Why Do We Snore

It is a loud sound produces during sleep by the vibration of respiratory structure when the airways get obstructed because of irregular flow of air. Studies have shown that at least 25 percent men and 9 percent women above the age of 40 suffer from snoring problem.

Snores, if ignored, can lead to serious problems. Because snoring causes a decrease in oxygen supply to the body, the body comes under extreme stress and undergoes metabolic changes. High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and, in extreme cases, strokes can occur

Causes of Snoring

• Throat weakness
• Misaligned jaw
• Obesity (especially fat gathering in and around the throat)
• Obstruction in the nasal passage
• Tonsillitis in children

Treatment

• Get yourself evaluated by a sleep therapy expert.
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP): In this, a patient has to wear a pressurized mask over the nose while sleeping. The mask is attached to a small pump that forces air through the airway to keep it open.
• Lifestyle changes and weight therapy.

Bacteria Can Look and Prepare for Future-Study

A new study has found that the bacterias are sophisticated enough to anticipate regular events, such as the arrival of day, thanks to their internal circadian clocks.

The study shows that they can also anticipate and prepare for sporadic events, as long as the events are reliably preceded by a signal.

To colonize the gut of a mammal, Escherichia coli must first enter the warm-blooded diner’s mouth, where the bacteria experience a temperature rise; a short time later, they end up in the intestine a place with low oxygen levels, as well as fierce competition from other microscopic settlers.

Bacteria would do well to anticipate low-oxygen conditions and begin to adjust metabolically from the moment they enter the mouth.

The bacteria’s native low oxygen response all but vanished within a hundred generations, confirming that their foresight is flexible and results from natural selection.

A Note on Cyanosis

Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration of the nails due to increased amount of reduced hemoglobin (more than 5 mg%)in capillary blood.

Types

1. Central
2. Peripheral
3. Cyanosis due to abnormal pigments
4. Mixed

Mechanism

In an adult, on an average, there is 15 gm% of hemoglobin, 95% of which is saturated with oxygen and only 5% i.e. 0.75 gm% is reduced. Hence, in capillaries, a mean of the two i.e. only 2-3 gm% is reduced hemoglobin and the color of the skin and mucous membranes is pink. Read more