Surprise! Women Snore, Too. Stop Snoring for Women.

Millions of Americans lose sleep at night because of snoring. In most cases, it is the woman who is lying awake listening to her husband’s snores. While it is usually thought that men are more likely to snore, you may be surprised to find out that women can suffer from habitual snoring problems to the same degree. Approximately 5% of women in their thirties snore, whereas upwards of 40% of women snore by the time they turn 60 years old. At this age, a snoring woman is just as common as a snoring man.

Although health professionals say that most snoring is not harmful, snoring can affect the quality of sleep one gets. A snoring woman may wonder why she wakes up tired every morning, is dragging by mid-morning, and is faced with puffy eyes when she looks in the mirror. The cause could very well be snoring. In addition to affecting the quality of sleep, a snoring woman can face significant health problem. Severe snoring problems have been linked to heart and kidney disease, stroke, decreased mental acuity, and even sudden death. For a habitually snoring woman, snoring can make you feel years older. As Richard Millman, director of Rhode Island Hospital’s Sleep Disorder Center says, “At a minimum, it seems to take away your vigor. Many people come into our offices with obstructive sleep breathing problems who are in their forties, but they look, feel and act ten years older.”

Fortunately—unfortunately for some—snoring is not typically a problem for a woman unless she is overweight or has low estrogen levels, which can be attributed to menopause, a hysterectomy, or which may even be natural for some women. While experts are unclear about the details of the snoring and low estrogen connection, they do know that estrogen stimulates muscles, thereby preventing them from relaxing.

The same factors that boost snoring in men increase the likelihood of a woman snoring. Drinking alcohol and being overweight are two of the most prominent risk factors. Both impact the tissues of the soft palate, causing them to loosen and vibrate more during sleep. In fact, snoring is three times more common in overweight people than in thin people.

A snoring woman may also be affected this problem as she ages. During the aging process, a woman loses muscle tone and develops fat in her throat area. Her tongue, larynx, and other nearby tissues may also enlarge somewhat. These changes due to age can decrease the size of the airway and increase the risk of snoring. Because of these changes a woman undergoes as she ages, snoring is a progressive disorder that will likely worsen as time passes.

There are some tips to help women stop snoring. First, doctors recommend you lose eight and stop smoking. Next, a snoring woman should lay off the alcohol and unnecessary medications, particularly in the nighttime hours. Try sleeping on your back on an incline. Do some simple throat exercises to remove common blocks that cause snoring. If all else fails, there are a number of dental appliances that can help keep the airway open and clear.

Healthcare professionals can help choose the right anti-snoring plan. Researchers have found that a woman is much more likely to fib about snoring than a man. If you are having trouble sleeping because of snoring, be honest and seek assistance—a good night’s sleep is worth it.