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Snoring during pregnancy - What causes it and how it is treated

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Tim Tylor
Snoring during pregnancy - What causes it and how it is treated

It is common for pregnant women to experience snoring during their pregnancy. It occurs because the airways are constricted and there is an increase in the amount of fat around your neck. The good news is that this is typically temporary and will go away after you give birth.

Snoring is common and may be worse during pregnancy

Snoring is a sign of obstructed breathing due to the narrowing of your airway. This narrowing can occur from swelling in your throat and nasal passages (commonly known as “allergic rhinitis”) or from an increase in fluid retention caused by hormones that circulate in your body during pregnancy. Pregnant women are at a higher risk for snoring because of the changes that happen to their bodies during pregnancy.

If you have any questions about snoring or sleep apnea, talk with your doctor!

How much weight you gain affects how common snoring is during pregnancy

You may be wondering, "How much weight do I need to gain in order to snore during pregnancy?" It's a question that many women have asked themselves. And the answer is: it depends on the individual. Some women gain up to 40 pounds (18 kg) in their first trimester alone—and that can cause them to snore more often during pregnancy than they would if they gained less weight.

However, even though it's totally normal for some women to sleep with more frequent bouts of apnea (breathing pauses) during this time period, you don't want your baby breathing in any extra carbon dioxide at night! There are ways you can reduce snoring while pregnant by taking steps such as eating better foods and exercising daily.

For mild snoring, changing positions during sleep can help

If you're a mild snorer, you might be able to get by with changing your position during sleep. Try sleeping on your side or on your back with your legs elevated a few inches to help keep the airways open and reduce any noise. Your partner should also take these measures to decrease their snoring noise as well.

Another option is using a body pillow under your belly if you're pregnant in the last trimester. This can help keep the back of your neck from being flat against the mattress, which can cause obstructions in breathing due to increased pressure that presses down on soft tissues around the throat area. If this doesn't work for you, consider using nasal strips (which are designed for people who have nasal congestion). They may help improve airflow through the nose and reduce snoring sounds!

Getting too little sleep during pregnancy can cause lots of health problems for mom and baby.

Sleep apnea is caused by throat and tongue muscles relaxing too much

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that causes your airway to become blocked during sleep. While you're asleep, the muscles at the back of your throat relax too much and actually fall back into your throat, causing it to close up. This blocks oxygen from getting into the lungs, which wakes you up briefly so you can breathe again. Because this cycle happens repeatedly throughout the night, it can make for an exhausting night of sleep for both mom and baby.

The good news: There are some things you can do now to help prevent sleep apnea during pregnancy! One of those things is losing weight before becoming pregnant—if your current weight is over what doctors recommend (for example: if your BMI is above 30), then losing just 5-10% of that will reduce symptoms significantly.

If you're not getting enough sleep during pregnancy, the following health problems may occur:

·        Depression

·        Anxiety

·        Memory problems

·        Concentration problems

·        Decision-making and problem-solving difficulties

Mouth guard for sleeping is the best solution for snoring during pregnancy

A mouth guard for sleeping will open up your airway and reduce or eliminate snoring during pregnancy. A mouth guard for sleeping can also help prevent pain from jaw clenching while you sleep by realigning your jaw and preventing teeth grinding while you are asleep. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea or if you have tried a CPAP machine without success, then a mouth guard may be right for you. A custom-fitted mouth guard will provide optimal protection against further damage to teeth and gums while allowing maximum airflow through your mouth while sleeping at night.

Hormones are making you sleepy

In addition to making your eyes darken and your breasts swell, pregnancy hormones can make you feel tired all the time — even when you've just been sleeping.

That fatigue can lead to snoring, since it makes it harder for you to breathe through your nose while sleeping. Instead, you breathe through your mouth and throat, which causes vibrations that result in snoring sounds.

The extra weight of your growing belly can also make it harder for you to breathe normally at night — which increases the risk of snoring.

The first trimester of pregnancy is usually the hardest. Your body is producing more progesterone and estrogen, which can cause you to be more sensitive to noise, light and odors. You might also experience insomnia or wake up feeling unrested.

During the second trimester, you may feel more tired than usual because of the extra weight you're carrying around. Plus, your growing belly may make it harder for you to get comfortable when lying down. And toward the end of your third trimester, you'll probably find yourself snoring more than ever before — especially if you're sleeping on your back.

Snoring can be caused by the extra space in your nose and throat from swelling and increased mucus production during pregnancy. It's also possible that the growing fetus presses against your back during sleep, making it harder for air to pass through your throat and nose without restriction.

Does snoring continue after childbirth?

Snoring usually gets better after childbirth because your body returns to its normal shape and size. However, some women find it difficult to lose their extra weight after having a baby, so their snoring continues or even gets worse over time.

You may find that your symptoms get better as soon as your baby is born. If not, you may need to give up alcohol, tobacco products and any other stimulants such as caffeine. These can all make snoring worse during pregnancy and should be avoided if possible.

Is it better to sleep apart from your partner?

If you have been sleeping with someone who has snored before, then this might be something that you are used to. However, when pregnant women snore it can be more than just an annoyance, as it can affect both partners' sleep quality.

It is important for both partners to get enough sleep during pregnancy, so if one person finds that their partner snores too loudly then it might be best for them to sleep in another room until after the baby is born.

Snoring is quite common during pregnancy, and while it may annoy you or your partner, it's not an indication of a serious problem. The cause of snoring during pregnancy is the same as it is for regularly snoring; sleeping on your back or right side can constrict the airway, resulting in vibrations and snoring sounds. While this is annoying for any partner whose sleep is disturbed, it does not pose a danger to you or your baby at all. Snoring will likely worsen towards the end of pregnancy as your baby grows larger, but by that point sleep deprivation should be the big concern!

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Tim Tylor
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