Sore Throat and Snoring
Snoring has and continues to be a problem for most people. Since records began and maybe even further back than that to the dawn of mankind snoring has been an ever present companion or villain depending on your outlook in many peoples nightly routine. As a result one common characteristic for some snorers is waking up with a sore throat in the morning time. Researchers are now starting to understand snoring a little better thanks in no small part to the advances in modern day technology and research techniques. They are constantly trying to find connections and links between snoring and other body related disorders.
This article aims to give you a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between snoring and sore throats, so you can better understand as to the reason for having a sore throat in the morning after waking up and what you can do to fix this problem in the short term using three easy remedies.
We also aim to give you a better chance at curing your snoring problem for good so please take a little time to browse the site where you will hopefully find the answer to fix your snoring issue for good, or worst case scenario improve your snoring situation greatly!
If you have arrived here as a non-snorer effected by snoring then the tips here are easy to pass on to someone suffering from snoring so you or others you know won’t have to put up with a frustrating snoring racket every night! So let’s get to it! What’s the link between sore throats and snoring then?
How Come I Have A Sore Throat Every Time I Snore?
Whenever you have a long day, your first instinct is to head straight to bed for a beautiful night’s sleep. However, sooner or later just as you settle in snoring can in many cases can take over and consume the room in a frustrating rumble, a cacophony of sound. This annoyance has the effect of preventing much needed sleep for you and when the early morning comes can lead to a sore throat feeling for the snorer!
At times the snorer may wake up in the middle of their sleep to clear their throat after every short sleeping session. At first, the person might imagine that they are fighting the onset of a common cold and in most cases have the tendency to blame this sore throat on allergies.
However, the truth is that in reality, the constant snoring may be the reason why you are always on tea remedies and cough drops. Too many people that can be a big problem since they are either unaware or possibly afraid to admit that their snoring habits might be causing other side effects to their bodies other than distracting sounds.
Understanding the Connection between Snoring and Sore Throats
There are a number of different reasons why you might have a sore throat. They can range from nasal polyps, swelling in your turbinate, a deviated septum and more. But basically, most of these reasons result from you breathing through your mouth as you snore.
In many cases although there are exceptions the majority of people who breathe through their mouths are snorers. That is because the air that passes through their mouth causes high levels of tissue vibrations which in the end results in loud excessive snoring. These vibrations are much higher compared to instances when the air passes through the nose.
To make this even easier to understand, take a look at the soft palate of your mouth. This tissue extends from the top of your mouth and it separates the back of your mouth from the nasal passageway. If you look at it closely, it is only attached on the sides, therefore, the muscle is typically free.
As you sleep, the soft palate moves forward hence opening up the nasal airways. On the other hand, as you are eating, the soft palate moves backwards hence closing up the airway. This prevents food or any liquid substance from entering your breathing system which of course is vital function. In the event where food stuff ends up in your breathing system, your body will try to force it out otherwise you’ll end up chocking.
We also have the uvula which is an extension of the soft palate and its main function is similar to that of the soft palate. This muscle also hangs at the top of your mouth and usually seems like a projection from the top. Therefore, the soft palate and the uvula are the structures that vibrate every time you breathe through your mouth. It may be worth your while to have a look at this article that explains more about what is snoring and why do you snore?
In most cases, it is these two structures that end up swollen and this is why you will experience a gagging sensation when you wake up in the mornings.
There are basically two reasons why you wake up in the morning with a sore throat. The first is because of the vibrations of the uvula and soft palate hitting your throat. This repeated friction between these two parts cause an irritation to develop in your throat.
The other reason is because breathing through your mouth actually causes dryness. Your mouth is not the primary breathing point but you can use it for emergencies. That is because your mouth doesn’t have the characteristics that support breathing activity. When you inhale air, your nose is adapted to the function hence it warms up the air and at the same time moisturizes it.
On the other hand, when you breathe using your mouth as the primary method, the air is warmed up and moisturized but the side effect is that; it causes dryness to your throat. Thus, leading to sore throats. The worst part is that sore throats worsen as your snoring disorder worsens.
When the tissues in your oesophagus are vibrated, they end up swelling. Unfortunately, this swelling makes the obstruction in your airway worse leading to chronic snoring issues. This mostly occurs in overweight individuals and people with narrow airways. The good news is there are certain things you can do to prevent and treat these early morning sore throats.
How to Cure Sore Throats with 3 Easy Remedies
As we have discussed earlier, sore throats only worsen with your snoring problem. That is why, the only real solution to your problem is to take action steps before it gets out of hand. There are a few techniques you can implement in the meantime however that will help you to reduce the severity and frequency of these sore throats.
1. Sleeping Position
Sleeping on your back will cause pressure on your soft palate and uvula to develop which will inevitably lead to the blocking your airway, in turn resulting in vibrations and snoring. To counteract this try sleeping on your side. For some people this can be a little tricky so if you find yourself tending to roll over while you are asleep, you can use an alternative anti-snoring pillows. It can be a bit hard finding the right anti-snoring pillow. However, you can check out our hand-picked selection of the best anti-snoring pillows so that you can get the best one to help you on your way.
2. Anti-Snoring Devices
An anti-snoring mouthpiece is a good solution to preventing snoring for certain people. The use of such a device will also eliminate the occurrence of your early morning sore throats also. That is because it will hold your jaw forward while you sleep which reduces any vibrations as you sleep. Other products you might consider include; the anti-snoring chin straps and nasal strips.
3. Homemade Remedies
The two tips mentioned above are meant to help reduce and eliminate the occurrence of snoring and so any related knock on effects. This last tip will help you in the meantime to treat your sore throat from snoring until you decide on the best anti snoring solution to suit your needs. These tips can also be used for common sore throat remedies so give them a try.
When you wake up in the morning with a sore throat, it is always a good idea to start by drinking water. That way, you will moisturize the dry parts in your mouth and throat. This is a good habit to get into every morning because your body will be dehydrated in the morning time and you will find that when you drink some water you will instantly feel more alert and refreshed.
During the day, keep your throat moisturized all through which will prevent it from becoming excessively dehydrated at night.
You can also try these simple recipes to help you relieve your sore throat. They include;
- Taking lemon water in the morning (a glass of water with a slice or two of lemon)
- Taking ginger root tea
- Chicken soup
- Taking honey – (either in tea or coffee or just a spoon of it on its own)
- Taking marshmallow root
Although the above mentioned remedies have worked for some people, you will need to identify the best solution for your sore throat since it will worsens as your snoring situation deteriorates. Severe sore throats might also be an indication of an infection, tonsillitis or strep throat. Therefore, in chronic situations, consider visiting a physician for professional assistance to treat the underlying cause.
We hope you found this information useful. Please like and share it if you did. Leave a comment below if you have any questions or something you would like to add. Check out the Snorefocus Forum where you can interact with other people and ask and post replies on the topics of snoring and sleep!
