You snore? What if you stopped smoking?

Brief explanation of snoring and the diseases linked to it

A snore is an abnormal sound a person can make when he/she sleeps. This sound is directly caused by a respiratory problem and can be accompanied by sleep apnea, a very serious condition that happens when breathing stops. Beyond the consequences on sleep quality, recent studies conducted at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit suggest that snoring itself can increase the risks of developing a cardiovascular disease. Thus, snores appear as a genuine health problem for many persons. Moreover, snoring can be an inconvenience for your relatives, which is another point that shouldn’t be neglected.

What are the most at-risk populations?

Some people are more exposed than others to the risks of snoring. Among them, we can mention: men and women over 50, obese persons, those who have physiological anomalies or ailments treated by ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialists, persons who take sleeping pills or alcohol and/or tobacco addicts.

Indeed, the respiratory tract can get irritated and swell because of the cigarette smoke. As a result, the air will have difficulty to go through the tract as it shrinks. This process will only worsen the snores. The influence of tobacco on the snores has been proved, as studies have shown that the rate of snorers is twice as high among smokers compared to the non-smoker population.

You snore? What if you stopped smoking?

Now, you know more about the diseases linked to snoring and you have a clearer idea regarding the persons at risk. If you snore, you should find the causes and treat them one by one. For instance, if you are prone to snoring and are taking sleeping pills, talk to your doctor about adjusting your treatment. Also, be aware that combining them with tobacco can be risky. This could be another reason to break your addiction to tobacco.

This issue concerns your health but also the relationships within your family circle. Think about the consequences snoring can have for the person who sleeps with you. Over time, this situation could provoke tensions between you and your partner. If we go further, imagine you sleep in a collective accommodation such as a mountain refuge along a hiking track and prevent the other hikers to rest before the next day’s walk! Thus, it is also important for the others that you stop smoking and snoring. The means to reach this goal are known and Kwit is here to remind you about them.

Since quitting is a difficult process, especially if you are a heavy smoker, don’t hesitate to get some help. For example, if you need support during the withdrawal, anti-smoking groups and associations can be attentive to you and support you. So it’s clear now, to stop snoring, you need to stop smoking.