Dangers of Snoring

While snoring is typically seen as inconvenient and irritating for sleepers and their bed partners, snoring can be an indicator of sleep apnea and carry serious medical consequences.

What Causes Snoring?

Snoring is caused by a narrowing of the air passage from the mouth to the lungs. The more the airway is obstructed, the louder the snoring gets. Snoring generally worsens with age as the muscles in the throat become less rigid and more likely to block the airway. Other factors that worsen snoring are menopause, smoking, alcohol and sedative use, being overweight, and genetic predispositions.

Snoring is nearly as common in women as men. The National Sleep Foundation found that about one third of U.S. working adults report snoring at least a few nights each month. Many who regularly snore don't realize that it could be bad for their health.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring is caused by a narrrowing of the air passage from the mouth to the lungs. The more the airway is obstructed, the louder the snoring gets. Snoring generally worsens with age as the muscles in the throat become less rigid and more likely to block the airway. Other factors that worsen snoring are menopause, smoking, alcohol and sedative use, being overweight, and genetic predispositions. Snoring is nearly as common in women as men.The National Sleep Foundation found that about one third of U.S. working adults report snoring at least a few nights each month. Many who regularly snore don't realize that it could be bad for their health.

In many people, the airway can become so narrow that it actually closes and breathing stops completely. This condition is known as obstructive sleep apnea and is affects between one in every 5 to 15 people. These pauses in breathing (called apneas) can last anywhere from 10 seconds to 2 minutes. During apneas, snoring stops and the sleeper is silent. When the brain registers that the person is not breathing, it jolts the person out of sleep at which point the sleeper will wake up gasping or choking. Sleep apnea sufferers are often unaware of their condition. Loud snoring, daytime fatigue, trouble concentrating, and hypertension are just some of the signs and symptoms.

The Effects of Untreated Sleep Apnea

The gaps in breathing can have severe health consequences when left unaddressed, so it's important that people seek testing and treatment. According to statistics, only 10-20% of sleep apnea suffers are diagnosed.

One of the major health consequences of untreated sleep apnea is cardiovascular complications such as heart disease, heart failure, hypertension, and stroke. The brain needs to continuously jolt the person awake during sleep to prevent suffocation. These arousals put repeated stress on the heart and weaken heart muscle.

Sleep apnea patients also have an increased risk for obesity, hypertension, diabetes, arrythmias, impotence, mood disturbance, loss of motivation and other serious conditions.

According to prevailing scientific literature, snorers experience

• A higher incidence of stroke and cardiovascular disorders;
• A 40% greater risk than non-snorers of suffering from high blood pressure;
• A 34% greater risk of having a heart attack;
• A 67% greater chance of having a stroke.

What To Do

What should you do if you or someone you know snores? At your next primary care doctor visit, tell your physician that you snore even if you're not asked. Most doctors don't routinely ask patients about the quality of their sleep, giving the impression that it is not an important health factor, but good sleep is critical to good health. Ask your doctor about getting tested for sleep apnea. You will likely be referred to a sleep clinic for overnight evaluation, but today, home sleep tests are becoming more available and more commonly used due to their convenience and cost. If you're interested in the home sleep test, ask your doctor or call a home sleep test provider like Aviisha.