Overweight & Snoring- Extra body weight has been associated with many health conditions, such as heart problems. But being overweight or obese can affect another crucial area of your health like your sleep habits.
Many studies show that people who are overweight and obese sleep less than those with lower BMIs.
One of the day to day problems often linked with overweight is snoring.
Table of Contents:
- What is snoring?
- Is being overweight linked with snoring ?
- What can help?
- Yoga poses for snoring
- Simple snoring home remedies
- How to prevent snoring
- Eating Habits
Snoring is a common condition that can affect anyone, although it occurs more frequently in men and people who are overweight. Snoring has a tendency to worsen with age.
What is snoring?
Snoring is a disturbed sleep where one didn’t take adequate amount of oxygen. It can happen with people of all ages but the condition aggravates with obese people as well as advancing of age.
It leads to sleep apnea where breathing stops for 10 seconds and may continue the process throughout the night result in low amount of oxygen in blood.
Besides sleep apnea, the other side effects of the condition are sleep deprivation, irritability, cardiac problems and breathing obstructions.
Is being overweight linked with snoring ?
National Sleep Foundation describes a host of different factors that can cause snoring, most importantly uvula and the soft palate.
Usually, while sleeping, our throat muscles tend to get into a mode of relaxation and the tongue falls back.
If a person is obese or older, they tend to have extra fatty tissues around their neck or loose throat muscles that can obstruct breathing. The narrower your airway becomes, the greater the vibration and the louder your snoring.
What can help?
One of the most common causes of snoring is something which is in our own control – lifestyle.
From maintaining healthy weight, avoiding smoking and alcohol, adopting correct sleeping posture to probably just changing your pillow can help in controlling snoring.
1] Choosing a higher pillow will elevate your head while sleeping that can help ease out snoring.
2] Health experts believe that hygiene can also play an important role in curbing snoring. Make sure that your environment is clean and dust free. This can ward of any respiratory infections or allergies that may otherwise trigger conditions facilitating obstructive breathing.
3] It is also believed that one should avoid taking sedatives or tranquilizers before bedtime.
4] Clearing your nasal passage or using nasal saline rinses just before sleeping may also help, in a certain cases, one may also resort to nasal strips.
5] Consume enough fluids and stay hydrated. According to studies, lack of hydration causes nasal secretions to turn sticky, which may obstruct smooth breathing.
Yoga poses for snoring
Yoga is one the effective measures to cure the sensitivity of snoring problems.
As long as one practices yoga, the beneficial impacts are visible with the person.
The result is quite fruitful and surprising if one practices the same for a longer period of time.
In fact, Yoga ensures enhancing of lung capacity, maintain healthy weight and keep the air passage remain open leads to minimizing snoring problems.
1. Kapalbhati
2. Bhramari Pranayama
3. Ujjayi Pranayama
4. Chanting of OM
5. Simhasana
6. Bhujangasana
7. Naukasana
8. Dhanurasana
9. Surya Namaskar
10. Warrior Pose
Simple snoring home remedies
1) Try to destress yourself and relax.
2) Smelling the aroma of eucalyptus and pine leaves is helpful.
3) Gargling with warm salt water before going to bed helps.
4) Tea like Basil, Green tea, Gotu Kola is good in minimizing the impact of the condition.
5) Sipping of 2-3 drops of olive oil is effective.
6) Taking of honey along with hot lemonade is helpful.
7) Drinking the decoction of basil, ginger, pepper and cardamom is beneficial.
How to prevent snoring
- Perform deep breathing.
- Steam inhalation helps to clear the block air passage as well as respiratory passage.
- Use raised pillow.
- Sleep on your side, avoid sleeping on back.
- Avoid heavy dinner. Finish your dinner before 2 hours of your bedtime.
- Avoid taking of alcohol and reduce the amount of taking beverages.
- Smoking aggravates the condition; try to avoid it.
- Avoid taking sleeping pills.
- It is advisable to clear air passage before going to bed.
- Try to keep your bedroom air moist with a humidifier.
- Singing or listening of music is good as it reduces the level of stress.
- Citrus fruits are advisable in such condition.
- Avoid sedative near bedtime.
Eating Habits
Being a little cautious with one’s eating habits can keep snoring at bay. Those who have sensitive or weak throat should avoid heavy meals, dairy products and caffeine at least a couple of hours prior to sleeping.
However, one can always opt for herbal and organic beverages like green or black tea with lemon and honey.
Herbal and organic teas along with holy basil, clove and pepper are known to have phlegm and congestion reducing properties and help in clearing nasal passage.
Many believe that dairy products are not a great option during congestion. In such a case, switching to soy milk may help.
One should also be mindful of what one has for dinner – avoid consuming foods that might cause inflammation in throat tissues.
Greasy and oily foods should also be consumed in moderation. Consider cooking your meals in olive oil instead of regular oil and try swapping red meat with fish at times.
Keeping all of the above in mind might certainly help with those disturbed sleeps and noisy nights. In case these are of a little help then consider jotting down your symptoms and do not refrain from seeking medical help immediately.
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Next Read:
- What Is Difference Between Being Obese And Being Overweight?
- How To Start Your Exercise Routine When You Are Obese?
- How Do You Know You Are Obese | Signs & Symptoms Of Obesity
- 4 Things That Happen To Your Well being When You Are Overweight
What a good report about snoring.
Thank you!
Marcos.-
Hi Marcos! Thank you and keep following our blog to know more health information.