Did you know that millions of Americans are affected by snoring? It is true! In fact, about half of U.S. adults do it from time to time and a staggering 25% of adults deal with it on a regular basis and snoring is not limited to just men. If this describes you, make today the day you learn all about it and how you can fight it.
Common Causes of Snoring
If you snore, it's because the relaxed tissues in your throat vibrate as the air you breathe in rushes past them. The underlying causes are pretty numerous. Everything from your weight, to your lung health, to the mattress you’re sleeping on can make you more likely to snore during the night. If you are sick with a stuffy nose, this will cause temporary snoring. An evening spent drinking alcohol can relax your tongue and throat muscles enough to make you snore. It helps to watch what and how much you drink, especially close to bedtime. Other causes of snoring are more permanent and difficult to fix, like sleeping on your back. You’re more likely to snore if you’re overweight, especially if your neck is more than 17 inches if you're a man or 16 inches if you're a woman.
Health Implications of Disrupted Sleep Caused by Snoring
Snoring is many times associated with a sleep disorder called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Not all snorers have OSA. However, if your snoring is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, it is possible you do:
Breathing pauses, gasping, or choking during sleep
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Morning headaches
Sore throat upon awakening
Restless sleep
Chest pain at night
If your snoring is so loud that it's disrupting your partner's sleep, it could be harming your relationship. This isn’t something to brush aside! Your relationship should be a happy one, and if it is not this has a big effect on your mental health.
Beyond the health implications of snoring in and of itself, anything that wrecks your sleep is really bad for you! You need high-quality sleep to feel rested and happy. Your body is hard at work fighting off infections and viruses as you sleep. Your brain needs REM sleep to clean itself and store memories. Your skin needs sleep to repair itself. Anything that wakes you up before your sleep cycle is complete is harming your physical, mental, and emotional health. In fact, just one night of sleeplessness due to snoring changes your ability to regulate emotions and set aside the mental resources necessary for objective cognitive processing.
Best Sleep Products to Stop Snoring
Snoring happens when the flow of air through your nose and throat is restricted. This inability to breathe properly causes the surrounding tissues to vibrate, resulting in the unpleasant sound. For this reason, your sleep position goes a long way to whether you snore or not. This makes adjusting your sleep position one of the easiest and most effective snoring solutions. Sleeping on your side is best, so you’ll want to find a mattress that is ideal for side sleepers.
We carry over 80 sleep surfaces to choose from, everything from pillow top to extra firm, with many different manufacturers, multiple size options, and more. What you want is a mattress that offers pressure relief, since your shoulder and hips will be pressed upon all night long. Many sleepers feel a high-quality innerspring mattress is best for this.
You also want to make sure you are not sinking in too far and getting warm enough to wake up and roll over. The PranaSleep flagship collection was specifically designed to keep you cool as you sleep. These mattresses allow you to get a profoundly deep sleep with the help of a natural thermostat. The Tempur-Pedic mattress brand is well known for this cooling ability as well. A Tempur-Pedic LuxeBreeze mattress keeps you up to eight degrees cooler throughout the night! Maximum airflow is provided from the Tempur CM Comfort layer. The support layer has Ventilated Tempur-APR – Advanced pressure relief, a new breakthrough technology. The SmartClimate Max Dual Cover System has a zippered, removable and washable cover that is double cool to the touch. These features makes this products another great option for the best mattress for snoring.
Don’t forget your pillows! The best pillow to stop snoring is one that keeps you comfortably on your side. We sell several pillows designed specifically to keep you in a side sleeping position. A few of our favorite include the Sleep and Beyond myDual® Natural Wool Pillow for Side Sleepers and the Borden Textile Side Sleeper Support Pillow. This pillow adequately conforms, supports, and relieves pressure thanks to the U-shape. It even features a center dimple to relieve pressure from the ear while sleeping on your side.
Do adjustable beds help snoring? You better believe it! The absolute best way to fight chronic snoring is by sleeping on an adjustable bed base! We carry adjustable beds from PranaSleep, Nectar, Sealy, Serta, Tempur-Pedic, and our very own City Mattress brand. An adjustable bed doesn’t just give you a more comfortable sleep; it has real health benefits. Adjustable beds can help reduce Obstructive Sleep Apnea. When you lie on your back, gravity pulls on your throat and constricts your airway. Raising your head can help keep your airway clear. It really is that simple! If you have a partner that doesn’t snore the way you do, consider using an adjustable base with a split king mattress. By doing this, you will each be able to find the position that works best for your individual sleep needs.
Be Sure to Talk to Your Doctor
It is important to note that in some cases, snoring goes well beyond just being irritating. It is a medical condition. To fully understand your condition and to ensure your long-term health, you should visit your doctor. He or she will review your signs and symptoms, as well as your medical history that may include contributing factors.
Do you have more questions? Our Sleep Experts have the answers! Visit us in-store or chat online about our snoring solutions. A real person will answer your messages and help guide you to create the best bed for snoring, which means the perfect pillows, mattress, and adjustable bed base to solve your snoring issue. The best anti snoring device is a better bed!