Snoring sufferers should abstain from alcohol

Daytime fatigue can be a sign of sleep apnea
Loud breath sounds at night are common among adults. With age, about 60 percent of men and 40 percent of women snore. The nocturnal soundscape not only strains the relationship, but also disturbs the sound sleep and burdened the health. Experts distinguish between simple primary snoring and harmful obstructive or central sleep apnea, which is associated with severe respiratory arrest and respiratory failure. Since sleep apnea can develop from the harmless snoring, ENT doctors also advise "normal" snorers to have the cause cleared up by a specialist. This is indicated by HNOnet-NRW, an association of established ENT doctors.

If you snore, you should not drink alcohol. Image: Andrey Popov - fotolia)

"In most cases, a flaccid musculature causes the throat tube to vibrate," Uso Walter, chairman of the network. As you sleep, your muscles relax and the tube collapses. A narrow pharynx, e.g. Enlarged tonsils or a thickening of the tongue base intensify the vibration, which manifests itself as nocturnal "sawing". When sleeping with his mouth open, the soft palate swings. So far there is no means to specifically strengthen the pharyngeal musculature. After all, experts know, however, which "bad guys" can additionally relax the muscles: overweight, alcohol and heavy meals before going to bed. Therefore, even small changes in the living habits to help himself and his partner to make the night's sleep deserved. So a few pounds less on the ribs often help to reduce the audible consequences. An opulent meal in the evening in turn affects the sleeping behavior unfavorable, since blood and energy then move into the digestive tract, and the respiratory muscles are missing by their stabilizing effect. Alcohol relaxes the body - but also the muscles in the throat. Last but not least, it depends on the lying position. Most "harmless" snorers sleep soundlessly when lying on their side.

If these changes do not work or if you feel tired and exhausted during the day, it is advisable to go to the ENT specialist. He finds out the reasons for nocturnal disturbance and specifically addresses possible organic causes. In addition to a weak throat muscles, for example, polyps, deformities of the nasal septum or enlarged tonsils come as a trigger in question. In some people, however, the airways are so tight that they completely close during sleep completely. In some cases this leads to life-threatening respiratory distress, which necessarily requires medical observation and treatment. "In sleep apnea syndrome, the body stops sleep by up to 600 times a night," Dr. Walter. However, apnea patients not only suffer from the consequences of the lack of recovery, but also increasingly high blood pressure. In the worst case, this leads to heart attack and stroke. In the long term there is also an increased likelihood of stress disorders, such as stomach ulcers, depression, tinnitus or sudden hearing loss.

In doing so, apnea can be treated well: In mask therapy, the method of choice in apnea syndrome, a slight overpressure keeps the respiratory tract open. For snorers special snore splints are also possible. Also, surgical procedures, such as tonsillectomy or soft palate tightening, are sometimes indicated. In exceptional cases, a correction of the Nasenscheidewandverbiegung makes sense. (Pm)