Snoring can be something that causes annoyance, especially if you are a light sleeper and try to sleep in the same room as someone who snores.
However, snoring may not just be an inconvenience. It could also be a sign that something more serious is going on.
The sound we hear when someone snores is caused when air flows past relaxed tissue in your throat, causing the tissue to vibrate as you breathe.
Most people tend to snore now and then, but for some, it can be a chronic problem and may even indicate a serious health condition.
Making positive changes to your lifestyle, such as losing weight, avoiding drinking alcohol before bed and sleeping on your side, can help you to stop snoring.
The following symptoms are often associated with a sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
If you have any of these symptoms along with snoring, you may need to see your doctor to discuss the possibility of OSA.
- Witnessed breathing pauses during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Morning headaches
- Sore throat upon awakening
- Restless sleep
- Gasping or choking at night
- High blood pressure
- Chest pain at night
- Your snoring is so loud it's disrupting your partner's sleep
- In children, poor attention span, behavioural issues or poor performance in school
OSA can be identified by loud snoring followed by periods of silence when breathing stops or almost stops.
The decrease in breathing can sometimes cause you to wake suddenly with a snorting or gasping sound.
People with obstructive sleep apnea usually experience periods when breathing slows or stops at least five times during every hour of sleep.
Increased risk factors of OSA
Risk factors that make you more likely to snore are as follows:
- Being a man. Men are more likely to snore or have sleep apnea than are women.
- Being overweight. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to snore or have obstructive sleep apnea.
- Having a narrow airway. Some people may have a long soft palate or large tonsils or adenoids, which can narrow the airway and cause snoring.
- Drinking alcohol. Alcohol relaxes your throat muscles, increasing the risk of snoring.
- Having nasal problems. If you have a structural defect in your airways, such as a deviated septum, or your nose is chronically congested, your risk of snoring is greater.
- Having a family history of snoring or obstructive sleep apnea. Heredity is a potential risk factor for OSA.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you have any of the above symptoms. These may indicate your snoring is associated with OSA.
If your child snores, ask your paediatrician about it. Children can have OSA, too. Nose and throat problems, such as enlarged tonsils and obesity, often can narrow a child's airway, which can lead to your child developing OSA.
