Many people think that snoring is a sign of a good sleeper, but according to health and fitness expert, Dr Garry Egger, it’s just the opposite. Garry says that being a snorer can make you feel tired and irritable during the day. It can also raise your blood pressure, and it can be a warning sign for heart disease and diabetes.
Snoring occurs when the airway passage between the free edge of the soft palate and the back of the tongue is restricted. As the person breathes, the free edge of the soft palate vibrates and causes the snoring sound. Some snorers go for 10 seconds or more without breathing. To stop them from dying of asphyxiation, the brain unconsciously wakes them and they suddenly take a huge, gulping breath. This is called sleep apnoea, and it can happen 200-300 times per night.
Causes of snoring and sleep apnoea include use of alcohol and sedatives, physical obstruction of the airway and enlarged tonsils or adenoids. However, in 80% of cases obesity is the cause. Garry explained that when we put on weight, the belly is not the only part of the body that increases in size. The tongue also fattens up and may restrict the airway passage. You can also put fat on around the neck, which puts extra pressure on the windpipe and tends to close it up even more. Women generally snore less than men do, even if they are overweight.
Many snorers resort to a CPAP (or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. The snorer wears a special mask which is connected to a computerised air pump. The pump pushes air through the mask at a predetermined pressure, keeping the throat from collapsing during sleep. Patients usually attend a sleep laboratory where the device is fitted and a doctor sets the correct pressure. Although CPAP machines work very well, the snorer has to use it every night and the partner has to put up with the noise of the pump.
Losing just 5-10% of your bodyweight can help cut down your snoring dramatically. Losing weight increases air flow through the windpipe and the snorer is able to sleep more comfortably on his side, rather than always sleeping on his back. However there is a problem. In order to lose weight you have to be more active, but if you suffer from sleep apnoea you will lack energy and feel tired all the time. Garry suggests using a CPAP machine until you lose the excess weight. That way you will sleep well at night and have enough energy to exercise and be more active during the day.
Dr Garry Egger started GutBusters, a scientifically based program which uses waist measurement, not weight, as an indication of fat loss in men. To contact GutBusters phone 1800 674 688, or visit their website: http://www.gutbusters.com.au