Snoring

Do you wake up in the morning feeling fresh and alert? Or are you more likely to feel jaded and tired?

26 million people in the UK snore, and whilst it is the subject of many a joke, snoring is not a laughing matter to the sufferer or their partner. Research has suggested that the partner of a snorer can lose two years of sleep over a lifetime. Snoring can also cause poor quality sleep for the snorer, and in its worst cases can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea, or OSA.

Snoring has a variety of possible causes, one of which is when the tube connecting your mouth and nose to the lungs is partially restricted by your jaw relaxing and falling back towards the back of your neck during sleep. This causes the air going in and out of your lungs to make a noise, or snore. In OSA, the airway may be completely obstructed, preventing breathing. Your body recognises the danger and wakes you up, typically with a loud snort. This can happen many times an hour and results in the sufferer feeling tired even after a seemingly full night’s sleep. If you suffer in this way then a referral to a specialist is recommended, as your general health can be affected.

If you visit us for help with your snoring, we will go through a series of questions which will help us assess the best treatment for you. We can refer you if necessary for OSA assessment, or we can provide a small mouthguard type device which you wear at night. This helps hold your jaw forward and prevents your airway being restricted by the normal relaxation of the muscles of the mouth during sleep.

The reduction or prevention of snoring is life changing – for the sufferer and for their partner too.