off to restart the ramp setting. Choose a CPAP device with a built-in humidifier. Most devices now include a built-in humidifier, which helps prevent the dryness and skin irritation that can sometimes occur.

Also be sure to keep your humidifier tank full, keep your tubing and mask clean, and make sure your filter is clean. Nasal sprays and antihistamines also help. Keep your device clean. Your sleep doctor and device manufacturer will give you detailed cleaning instructions. To ensure maximum comfort , ask your doctor about soft pads to reduce skin irritation, nasal pillows for nose discomfort, and chinstraps to keep your mouth closed and reduce throat irritation and dry mouth.

Mask the sound of the CPAP machine. Most new CPAP devices are quiet, but if the sound of your CPAP machine bothers you, try placing it beneath the bed and using a sound machine to muffle the noise. In addition to CPAP, there are other devices that a sleep specialist may recommend for sleep apnea treatment. Medicines that relax you or make you drowsy, such as those taken for allergies, depression, or anxiety. Symptoms Snoring is a noise that you may make while breathing during sleep.

What Happens Snoring occurs when the flow of air from the mouth or nose to your lungs makes the tissues of the airway vibrate. Men are more likely to snore than women.

Snoring is most common in middle-aged people. Snoring may run in families. Weight gain and obesity. Exposing children to tobacco smoke may also increase their risk of snoring. Use of alcohol or sedative medicines. Chronic nasal congestion during sleep.

This is often caused by colds or allergies. Jaw abnormalities, such as a small chin and overbite class II malocclusion —the upper jaw and teeth overlap the bottom jaw and teeth. This may be an especially important factor in women. When should you call your doctor? Call your doctor if you or your bed partner: Snores loudly and heavily. Snores and feels sleepy during the day. Snores and falls asleep at the wrong times, such as when talking or while eating. Stops breathing, gasps, or chokes during sleep.

Watchful waiting Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. Exams and Tests Diagnosis of snoring focuses on finding out whether you might have sleep apnea. Treatment Overview Snoring is treated through lifestyle changes such as losing weight if needed , quitting smoking, changing sleep habits such as sleeping on your side instead of your back , and avoiding the use of alcohol and sedatives before you go to bed.

Initial and ongoing treatment Snoring is often treated successfully with lifestyle changes. You can: Lose weight if needed. Go to bed at the same time every night and get plenty of sleep. Sleep on your side, not on your back. Try sewing a pocket in the middle of the back of your pajama top, putting a tennis ball into the pocket, and stitching it closed.

This will help keep you from sleeping on your back. Avoid using alcohol and sedatives before bed. Raise the head of your bed 4 in. Promptly treat breathing problems, such as a stuffy nose caused by a cold or allergies. Use a nasal dilator to help keep your airway open. This is a device, such as nose strips or disks, that you attach to the outside of your nose while you sleep.

Treatment if the condition gets worse If your snoring gets worse, talk to your doctor. Prevention To help prevent snoring, you can: Avoid the use of alcohol and medicines that slow your breathing, such as sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Eat sensibly, exercise, and stay at a healthy weight.

Regular sleep patterns help you sleep better, and more restful sleep may reduce snoring. Sleeping on your back can increase snoring. This reduces inflammation and swelling in the airway, which may contribute to the narrowing of the airway. Using pillows to raise your head and upper body will not work. Sleeping at a slight incline can prevent the tongue from falling toward the back of the throat and contributing to a blocked or narrowed airway. Breathing problems can raise the risk of snoring.

Home Treatment Snoring typically is first treated at home. Treatment includes: Losing weight. Many people who snore are overweight. Weight loss can help reduce the narrowing of the airway and possibly reduce or stop the snoring. Limiting the use of alcohol and medicines. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or taking certain medicines, especially sleeping pills or tranquilizers, before sleep may make snoring worse.

Going to bed at the same time each night and getting plenty of sleep. Snoring may be more frequent when you have not had enough sleep. Sleeping on your side. Sleeping on your side may stop the snoring. Promptly treating breathing problems. Breathing problems caused by colds or allergies can disturb airflow, leading to snoring.

Using a breathing device while you sleep. It helps keep your airway open. This could be a device that you put in your mouth. Other examples include strips or disks that you use on your nose. Medications Medicine can help prevent or reduce snoring when it is caused by nasal congestion. Surgery Surgery for snoring is rarely used and only considered in cases of very severe snoring when other treatments have failed.

Surgery is used to: Remove excess soft tissue from the throat to widen the upper airway. This may involve removing the tonsils and adenoids and other tissues in the back of the throat uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

Correct an abnormally shaped wall septum between the nostrils or remove nasal polyps that block airflow through the nose. Snoring and loss of sleep can cause:. Snoring is also a symptom of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a health problem that can occur when the soft tissue of the throat collapses, much like when snoring, and prevents air from entering the lungs.

This can limit the amount of oxygen entering the body while sleeping, and cause you to wake up.