Sleep Disorders, Sleep Remedies & Insomnia Relief
Snoring Keeps Everyone Awake at Night
Probably everyone is familiar with snoring.
If you don't snore, you've probably shared a room or bed with
someone who does. Although snoring is often the butt of many
jokes and used for comedic effect on TV and in movies, snoring
can actually be a serious medical condition. Many people view
snoring as a harmless nuisance, but in reality, it can indicate
underlying health problems. Snoring can take a toll on the
quality of you and your sleeping partner's sleep, as well as
your overall health.
Mild Snoring, Severe Snoring, and Sleep Apnea
Many people mistakenly make no distinction between mild snoring
and sleep apnea. Regular, mild snoring occurs when a person
experiences some sort of congestion or airway obstruction,
resulting in loud breathing sounds during sleep. Most of the
time, snoring is a normal phenomenon that occurs when a person
is experiencing congestion, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, or
when a person abuses of alcohol or sedatives. Mild snoring
can usually be alleviated by avoiding alcohol consumption,
the use of sedatives, or by sleeping on one's back. Indeed,
most people who are experiencing mild snoring can find relief
simply by turning to sleep on their sides. If snoring is caused
by congestion caused by a cold, flu, or sinus infection, symptoms
will usually subside as the illness gradually passes.
Severe snoring can indicate more serious health problems.
Severe snoring occurs when a person experiences regular, chronic
snoring. When a person is experiencing severe snoring, they
will snore no matter what sleeping position they take. If you
tend to awake yourself or your sleeping partner with your snoring,
chances are your snoring is more severe than mild. Also, if
you find yourself experiencing fitful sleep, and wake feeling
fatigued even after several hours of sleep, you should consult
your doctor. You may need to be observed at a sleeping clinic
to find out the degree and possible causes of your snoring.
Sleep apnea is often confused with snoring since it produces
similar sounds. The basic distinction is that snoring is simply
a sound a person makes while sleeping, while sleep apnea causes
a person to stop breathing several times during the night.
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a
person experiences an obstruction in breathing, causing a pause
of up to ten seconds in breathing. These pauses of breath can
occur up to 30 times during the course of one night's sleep!
When a person suffers from sleep apnea, they will wake several
times a night to regain breath. Many times, people are not
aware that they suffer from sleep apnea, and only become aware
when their sleep partner observes the symptoms. In rare cases,
sleep apnea left untreated can prove fatal.
The Social Aspect of Snoring
Snoring is not only a medical concern. Snoring can also take
quite a social toll. A person who snores may keep their sleep
partner awake, and cause their quality of sleep to decline.
The snorer's sleep partner may also worry about their partner's
health, especially if they also suffer from sleep apnea. Both
the snorer and their sleeping partner may experience sleep
deprivation and insomnia that in turn leads to irritability,
daytime fatigue, restlessness, and overall lack of energy and
productivity. In serious cases, a person's snoring may even
drive their sleeping partner out of the bedroom, and into the
respite of a quieter room.
The Health Risks of Snoring
Excessive or chronic snoring can be indicative of more serious
medical problems. Not only can snoring cause serious sleep
deprivation, it has also been linked to various health problems.
Snoring has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure,
diabetes, heart disease, and a greater chance of getting a
stroke.
The most obvious health risks of snoring include increased
daytime fatigue and sleepiness, low energy, inability to think
clearly, and a compromised immune system that is more susceptible
to getting colds, flu's, and other illnesses.
Because snoring reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches
the brain, it may also exacerbate a person's vulnerability
to developing adult onset diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and
heart disease.
What Can You Do to Reduce Your Chances of Snoring?
The best thing you can do to prevent snoring is to make proactive
lifestyle adjustments. Maintain a healthy weight, get regular
exercise, avoid smoking and overuse of alcohol or sedatives,
and avoid dairy products or other difficult to digest foods
before bedtime. Many people can greatly reduce the occurrence
of snoring simply by sleeping on their sides, and sleeping
without a pillow, or at least a flatter pillow.
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