Everyone laughs about it. Your partner's funny noises. Your father's snoring on the couch. It's a running joke in almost every family.
I get that too, but snoring isn't funny. It's a sign that something isn't right with the way you breathe during sleep, and the consequences go far beyond an irritated partner.
What happens when you snore
Snoring happens because your airway narrows during sleep. The muscles in your throat relax, your tongue falls backward, and the space for air gets smaller.
When air flows through a narrow opening, it causes vibrations in the soft tissue of your throat and palate. That's the sound you hear.
The narrower the airway, the louder the snoring, and the louder the snoring, the less well air flows through it.
The cause is in most cases mouth breathing. Anyone who breathes through their mouth while sleeping lets their jaw drop, their tongue fall back, and their airway narrow. Breathing through your nose keeps the airway open and prevents that narrowing.
What snoring does to your sleep quality
This is the part most snorers don't know.
Snoring disrupts your own sleep. Not just your partner's. Every time your airway narrows, your body reacts. Your sleep becomes lighter. Your heart rate briefly rises. Your nervous system briefly shifts into alert mode.
You usually don't wake up from it, but your deep sleep is interrupted by it. Dozens of times a night, without you noticing.
The result is that you lie in bed for eight hours, but your body never reaches the deep, restorative sleep it needs. You wake up tired without understanding why.
The link with sleep apnea
Snoring isn't the same as sleep apnea, but it is one of the biggest risk factors.
With sleep apnea, your breathing temporarily stops during sleep. Sometimes dozens of times, sometimes hundreds of times a night. Each time, your body goes into stress mode to resume breathing.
Research shows that chronic snoring greatly increases the risk of developing sleep apnea, especially in combination with overweight and mouth breathing.
Sleep apnea is linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and chronic fatigue. Not minor side effects.
What snoring does to your relationship
This deserves an honest word too.
Do you sleep next to someone who snores? Then you sleep worse. Research shows that partners of snorers get an average of one hour less sleep per night than people who sleep alone.
That adds up. Chronic sleep deprivation increases irritability, lowers patience, and affects how you interact during the day.
Many couples eventually sleep separately because of snoring. That solves the sleep problem but doesn't address the cause.
What you can do
Mouth breathing is the biggest cause of snoring. Anyone who breathes through their nose at night keeps their airway open and prevents the narrowing that causes snoring. An easy way to stop mouth breathing is mouth tape. You place a soft strip over your mouth, which makes you breathe through your nose automatically. If you want to do it properly or you're afraid your nose will block up at night, you can also use nose strips to keep your nose extra open.
Losing weight helps if you're overweight because fatty tissue around the throat narrows the airway even more.
Avoid alcohol before going to sleep. Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles further, making snoring worse.
Sleep on your side. Sleeping on your back makes it easier for your tongue to fall backward. Sleeping on your side keeps the airway more open.
The habit for this week
Ask your partner whether you snore. Not as a joke, but seriously, and if the answer is yes, start with the cause.
Not with earplugs for your partner. Not with a snoring mouthguard that masks the symptom. Start with breathing itself.
Every Night 1% Better.
Guy Veeke
PS. The easiest way to stop mouth breathing during sleep is our mouth tape. Your mouth stays closed, you breathe through your nose, and your airway stays open. Simple, effective, and your partner sleeps better too. Check it out here: https://snoozeless.nl/products/mondtape
