Why do breathing stops?

When breathing while sleeping, breathing stops for various reasons. The most common causes are either the collapse of the airways or changes in breathing control. Collapsed airways, also known as obstructive apnea, is a condition that requires serious and urgent treatment.

In the form of this disease, there is a temporary collapse of the airways around the palate, which prevents any airflow. Usually the affected person wakes up briefly during this air supply cut-off. In addition, breathing interruptions can be caused by changes in breathing control, also known as central apnea.

Normally, breathing in the waking state is largely controlled consciously by the person. During sleep, respiration is controlled by sensors that can register various parameters within the blood, thereby increasing or decreasing the respiration. If this control is obstructed in various ways, this can lead to breathing problems during sleep.

Therapy

A short overview of the “snoring apparatuses”:

Nasal Patch (Breath Right®)Is placed over both nostrils and is designed to open the nasal passages further, facilitating nasal breathing.
Nose clip (Schnarchclip® Sandox)Keeps the nostrils open and facilitates inhalation through the nose
Jaw Protrusion SplintHolds the lower jaw in a position during sleep in which the tongue cannot fall back and could block the airways.
Chin bandage:Like a jaw protrusion splint, it holds the lower jaw in a position where the tongue cannot fall back while sleeping.

Various rules of conduct can have a positive influence on snoring. First of all, you should refrain from drinking alcohol a few hours before going to bed. If possible, sedatives, sleeping pills, antihistamines and psychotropic drugs should also be avoided.

If the upper body is in a slightly elevated position, the throat muscles remain taut and do not collapse suddenly. The snorer should also try to avoid the supine position. A tennis ball sewn into the back part of the pyjama suit may remind you to lie on your side or stomach. Pharmacies offer various remedies that are supposed to positively influence snoring (nose plaster, nose clips, jaw protrusion splint, chin bandages). Here you should seek individual advice from the pharmacist and your doctor, as no general recommendation can be given.