Do you or your loved one snort, wheeze, or roar while you or they are sleeping. Some people are born snorers, many children snore. But snoring seems to be more common in men, people who are overweight or obese. While it can be irritating it can also be a potentially serious condition. According to Dr Tony Reisman, MD, “Snoring and Apnea often go hand-in-hand.”

Snoring happens when breathing is blocked during sleep. As air tries to push through the soft tissue, it vibrates – causing the telltale honks and snorts that make your significant other threaten to banish you from the bedroom. It is important to root out the cause of snoring. Let’s review how to squash the problem according to Cleveland Clinic.

The following underlying conditions can cause snoring:

  • Obesity
  • Structural problems in your nose like a deviated septum
  • Enlarged tonsils or adenoids.
  • Chronic congestion and stuffiness

For people with sleep apnea treating snoring is a matter of health. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems such as:

  • High blood pressure
  • Stroke
  • Diabetes
  • Heart problems

If your snoring is not related to sleep apnea, here are some remedies for snoring:

  • Work towards a healthy weight
  • Relieve stuffiness
  • Change your sleeping position to your side
  • Open your nose with breathing strips
  • Stop Smoking
  • Reduce or eliminate alcohol

If you have sleep apnea, you should embrace the CPAP, or get fitted for an oral appliance.

Depending on the cause of your snoring, surgery can help:

  • Deviated septum repair
  • Turbinate reduction
  • Tonsil and adenoid removal
  • Uvula/palate surgery
  • Implantable nerve stimulator

It is important to get a comprehensive workup to find out what is causing your snoring to get the correct treatment that you need.