Snoring

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. The sound may be soft or loud and unpleasant. The structures are usually the uvula and soft palate. The irregular airflow is caused by a blockage, due to causes including: allergies, throat weakness causing the throat to close during sleep, mispositioned jaw, fat gathering in and around the throat, and obstruction in the nasal passageway.  

Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation and knock-on effects: daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of focus, lack of interest in sex. It has also been suggested that it can cause significant psychological and social damage to sufferers.

Almost all cures for snoring revolve around clearing the blockage in the breathing passage. This is the reason snorers are advised to lose weight, to stop smoking, and to sleep on their side.

Cures include surgery, dental appliances such as a mandibular advancement splint, and devices such as nose clips to dilate the nostrils and jaw mechanics to keep the jaw in an optimum position. A pinky ring is purported to reduce snoring through accupressure. Different aids work for different people.

...More at Wikipedia  

Related Links:

• US National Library of Medicine
• Mayo Clinic

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