What is Snoring?
Snoring is the sound heard when the soft tissue at the back of the throat vibrates during breathing. The windpipe is narrowed and it is harder for you to breathe in and out.
Snoring can increase with age as the muscles at the back of the throat sag. Snoring also increases with weight as there is more fat in the tongue and back of the throat narrowing the airflow path. Alcohol and smoking can also make snoring worse.
Young, slim people also snore. This may be caused by a bent nasal septum, enlarged tongue, tonsils or adenoids or a narrow jaw with crowded teeth and protruding top teeth.
After menopause – women and men have the same rates of snoring and sleep apnoea.
What is Sleep Apnoea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea occurs when the back of the throat relaxes and goes so floppy during sleep that it completely blocks the airway.
The airway remains blocked for several seconds and the heart beats faster to get more oxygen to your organs – increasing your blood pressure. The oxygen deprivation sends a brain signal to gasp for air, and you gasp or choke to re-establish breathing. This temporarily unblocks the airway, but over time, the muscles relax again and the cycle repeats.
Snoring and Sleep Apnoea disrupts your sleep and can leave you feeling tired during the day affecting your mood, concentration and memory. Some people are irritable with a general lack of energy or personality changes. Sleep apnoea is associated with high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, acid reflux, diabetes, dementia, depression and anxiety, reduced libido and erectile dysfunction.
Can Snorefix Help?
A Snorefix mouthguard is a suitable first-line treatment for snorers and those with mild to moderate sleep apnoea. We offer a style of Snorefix mouthguard that both men and women feel comfortable wearing that is discrete and unobtrusive – so you can get on with life.
“Oral appliances [like a Snorefix mouthguard] are indicated for patients with mild and moderate obstructive sleep apnea (O.S.A.). Oral appliances may be also used in patients with severe O.S.A. who are unable to tolerate a CPAP machine.”-American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Clinical Guideline for the Evaluation, Management, and Long-term Care of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults, 2009.
