Page 18 - Florida Sentinel 7-12-19

Health
The Shape of Your Nose
If the thin
WHY IT HAPPENS
WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you snore, it's because the relaxed tissues in your throat vibrate as the air you breathe in rushes past them. About half of U. S. adults do it from time to time. Things like your weight, your health, and the shape of your mouth can make you more likely to sound like you're sawing logs during the night.
Sleep Apnea
This is serious snoring that stops your breathing as you sleep. It may make you gasp for breath or wake you during the night. Signs of it include dry mouth, headache, or a sore throat in the morning. It’s linked to stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease, so see your doctor if you think you might have sleep apnea. She may recommend a de- vice that helps you breathe while you sleep or, in some cases, sur- gery.
Watch Your Weight
You’re more likely to snore if you’re overweight, especially if your neck is more than 17 inches around. Losing a few pounds may help keep it in check -- talk to your doctor about a plan that would be right for you.
Cut Back On Alcohol
Like some medicines, adult beverages can relax your tongue and throat muscles, and that can make you snore. It helps to watch what and how much you drink, es- pecially close to bedtime.
wall
your
didn’t
quite right, one
side can be
smaller than the other -- that’s called a deviated septum. That can make it harder for you to breathe and make you snore. The same can happen if your nose was hurt in an accident. Talk to your doctor if you think something like this is going on with you -- surgery can some- times fix it.
The Shape of Your Mouth
If the upper part of your mouth toward your throat -- your soft
palate -- is low and thick, it can narrow your airway and make you snore. That also can happen if the small piece of tissue that hangs from your soft palate -- the uvula - - is longer than usual. Surgery can sometimes help with this, too.
between nostrils form
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