Who snores more often: men or women?

Men snore almost twice as often as women, but after menopause and during pregnancy this difference is noticeably reduced.

Men are almost twice as likely to snore than womenhowever, this difference is not constant throughout life. According to Ryan Chin Tau CheongENT doctor and sleep surgeon in hospitals University College London Hospitalswomen begin to “catch up” with men in two periods: after menopause and during pregnancyespecially in the third trimester.

As the specialist explains, snoring occurs when air flow is partially blocked in the upper respiratory tract. Because of this, tissues in the back of the nose, soft palate, throat, tongue or epiglottis – a kind of “lid” over the trachea – begin to vibrate. The doctor spoke about this in the material The Guardian.

During sleep, the muscles of the respiratory tract relax, and when a person lies down, gravity additionally “pulls” the soft tissues down. As a result, the lumen of the respiratory tract may narrow, and the air begins to pass through with vibration. This creates a sound that one person calls “a little snoring” and another calls “why am I still living with this tractor.”

Why do men snore more often?

According to Cheongamen actually experience snoring more often. This is influenced by the structural features of the respiratory tract, the distribution of adipose tissue, lifestyle, weight, alcohol consumption and other factors. Alcohol further relaxes the throat muscles, and excess weight creates pressure on the neck and upper respiratory tract.

Nasal problems also play a role: allergies, polyps, a deviated nasal septum, or even a severe cold can increase snoring because they interfere with the normal passage of air. So sometimes it’s not “character”, not “age” and not “well, he always sleeps like that” that is to blame, but a very specific anatomy that decided to organize a night concert.

Why are women catching up with men?

Female hormones, first of all estrogen And progesteroneapparently help keep the airway muscles in better tone. Therefore, up to a certain age, women on average snore less often than men.

However, after menopausewhen hormone levels change, protection weakens. A similar situation may arise during pregnancyespecially in the third trimester: snoring is affected by hormonal changes, weight gain, swelling of the mucous membranes and additional stress on the respiratory system.

There is also a social factor. According to Cheongawomen are less likely to report snoring because stigma persists around the topic. Society often perceives male snoring as almost an everyday norm, and female snoring as something “embarrassing.” A great achievement of civilization: even snoring managed to betray gender complexes.

When snoring can be dangerous

Changes in snoring patterns should not be ignored. Especially if it has become louder, appeared suddenly, is accompanied by pauses in breathing, suffocation, night awakenings, morning headaches or severe daytime sleepiness.

In such cases, snoring may be a sign obstructive sleep apnea – a condition in which breathing stops repeatedly during the night. University College London Hospitals indicates that Ryan Chin Taw Cheong specializes specifically in snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, and UCLH deals with modern methods of treating this condition. UCLH

If snoring is so loud that it regularly disturbs your partner’s sleep, this is already a sufficient reason to consult a doctor. Not because your partner is nagging, but because chronic snoring can be a symptom of a breathing problem. Sometimes saving a relationship begins not with a family psychologist, but with an ENT doctor. The world is strange, but what can you do?

What can you do

The first step is to understand the reason. Sometimes losing weight, avoiding alcohol before bed, treating allergies, changing your body position while sleeping, or correcting problems with nasal breathing can help. But if there is a suspicion of sleep apnea, independent advice from the Internet does not replace an examination.

Your doctor may order a sleep study, evaluate your nose, throat, and airways, and then suggest treatments ranging from lifestyle changes and special devices to more advanced medical treatments. Snoring is not always a disease, but ignoring it when it changes or becomes severe is an idea about the same quality as treating a car engine with loud music.

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