If you do not snore, you are likely to know someone who does. There are about 45% of adults who snore and the percentage will keep on rising, as they age.
Snoring is thought to be a nuisance for bed partners, however, researchers say one should not be quick to express displeasure against such conditions as this can also be a form of sleep disorder that could even affect the brain of the patient.
What is Snoring?
We all know what snoring sounds like, but do we actually know why it occurs?
Snoring is a very common sleep related breathing disorder in which sounds are produced either from the soft palette or the tongue or both when there is any obstruction to the free flow of air.
As the muscles relax, when we are asleep, the area at the back of the throat sometimes narrows or closes off temporarily. Hence, the air passing through this smaller opening can make the tissues surrounding it to vibrate, causing the sounds of snoring in turn. Different people have different reasons for snoring.
Factors that may cause snoring are:
Being Overweight-Extra weight can result in larger neck and bulky tissues. This is turn make the airways narrow and affect breathing.
Alcohol Consumption- Drinking alcohol too close to your bedtime may cause your throat muscles to relax. The best way to stop snoring is to stop drinking.
Obstruction to the nose- Sinus infection, seasonal allergies, cold or cigarette smoke can cause swelling in the tissues of your throat and a blocked and stuffy nose.
Deviated Nasal Septum- The wall that separates the nostrils in your nose might be deformed causing snoring for some people.
Enlarged Tonsils or the shape of your mouth- Some people have enlarged tonsils, long uvula or a thick soft palate to restrict the airflow.
Is snoring always a symptom of Sleep Apnea?
If you snore or know someone who snores so loudly that they can be heard down the hallway even when their room is closed, it is likely they have Sleep Apnea symptoms. Snoring is a strong indicator to Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Approximately, one out of every two heavy snorers, have Sleep Apnea or are likely to develop this condition over time. However, snoring is not necessarily experienced by all the patients with this sleep disorder. If the snorer sleeps and breathes normally, then snoring is only a problem for their bed partners.
Snoring is a form of sleep apnea, in which people stop breathing for few seconds or several minutes’ dozens of time in an hour. Researchers even say, people with sleep apnea symptoms tend to develop memory problems and severe health consequences earlier than the people without any sleep disorders.
Most of the affected population with Snoring as the symptom of Sleep Apnea consider it as more of a social problem than a medical condition and assume that nothing can be done to stop it. However, this attitude in them results in people delaying in getting their sleep apnea diagnosed and treated.
Excuses for not Treating OSA
One common misconception we all have regarding our health is that a lack of symptoms means an absence of disease. This is especially true with sleep apnea. Often dubbed as the silent killer, sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea can deteriorate your health from a seemingly harmless snoring to graver conditions like diabetes and heart attack.
Sleep Apnea - A risk factor for Sudden Cardiac death
According to a major study, Sleep Apnea plays a major role in the aggravation of cardiac problems, and can lead to sudden cardiac deaths too. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused due to complete or partial obstacles in the air passage. The most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are loud snoring, falling short of breath in sleep, feeling drowsy in the morning, high blood pressure, morning headaches and experiencing mood swings.
How sleep studies are conducted in Sleep labs?
If you are not sleeping well, or find yourself continually tired during the day, your attempt to correct the condition, by taking a pill or heaving your mattress might not necessarily help.
