SNORING is a problem that a lot of people suffer from, but in case of a married couple, the suffering is multiplied and affects the partner as well. Snoring happens when the soft tissue at the back of the throat vibrates while a person breathes during his sleep. This is usually caused by a loss of firmness in the soft palate and upper airway, which normally happens as we get older -- the good news is that it can be treated successfully. Usually snoring is a phenomenon most people associate with men, but sometimes married men are shocked to discover that the problem can afflict women too. “In the Arab culture, people think that snoring is an unattractive and embarrassing habit, especially if it involves women. The truth is that snoring is a biological problem that can afflict both sexes. It doesn't decrease the person's beauty or appearance and instead of being embarrassed about it, people should seek a cure for it,” said Dr. Mohammed Al-Hamed, head of the Psychological Department at Bakhsh Hospital, Jeddah. According to Al-Hamed, the negative effect of snoring appears mostly on the person who sleeps in the same room as the one who snores. “Snoring causes sleep disturbance in others and if this sleep disturbance is prolonged, it may cause clinical depression,” added Dr. Al-Hamed. “People whose partners are suffering from the problem of snoring should visit the psychologist rather than the ENT doctor, where the psychologist will help them overcome the negative effects of snoring,” he said. People have different opinions about the causes of snoring, and the most common misconception is that snoring is caused by tiredness. “My husband always snores in his sleep, and I think this snoring happens because of tiredness, since he spends very long hours working,” says Hind Al-Hamoud, a Syrian housewife. She added, “When my husband starts to snore, I immediately ask him to change his position and the problem is solved for a while.” Khawla Abou Al-Asal, a Palestinian housewife is suffering a lot because of her husband's snoring. “I am going to ask him to have surgery to overcome this problem, I cannot continue like this. The doctor has told him that smoking plays an important role in increasing his problem of snoring, but he doesn't stop smoking.” According to Dr. Al-Hamed, people who smoke have the tendency to snore more than non-smokers. “Smokers, overweight people and people suffering from blood pressure suffer from snoring more than normal people,” he says. In an extreme case, an Indian housewife lodged a case against her husband who insisted that she sleep in the same room, although he used to snore the whole night, making sleep impossible for her. “My husband is impotent and yet he insisted that I sleep in the same room as him, but the sound of his snoring was unbearable. I asked him to divorce me several times, but he refused,” she said, requesting anonymity. Dr. Al-Hamed gives the following advice to people who suffer from snoring: • The person should not use a very high pillow where his or her neck will be tilted, which is the main reason behind increasing the loudness of snoring. Using a medium pillow will help in leaving the trachea open, so the air can go easily through it. • If you are a smoker, stop smoking since it affects the trachea and aggravates the problem. • Get your blood pressure checked regularly, since this is one of the most important reason that increases snoring volume. • Try to relax and not overwork yourself. Tiredness and fatigue is a secondary reason of snoring. • People with extra weight should try and reduce, since being overweight can also cause snoring and increase the snoring volume. Dr. Al-Hamed also warned that snoring may cause sleep apnea, which is a sudden interruption in breathing caused by snoring. “People should visit sleep centers at hospitals, which will help them get the correct medical advice from qualified doctors and identify the real reason behind snoring,” said Dr. Al-Hamed. There is one sleep center at the King Saud Medical City in Riyadh, and another one being launched by Dr. Al-Hamid in Jeddah very soon. Dr. Al-Hamed said it is best to take medical advice in such cases and not rely on common tips given to stop snoring. “Unfortunately, there have been several tips published on the Internet on forums and websites to stop snoring, such as stop eating certain vegetables, and eat three spoons of honey every day, which will not help the afflicted person at all.”
