A small sleeping habit may damage the heart and blood vessels! Check if you have it

Some time ago, a celebrity wore a mouth guard to prevent snoring on a show and became a hot topic. Snoring has attracted everyone's attention. Is her anti-snoring tool effective? What are some effective ways to stop snoring? Today we will reveal them one by one.

Snoring is a very common phenomenon in our lives, but people who snore are often not aware that they snore until their family or friends tell them.

Snoring is actually caused by narrowing or blockage of the upper airway , which makes it difficult for air to flow in and out. When the air flows through, the soft tissue of the pharynx vibrates, making sounds. The sound of snoring depends on the degree of airway blockage.

Snoring may be temporary, such as a stuffy nose caused by a cold, but if you snore frequently for a long time, especially when you are sleeping at night and have difficulty breathing, you need to pay attention. Snoring not only affects the quality of sleep, but in severe cases it may also be a sign of underlying health problems.

Snoring that meets these signals requires medical attention

Otherwise the consequences will be serious

Snoring is now divided into three types, from mild to severe: mild snoring is very quiet and low frequency, which does not affect oneself and has little or no impact on one's partner; primary snoring is loud and frequent (more than three days a week), which has a great impact on one's partner; obstructive sleep apnea-related snoring is not only loud and frequent, but also affects both one's partner and oneself.

As the name suggests, patients experience sleep apnea . If the muscles in the back of the throat that support the back of the roof of the mouth (the soft palate), the triangular tissue hanging from the soft palate (the uvula), the tonsils, and the tongue relax too much, the aforementioned structures will collapse when you breathe in, causing the airway to narrow or close, which may last for 10 seconds or more, thereby reducing the oxygen level in the blood and causing carbon dioxide to accumulate.

Human oral structure

The brain senses this breathing obstruction and briefly awakens the person from sleep so that the airway can be reopened. This awakening is usually so brief that the person may not even remember it.

The patient may also wake up with shortness of breath and quickly correct the breathing problem with one or two deep breaths. This may be accompanied by a snorting, choking, or gasping sound.

This disorder of breathing and sleep causes patients to experience repeated hypoxia and high stress events at night, which can damage the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease . In addition, poor sleep at night can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, decreased cognitive function, and increased risks of workplace accidents and traffic accidents. For example, about 810,000 motor vehicle accidents in the United States each year can be attributed to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), causing about 1,400 deaths and economic losses of about $15.9 billion.

Therefore, treatment is now recommended for all patients with obstructive sleep apnea .

These anti-snoring tools and methods really work

Just try it and you will know

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea need to seek professional diagnosis and treatment in regular medical institutions and develop professional treatment plans. Some daily tools and behavioral adjustments can also help improve snoring. Let’s learn about it here.

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The braces worn by the star are called oral appliances. They are worn in the mouth when sleeping. They help keep the airway open and prevent throat collapse by adjusting the position of the mandible. They are suitable for patients with primary snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea . They can also be used in combination with other treatment methods. It is best to use customized oral appliances, which are significantly better than non-customized ones in terms of comfort and treatment effect.

She also used a nasal splint, an external nasal dilator that is a tight tape that fits over the outside of the nostrils. Studies have found that it can improve nasal breathing and may be effective for primary snoring, but not for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome .

In addition to the two tools Jin Chen uses, a lifting pillow or anti-snoring pillow is also a common tool. This pillow is designed with the human body's sleeping position in mind, and by adjusting the angle of the head and neck, it helps keep the airway open and reduces snoring.

You can also configure a non-invasive ventilator according to the doctor's prescription and choose the appropriate pressure to support the upper airway that collapses during sleep.

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In addition to these tools, lifestyle adjustments are equally important. First, weight control is key , as obesity is a high-risk factor for snoring and sleep apnea.

Secondly, try to sleep on your side instead of on your back , because the tongue and soft tissues in the throat can easily block the airway when you sleep on your back, causing snoring to worsen. Quitting smoking and avoiding drinking are also very effective ways , as alcohol can make the throat muscles more relaxed and increase the risk of airway obstruction.

In short, the combination of anti-snoring tools and lifestyle improvements often has a good effect. Especially for those whose quality of life is affected by snoring, trying these methods may bring significant improvement. If the snoring continues or there is still apnea, you must actively seek medical attention.

References

[1]Eric Suni, Kent Smith. Snoring and Sleep.sleepfoundation.org. 2023.

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/snoring

[2]Mayo Clinic Staff. Sleep apnea. mayoclinic.org. 2023.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20377631

[3]Eckert DJ, Malhotra A. Pathophysiology of adult obstructive sleep apnea. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2008;5(2):144-53.

[4]Knauert M, Naik S, Gillespie MB, et al. Clinical consequences and economic costs of untreated obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015;1(1):17-27.

[5]Stuck BA, Dreher A, Heiser C, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of snoring in adults-S2k Guideline of the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Sleep Breath. 2015;19(1):135-148.

[6] Sleep Medicine Committee of the Chinese Medical Association. Multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment guidelines for obstructive sleep apnea in adults. Chinese Medical Journal, 2018, 98(24): 1902-1914.

[7]Camacho M, Malu OO, Kram YA, et al. Nasal Dilators (Breathe Right Strips and NoZovent) for Snoring and OSA: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pulm Med. 2016;2016:4841310.

Planning and production

Author: Jiang Yongyuan, Master of Internal Medicine, Third Military Medical University

Reviewer: Dong Xiaosong, Chief Physician, Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Peking University People’s Hospital

Planning丨He Tong

Editor: He Tong

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin

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