When a person is deprived of sleep, he or she tends to be irritable and exhausted, especially during the day time. It can affect his social relationships with his or her clients, co-workers, supervisors, friends, parent, children, and spouse. A person who is both sleep deprived and a snorer, however, can double the damage to these social relationships. Understandably, a lot of couples have separated from each other just because of simply snoring.
But is snoring really just a simple condition? According to scientific studies, that is not always so. Snoring could only be a symptom of a more severe and aggravating disorder, thus the need for self-observation and regular check-ups. An EENT specialist, neurologist, and even a dentist could be consulted regarding snoring because of the various possible causes. These specialists may recommend to you to use an anti-snoring device. If you are hearing the term for the first time but you are willing to test out an anti-snoring device, it would be best to know and understand the different classifications of these devices even before thinking about buying one:
Anti-Snoring Device Classifications
These devices are also called Mandibular Advancement Splints. The word “mandibular” means jaw, and the anti-snoring device functions to open the mouth and realign the jaw forward to prevent the user from snoring. The person’s airway tissues can be a cause of snoring, so the MADs can manipulate the tissues position to prevent the snoring. MADs can either work on the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both depending on the need of the user.
- Tongue Stabilizing Devices (TSDs)
TSDs are specifically for sleeping apnea patients and these prevent the tongue from blocking the air passageway. TSDs keeps the tongue in place during sleep and it prevents the soft muscle from relaxing and blocking the throat.
- Sleep Apnea Mouthpieces
Mouthpieces are specifically for obstructive sleep apnea patients. Because of the specificity of its purpose, a prescription from a specialist is required to acquire one. They can cost more than other devices, but they can prove to be worth it with the high quality and longevity of usability.
- Anti Snore Mouth Guards
Mouth guards are similar to mouth pieces, except for the specificity of purpose, availability, lifespan, and cost. Mouth guards are for snorers caused by poor lifestyles and minor problems. They are usually cheap, usable from six months to two years, and are readily available in medical shops.
- CPAP Chin Straps
CPAP is an acronym for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure—it is pertaining to a machine that provides constant air either through the mouth or nose to a sleeping apnea patient. One downside of the CPAP is that it can induce open-mouthed sleeping, and here is where a CPAP chin strap is important. The CPAP chin strap provides continuous air through the nose, while the straps around the user’s face will keep the mouth closed.
- Anti Snore Chin Straps
These are almost the same as CPAP chin straps, except for the CPAP machine itself. Anti-snore chin straps are easy to use, and are accompanied by their own user manuals. The user should carefully follow these instructions to ensure positive results.
- Nasal Dilators
This type of snoring device is put inside the nose to expand the nasal airways slightly. This prevents air blockage and it can also reduce the possibility of allergies. Nasal dilators are portable, inexpensive, and can last for several months if cleaned and taken care of. These can be used both for sleeping apnea patients or people who have minor snoring problems.
- Nasal Strips
These are bandages that are specifically placed near the nostrils and on the nose bridge. Nasal strips regulate the nasal airways of the user and prevents that person from snoring.
- Anti Snore Pillows
There are specially manufactured pillows that can regulate sleeping posture for snoring or sleep apnea patients. Usually, these pillows can effectively prevent snoring by forcing the user to sleep on his or her side, or on their backs. It takes a few weeks before a person gets used to the anti-snore pillows, so be very patient with its effectiveness.
- Anti Snore Sprays
If a snorer is not comfortable with the intrusiveness of the usual snoring devices, he or she can opt for anti-snore sprays. These are sprayed onto the throat and can take a few days of adjustment. But once the user has adjusted to the spray, there is a possibility that he or she does not need to spray everyday to make it effective.
- Vestibular Shields
These devices look like little shields for the mouth so that air will not pass through it. Vestibular shields encourage the user to breathe through the nose.
- Earplugs for Snoring
Obviously, earplugs are not for stopping the person from snoring, but it can improve sleeping regularity. The snorer and people sleeping near snorers can use these to prevent getting woken up by loud snores. Be wary of the specifications of the earplugs to ensure that the level of noise can really be reduced.
