Q: Greetings Dr., great job you are doing. Please is there any possible cure for someone who snores heavily?

A: When we sleep, our muscles relax. This includes the tissues in the airways (throat). Snoring occurs as air passes through the airways that are partially obstructed by relaxed tissues. As the air flows, these tissues vibrate and we hear the sound described as snoring.

Occasional snorers are mainly problematic to their partners (who may or may not put up with it) but habitual snorers impede sleep for their partners and the quality of their own sleep is markedly reduced. As a result, daytime sleepiness, morning headaches and not feeling quite rested after sleeping may be normal symptoms for both parties.

Causes of snoring include alcohol consumption (due to relaxation of throat muscles), being overweight (due to narrowing of the airways from extra tissues at the back of the throat), seasonal allergies, cold or sinus problems, enlarged tonsils or even sleeping position (sleeping on the back). Apart from the above, being a man and having a family history of snoring puts one at risk.

So, to prevent this, reduction of alcohol intake or not having any at least two hours before bedtime, losing weight if obese, slightly raising the head of the bed, treating allergies or sinus/tonsil problems, sleeping on the side etc are all helpful.

Where this is not helpful, any one of some oral appliances (provided by dentists specialized in snoring problems may help), nasal strips, pressurized masks, implants or surgery, as a final resort may be used to treat this.

So, I suggest you start with the lifestyle changes and see how it goes. I hope it goes well 😀

For a related article, please click on this link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/is-snoring-always-a-sign-of-sleep-apnea

Have a great day, y’all 😀