Is Your Tongue Killing Your Sleep?
If you suffer from sleep apnea or snoring, it may be caused by a variety of factors. One of the factors that you might not suspect, however, is your tongue. You may think that you only really use your tongue for eating and talking, but it plays a role in your sleep as well. Below you will find some valuable information about how your tongue impacts your quality of sleep and your snoring.
How Your Tongue Causes Snoring
Obstructive sleep apnea is a type of disordered sleeping that affects countless individuals, and snoring affects about 90 million Americans. In most cases, sleep apnea is the result of airway obstruction that prevents you from breathing properly. Certain muscles in your neck and throat are responsible for keeping your airway open while you are awake and during sleep – if those muscles relax, it could cause your airway to tighten, which may result in breathing difficulties.
The muscles responsible are your soft palate, tonsils, the side walls of your throat, and the tongue. When you are awake, you do not need to actively think about breathing – you just do it. For some people, however, the genioglossus muscle (located at the base of the tongue where it attaches to the jawbone) becomes inactive during sleep. Most people have enough space in their mouths behind the tongue that they can take a breath without having to pull the tongue forward.
In people with obstructive sleep apnea, reduced activity of upper-airway muscles during sleep can allow the airway to narrow or collapse, particularly in individuals with anatomically susceptible airways. This obstruction may partially or completely block airflow despite continued breathing effort. The resulting drop in oxygen levels and rise in carbon dioxide can trigger a brief arousal from sleep, increasing activity in the genioglossus and other airway muscles, reopening the airway and restoring breathing. These arousals are often so brief that the person does not remember them.
How to Stop Snoring
Airway obstructions caused by the tongue sliding backward into the throat typically occur when you lie on your back. Choosing to lie on your side might solve your snoring problems in some cases, though airway obstructions can still happen. Those who suffer severely from sleep apnea and snoring are often recommended to consider a CPAP machine. A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine consists of a mask that you put over your nose and mouth – the device generates pressure that keeps your airway open during sleep so you do not experience interruptions in breathing.
While usually effective, CPAP machines can be expensive and are generally very uncomfortable (not to mention scary looking!). An alternative to the CPAP machine is a stop-snoring mouthpiece, which are made to hold the airway open in order to facilitate normal breathing during sleep. Most anti-snoring mouthpieces push and hold the jaw forward all night to keep the airway open. This, however, usually results in a sore jaw.
The Good Morning Snore Solution, however, uses tongue-displacement technology to reduce snoring by gently positioning the tongue forward, which may reduce the tissue vibrations in the throat that can cause snoring sounds during sleep.
Sleep apnea is a very common condition, and many of the people who have it do not even realize it. If you suffer from snoring, it could very well be that your tongue is to blame. Ask your doctor about a CPAP machine or a stop-snoring mouthpiece to see if one of these options might solve your sleep apnea and your snoring problems.
Disclaimer from Good Morning Snore Solution - The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.The Good Morning Snore Solution is marketed and FDA-cleared as an aid for reducing snoring in adults 18 years of age and older and is not marketed as a treatment for sleep apnea or other medical conditions. Consult your healthcare provider if you suspect you may have sleep apnea or another medical condition.
