Snoring is an incredibly common problem, affecting up to a third of all adults in the US between ages 35 and 50. While for some people this isn't a problem, it can disrupt the sleep of their partners and children and over time it can also develop into something more serious: apnea.

Snoring and apnea are caused by weak muscles at the back of the nose and throat, which go slack while we sleep and cause airflow to be inhibited. When they close the airway completely this is known as obstructive sleep apnea, which can lower the blood oxygen level and cause significant health problems. These weak muscles develop over a long period of time, believe it or not starting in early childhood when we begin to sleep with our mouths open. The position of the jaw moves the airway and the muscles around it to move into a certain position that makes them stretch, therefore almost becoming 'baggy'. This may not pose a problem for many years, as a young person's throat is generally quite toned, but like the rest of our bodies as we grow older, these muscles lose their tone and can cause obstruction.

My Snoring Solution essentially stretches the muscles at the back of the throat and nose so that they are not slack anymore and are 'out of the way'. As the name suggests, this is not a cure for snoring of sleep apnea, but it is a solution instead. The device itself is s stretchy band of material that goes under your chin and is held around the back of your head. There are holes for your ears so none of your senses are impaired and it's also not so tight that you can't eat, drink or talk. You can sleep in any position whilst wearing the device, which may be refreshing for those who get turned over by their partners if they sleep on their back.

Those suffering from chronic snoring should be aware that there are some factors that can cause the condition to develop into sleep apnea. These are namely obesity and smoking. For this reason, if you are a snorer then you should be avoiding cigarettes, eating healthily and taking regular exercise. Snorers may also want to tone up those muscles at the back of the nose and throat so they're actively doing something to improve their condition. So far the only way proven to do this is to take up singing, so you could buy your family a karaoke machine, or take singing lessons and nurture a possible talent.

Coupling the use of the My Snoring Solution device with a weight loss program and ways to tone up the nose and throat muscles (e.g. singing), you could be snore-free in a matter of months. Obviously crash diets and over exercising may end up doing more harm than good. Instead you should gradually change your lifestyle, reducing consumption of alcohol near bedtime and introducing healthier aspects into your time. Soon you should find that you need the My Snoring Solution device less and less, but will be thankful it was there to get you on the right path to begin with.

Stan Tian

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