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Snoring in Cape Town affects a significant portion of the adult population. Snoring affects over 40% of the adult population, and may be an indication of obstructed breathing which should not be taken lightly. The noisy sounds of snoring occur when the flow of air through the air passages are hindered at the back of the mouth and nose. The area behind the mouth and nose are the collapsible part of the airway where the tongue and upper throat meet the soft palate. Snoring takes place when these structures strike each other, causing a vibration during breathing.

Common conditions affecting people who snore in Cape Town may include the following:

• · Poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat: When muscles are too relaxed, the tongue falls backwards into the airway or the throat muscles draw in from the sides into the airway.
• · Long soft palate: A long palate narrows the opening from the nose into the throat. The excessive length of the soft palate acts as a noisy flutter valve during relaxed breathing.
• · Excessive bulkiness of throat tissue: Children with large tonsils and adenoids often snore. Overweight people may have excess soft tissue in the neck that can lead to airway narrowing.
• · Obstructed nasal airways: A stuffy or blocked nose requires extra effort to pull air through it. This creates an exaggerated vacuum in the throat that pulls together the floppy tissues of the throat, and snoring results.

For many individuals experiencing snoring in Cape Town, the problem is more than social. Snoring can make the snorer an object of ridicule and can cause the bed partner to experience sleepless nights and fatigue. It also disturbs sleeping patterns and deprives the snorer of adequate rest. More importantly, snoring in Cape Town can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea, a potentially serious condition where the airway temporarily collapses multiple times during sleep. This leads to repeated pauses in breathing for more than ten seconds at a time due to upper airway narrowing or collapsing. In addition, sleep apnoea results in lower amounts of oxygen in the blood, which causes the heart to work harder. It can also disrupt your natural sleep cycle, which leads to a feeling of fatigue even after adequate time in bed. Left untreated, sleep apnoea may contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

If you or a loved one is dealing with persistent snoring in Cape Town, it is essential to seek professional assessment. Identifying the root cause is the first step toward treatment, which may include lifestyle changes, medical therapy, nasal interventions, or specialised sleep studies to evaluate for sleep apnoea.