Understanding Snoring and How Adjustable Beds Help

01 Mar Understanding Snoring and How Adjustable Beds Help

When we think about sleep problems or distractions, snoring tends to be at or near the top of the list. A common condition for people around the world, snoring affects nearly 100 million Americans on a regular basis.

At 2 Brothers Mattress, we have numerous new mattress options that might help with snoring and several other sleep conditions. Our adjustable beds, in particular, can be highly valuable in this area. Let’s look at the causes of snoring in humans, plus a few solutions that might help you out and a few conditions where snoring might signal something more severe.

Why Snoring Happens

During our waking hours, the airway from our mouth and nose down to our lungs sends oxygen down while returning carbon dioxide up and out of the body. This process is assisted by several muscles in the upper respiratory area, which hold the air tube in place and keep it wide open for air to easily pass through. This is why you’ve never heard a waking person snore.

When we sleep, however, those same muscles can relax – just a little in some people, but quite a bit in others. And when this happens, the airway may naturally become narrower. This can reach a point where the airway is so narrow that airflow becomes bumpy and causes the airway itself to vibrate. This vibrating noise is the actual snoring sound you’re familiar with.

Snoring Solutions

Apart from considering a mattress change (more on this below), here are a few suggestions we can offer if you want to stop snoring:

• Treat allergies: Allergies and their resulting inflammation will make snoring more likely than it already was, and can exacerbate it in some situations.
• Sleep position: The position that’s most susceptible to snoring is lying flat on your back – this constricts the airway and often leaves the tongue in a position to interfere with airflow. If possible, look to sleep on your side, including keeping a pillow between your legs to help make it more comfortable.
• Alcohol: Alcohol consumed before bed may also constrict your airway muscles, so it should be avoided.
• Food: The larger the neck, the more likely you are to snore based on the tightening of the airway. Keeping an eye on food consumption and your weight, and therefore the size of your neck, can also go a long way.

Adjustable Beds and Snoring

Adjustable beds are often highly valuable for those who suffer from snoring. This is because of the ways they allow you to alter your sleeping position – for those who struggle to sleep on anything but their back, for instance, the adjustable bed allows you to do this at a slightly better angle that helps keep the airway open. Speak to our pros to find out how certain adjustable models might benefit your snoring.

Sleep Conditions

Finally, while many forms of snoring are just annoying and loud, there are other situations where it signals a real problem. Conditions like sleep apnea are common and may include symptoms like snoring, and could mean the lungs aren’t getting enough oxygen. If you both snore and regularly have poor sleep quality, you should be examined for sleep apnea or other conditions.

For more on snoring and how your mattress choice might help, or to learn about any of our new mattress options, speak to the staff at 2 Brothers Mattress today.