Torture by snoring

On a three-and-a-half-hour flight recently, I had the misfortune of being seated in the same row as a gentleman, who, at first sight, seemed so benign that instead of saying, “Excuse me,” to get to his window seat, he simply pointed to his seat and made his way.  I thought: Good, a non-talker. The perfect flight seatmate.

I couldn’t have been more mistaken. The moment the airplane primed for takeoff he was off to the warzone of sleep and immediately launched nuclear warheads of snores — constant, relentless, violent explosions that rocked the core of everyman from row A to row M (the flight attendant said the sound didn’t carry past row M). 

Few would have guessed how violent a snorer that man was because snoring is normally associated with the stereotypical overweight, middle-aged man with the beer belly. Our inflight snorer was probably not a day older than 30 and fit as a gym rat. He did not by any stretch of the imagination fit my mental image of a snorer.  

In hindsight, there was a foreshadowing of things to come because he did whip out a surgical mask, which he hooked behind his ears as soon as he sat down, to muffle the sound, I presume — something I found strange since he wasn’t wearing it as he boarded as someone with a cold or paranoid of catching an airborne virus might do.

As soon as he had parked his carry-on under the seat in front of him, he donned the mask, rested his head against the window, drifted off to sleep… and launched his sonic missiles into the air cabin.

I’m not talking steam engine sounds or those from teakettles on steroids or even clogged-up vacuum cleaners; his snores were jackhammers boring through inches of cement and asphalt.

Those of us in the same row did ask to be rescued by the flight attendant at several points and she did try.  Twice, she tapped the man gently on the arm to tell him how his snoring had waged a sonic offensive against the innocent, including women and children.  And he did relent — a minute or so at a time — visibly embarrassed. But no sooner had he stopped did he slip back into attack mode. And the assaults just kept on coming. It was a full flight so we were all stuck in our seats, defenseless and badly beaten. I stole a glance at some point to see if he wore a wedding ring. None. Single. Of course — the wife would have been long dead.

We all know someone who snores — intimately, of course, for how else would we have firsthand experience of that person’s snoring without having slept close to if not beside him or her? It may be a nuisance to some but to others who have to live with it on a daily basis, it becomes a motive for manslaughter.

Dr. Julian Rowe-Jones, consultant rhinologist and nasal surgeon at London’s Nose Clinic explains to Mirror Magazine online: “Snoring is seen as a minor problem but I’ve witnessed the serious impact snoring can have on a person’s relationship and on both partners’ general wellbeing. The long-term sleep deprivation it causes is devastating and can leave people depressed and unable to function properly.”

It is not uncommon to find that patients who consult a physician with snoring problems are frequently sleeping in separate beds, if not separate rooms, from their spouses. It is not uncommon for snoring to result in a significant degree of marital strain as a result of the loss of this intimate part of their relationships.

Why do we snore? The annoying sound of snoring is caused by different parts of the nose and throat — in particular the soft palate — vibrating as we breathe in and out. At night, the muscles that keep the airways open relax and become floppy. This causes them to narrow and vibrate more, making snoring more likely.

Dr. Rowe-Jones says, “You don’t have to put up with snoring, especially as evidence suggests that if left alone it will only get worse. The first step is to uncover exactly what’s causing your snoring.”

Here’s how to find the problem according to Mirror Magazine.  Find out first what type of snorer you are. There are three common types, each with different triggers.  Identify yours from descriptions below:

 The Nasal Snorer: This is the most common kind of snoring. It is caused when blocked nasal passages force air in your mouth as you sleep. This extra pressure causes the soft tissue of the throat to collapse, and when collapsed it vibrates as air rushes past it, creating the characteristic deep nasal snoring sound. 

Causes: Partially blocked nasal passages can be triggered by a cold, sinus infection, allergies such as rhinitis, or even by a structural problem with your nose such as a crooked septum.

The Mouth Breather: Another common type of snoring, it occurs because breathing through the mouth causes the soft tissues of the palate to bump against each other and vibrate, triggering a snoring sound that comes from the throat.

Causes: Breathing with your mouth open at night either as a temporary response to a blocked nose or as a long-term habit. Mouth breathers often sleep on their backs, which makes the problem worse.

Lolling Tongue: This type of snoring happens when the tongue falls too far back in your mouth, blocking airflow to the throat. As air is pulled through the restricted airway, it vibrates at the base of the tongue, creating a sound that’s higher pitched than nasal or mouth snoring and may come and go in short bursts.

Causes: A small lower jaw or particularly large tongue can be to blame. Drinking alcohol just before bed can also exacerbate the problem by relaxing the muscles that support the tongue. Men suffer more from tongue-based snoring because of their tendency to carry fat around the neck.

So now that you know what kind of snorer you are, you may start to find remedies for the problem. But before investing in treatment, it’s worth taking a good look at your lifestyle because certain factors can make all types of snoring a great deal worse.

“Losing excess weight can make a big difference, especially for men with neck fat,” says Dr. Rowe-Jones.  “Cutting back on alcohol is also a good idea because it relaxes the muscles, making snoring more likely. Medications such as sleeping pills can have the same effect. Smoking is also bad news because it can really irritate the throat lining.”

If lifestyle changes alone don’t help fix the problem, don’t worry. Dr. Rowe-Jones says: “There are lots of anti-snoring gadgets on the market but some are a complete and utter waste of money. Others, however, are probably worth a try and you should test them out before you think about surgery to fight the problem.”

Here are the doctor’s pick of the best remedies — and what type of snorer they can help:

For Nasal Breathers:

Nasal spray: If allergies are to blame, a spray may help clear the nose but they generally only work in the short term.

Nasal strips: These small, self-adhesive strips look like Band-Aids and when stuck on the nose they can help open up the nasal passage while you’re sleeping. They’re probably only worth trying if the nose feels mildly blocked.

Nasal dilators: These small plastic plugs are inserted into the nostril to open up the nasal passage. They can help if there is a structural reason why the nose is blocked.

For Mouth Breathers:

Mouth shield: A mouth shield worn inside the mouth at night can keep the mouth closed during sleep.

For Tongue Lollers:

Mandibular Advancement Device: If it’s a tongue problem that’s the source of your constant snoring, then your best bet is to talk to your dentist or orthodontist about an MAD, which is an oral device worn at night to bring your tongue forward to stop you from snoring.

Surgery: There are a number of surgical procedures to fix snoring, depending on the cause. But they should be considered a last resort, as they don’t work for everyone.

Nasal surgery: If you’re a nasal snorer and your blocked nose is caused by a structural defect, surgery to correct this may improve snoring.

Soft palate surgery: There are several different types of operation, but the aim of each is to stiffen or reduce the parts of soft tissue in your airway that vibrate when you’re sleeping.

“One of the most effective is the somnoplasty technique,” says Dr. Rowe-Jones.  “Under local anesthetic, a needle probe is pushed into the soft palate, which causes it to stiffen up. A laser can also be used, but that is generally more painful.  There also is the Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP), which removes parts of the soft palate to reduce snoring using laser or radiofrequency signals.”

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 Thank you for your letters.  You may reach me at cecilelilles@yahoo.com.