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Why do people snore?

Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to vibrate as you breathe. Those who have enlarged tonsils, an enlarged tongue or excess weight around the neck are more prone to snoring. And structural reasons like the shape of one’s nose or jaw can also cause snoring.

Many adults who occasionally experience snoring, many think of it as simply an annoyance. In many cases, that’s true. However, for some people, snoring may be an indicator of more serious health issues. 

When is snoring harmful?

Snoring may be a potential health issue if the snorer experiences any of the following symptoms as you may have sleep apnea:

·        Daytime sleepiness or fatigue

·        Gasping or choking at night

·        Witnessed breathing pauses during sleep

·        Morning headaches

·        Restless sleep

·        Unrefreshed sleep

·        Insomnia with or without frequent awakenings.

·        Frequent urination at night.

·        Moodiness, Depression or irritability.

·        Difficulty concentrating or memory impairment

·        New onset high blood pressure or high blood pressure on two or three medications

·        Heart disease

·        Stroke

·        Erectile dysfunction

·        Loud snoring

·        In children, poor attention span, behavioral problems, bedwetting, profound sweating or poor school performance

Snoring and sleep apnea

Snoring and sleep apnea are linked at an alarming rate – three in 10 men and nearly two in 10 women who are habitual snorers suffer from some degree of obstructive sleep apnea. 

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder, is when your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep for short periods of time. It can cause severe daytime sleepiness. If it's not treated, severe sleep apnea may be associated to high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, depression and heart attack.

Sleep apnea affects about 6% of men and 3 % of women and 1-2% of children.

There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea, central apnea and a combination of the two, called mixed sleep apnea.

The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea.

What are complications of untreated sleep apnea?

·        High blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, sleep apnea can make it worse. When you wake up often during the night, your body gets stressed. That makes your hormone systems go into overdrive, which boosts your blood pressure levels.

·        Heart disease. People with OSA are more likely to have coronary artery disease, heart attack, and abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation.  The causes may be dropped oxygen or/ and the stress from frequent awakenings. Untreated sleep apnea could lead to a sudden death from a cardiac event.

·        Diabetes. Sleep apnea is common among people with this condition.  Obesity raises a person’s risk for both disorders. Although studies haven’t shown a cause-and-effect link between sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes, not getting enough shut-eye can keep your body from using insulin properly, which leads to diabetes.

·        Stroke. The study has found that men with moderate to severe sleep apneas about three times more likely to have stroke than men with mild or no sleep apnea.

·        Depression. The study has found obstructive sleep apnea is probably associated with major depression.

·        Weight gain.  pounds raise your chances of getting sleep apnea, and the condition also makes it harder to slim down.

·        Complications with medications and surgery. Obstructive sleep apnea also is a concern with certain medications and general anesthesia. These medications, such as sedatives, narcotic analgesics and general anesthetics, relax your upper airway and may worsen your obstructive sleep apnea. People with obstructive sleep apnea may be more prone to complications after surgery.

·        Eye problems. Some research has found a connection between obstructive sleep apnea and certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma.