Overview
Snoring is a natural phenomenon. It is a common symptom of airway obstruction associated with sleep-related breathing disorders.
This manifestation may occur alone (primary snoring) or may accompany other signs and symptoms such as runny nose, hyponasal speech, cough, reduced ventilation, and sleep apnea.
Furthermore, snoring in the pediatric population is on the rise and is now a primary health concern by the American Academy of Paediatrics.
This increase is attributed to the rise in cases of co-morbid diseases such as asthma and allergies, lifestyle changes, and an increase in childhood obesity.
People of all ages suffer from snoring. More than forty million Americans snore every night.
About half of the world’s population snores at some time or the other. Some people snore occasionally while others are habitual snorers. There are other symptoms that accompany snoring and some health complications develop when it is due to pathological causes.
About half the men snore. Some women snore but to a much lesser degree. It is when the snoring is very loud that it indicates there could be an underlying health problem, which needs to be investigated.
Snoring symptoms
Snoring can be mild or severe. People with mild or occasional snoring sleep well and feel refreshed when they get up the next morning.
However, it is the people with severe snoring who have to find out the cause of why they snore so loudly because health complications ensue, which are life-threatening and can cause premature deaths in such people.
Besides, the symptom of loud snoring, there are other telltale signs.
- Several periods of cessation of breathing with subclinical periods of wakefulness are the hallmark symptoms of loud snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea. Such episodes can happen hundreds of times during a single night. This deprives the person of proper sleep.
- There is excessive daytime sleepiness due to sleep deprivation during the night
- The person experiences difficulty concentrating due to mental fatigue
- Morning headaches are prevalent due to a lack of oxygen during sleep
- The person may feel a sore throat upon awakening due to snoring, which can occur due to mouth breathing
- Restless sleep
- Gasping or choking at night. The patient wakes up several times at night so that he be able to breathe. This causes him to gasp for breath.
- Chest pain at night due to the strained respiratory effort caused by laborious breathing
- Your snoring is so loud it disrupts your partner’s sleep. This can lead to relationship issues.
- In children, such a mental state of improper sleep can lead to behavioral issues or poor performance in school.
Snoring is known to cause a lack of sleep and this sleep deprivation can cause certain complications, which can impact your health.
Complications of snoring
The effects of snoring are mild initially but can cause serious complications in your body’s health if you do not take steps to control it. Though you sleep and snore at night, there are some daytime effects that can impact your routine during the day.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness due to inadequate deep sleep during the night and the accumulation of sleep debt.
- Poor job performance due to daytime sleepiness.
- Dry mouth due to sleeping with your mouth open
- Poor memory, forgetfulness, and difficulty in concentration, which leads to poor performance at work and in school (in the case of children)
- Insomnia, which can again cause further complications if not treated
- Chronic sleep deprivation can cause agitation, anxiety, and erratic behavior
- Higher risk of developing depression
- Lack of interest in sex and erectile dysfunction (male impotence)
- Increased risk of accidents while driving or operating machinery, due to lack of sleep causing increased daytime sleepiness
- Snoring also disrupts the sleep hours of your bed partner, which can affect a relationship
Snoring can endanger your health and these can be quite serious, especially when snoring is loud, which could be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. Serious complications that can set in include:
- High blood pressure
- Heart conditions such as congestive cardiac failure, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart attack
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children due to lack of sleep
A very loud snorer must, therefore, seek the help of a sleep specialist, who will do a sleep study and guide him through the various options for treatment. Your doctor will also advise you to take up some home remedies and lifestyle improvements that are effective.
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