85% of men over 40 years of age snore, and as many women who have reached menopause. Moreover, for Dr. Kamami, an otolaryngologist in Paris and a specialist in drowsiness and snoring, "a snorer is, above all, someone who suffocates himself without realizing it".
The snorer does not get along
There are three types of snoring: the first is due to the stuffy nose, the second to the soft palate and the last to the tongue. "The loudest is the vibration of the soft palate, but the worst is when all three causes are associated.
The sound can exceed 70-80 decibels, which awakes a whole house, "says the specialist. And the snorer, does he not hear himself snoring? "No, he has a hearing protection system." Well.
Men snore more than women
TRUE: Scientists have managed to draw the typical profile of the snorer: man, 50 to 70 years old, strong corpulence and prominent "Adam's apple"! In a sample of the population, studies have shown that about 40% of men snore, compared to 25% of women.
This would be primarily due to anatomical differences. The prominent larynx of the man (called Adam's apple) and his pharynx, narrower than that of the woman, reduce the air circulation space in the throat and thus promote the risk of snoring in the gent male.
Female hormones, in turn, have a protective role in the muscular tissues of the mouth and limit the phenomenon.
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However, at the menopause, period from which women produce less progesterone and where tissues are less tonic, snoring affects both sexes indifferently and may have a tendency to increase. Six out of ten people, men, and women alike snore past the age of 60!
To achieve this, several factors are involved, such as being overweight, tobacco or alcohol, which can be adjusted by appropriate behavior (diet, weaning ...), but "snoring can also be due to a retrognoty, having a chin too short and therefore the lower teeth too far back, says Dr. Kamami again.
It can be corrected by maxillo-facial surgery or an orthosis to be worn at night, to advance the jaw. "The laser can also be a quick and effective way to treat stuffy nose and soft palate problems.
Sleep Apnea
Snoring involves poor air circulation in the airways. "This is the starting point for sleep apnea," adds ENT.
From ten apnea's per hour, it is considered that the person becomes subject to heart problems and other diseases because the tissues are not well oxygenated. "Not to mention drowsiness in the day: fatigue, irritability, lack of concentration ...
So snorers, do not hesitate to consult an ENT to pass an acoustic pharyngometry, which will know the causes of your snoring.
How to avoid snoring?
In any case, it is necessary, in the first place, to apply basic rules such as avoiding alcohol and reducing tobacco consumption.
If the problem is recurrent, losing weight, practicing physical activity and muscle pharynx by practicing singing, for example, will be areas for serious improvements.
And then, we often advise to sleep on the stomach or on the side; easier said than done because your natural posture always wins.
If snoring is more serious, ablative, laser or radiofrequency surgical treatments are possible.
In cases where snoring accompanies sleep apnea, the treatment of choice will be continuous positive pressure equipment that keeps the duct open to avoid breathing pauses
