Snoring
Snoring isn’t just a noisy nuisance; it can also lead to serious health issues like daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, high blood pressure, heart problems, and an increased risk of stroke. In children, snoring may contribute to behavioral or learning difficulties. Snoring can also be a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous condition that requires prompt attention. If you’re experiencing snoring, your doctor might recommend a sleep study and an evaluation of your oral structures to uncover the underlying causes.
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs when airflow vibrates against relaxed tissues in your throat, creating that characteristic sound. As you drift into sleep, the muscles in your soft palate, tongue, and throat can relax and partially block your airway. This partial obstruction causes the air to vibrate as it moves through, producing the snoring sound. Factors like a low, thick, or narrow soft palate, the tongue falling back into the airway, sinus issues, alcohol consumption, sleep position, allergies, and weight can all contribute to snoring.
How Myofunctional Therapy Can Help
Myofunctional Therapy offers a non-invasive approach to addressing snoring. By working with a myofunctional therapist, you can strengthen the muscles in your mouth and throat, improve tongue rest posture, and enhance swallowing function. Strengthening these muscles can help open the airway, normalize breathing patterns, and reduce snoring, leading to more restful sleep and better overall health.
Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)
Chronic snoring can develop into a condition known as Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS). In UARS, the relaxed tissues in the throat narrow the airway, making it harder to breathe. This increased effort to breathe can cause the brain to wake from deep sleep repeatedly throughout the night. These frequent interruptions prevent the body from undergoing its natural restorative processes, leading to daytime fatigue, weight gain, and insomnia.
While UARS shares some similarities with obstructive sleep apnea, there are key differences. People with UARS often have normal body weight and experience fewer breathing pauses compared to those with sleep apnea. However, both conditions are serious and should not be ignored, as untreated UARS can progress to sleep apnea, which is linked to long-term health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Take the First Step Toward Restful Sleep
If snoring is disrupting your nights and affecting your health, MyoMotion Therapy can help. Our personalized myofunctional therapy programs are designed to address the root causes of snoring, helping you achieve better breathing and deeper sleep. Contact us today for a free consultation and learn how we can support your journey to a healthier, quieter night’s rest.