It’s easy to look at snoring as just a minor inconvenience or annoyance. But the truth is, snoring is often much more than a nuisance to your partner. Snoring is associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and can be a sign of much more serious health problems.
When you sleep, the muscles in your throat lose tone and relax, creating a smaller airway. Meanwhile, the size of your lungs does not change, nor do your oxygen needs. This means that during sleep, you have to get the same volume of air through a smaller space. This causes turbulent airflow. When this air flows past relaxed throat tissues, it vibrates the tissue causing a harsh sound – this sound is what we refer to as snoring.
Some common reasons for snoring are allergies, cold, alcohol consumption, being overweight, or sleeping on your back. However, snoring can be due to a structural issue of the mouth, throat, and/or sinuses. When the airway is already narrowed or partially blocked, relaxed tissues from lying down can contribute to the blockage, potentially leading to an even bigger problem.
Though not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, most people who have Sleep Apnea do snore. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a sleep related breathing disorder where a person experiences pauses in breathing during sleep. These pauses or stops in breathing are due to partial or complete airway collapse. OSA can be incredibly dangerous, as it is associated with health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and even death.
Here are a few signs that you should speak to your doctor about your snoring:
- pauses or stopped breathing during sleep
- choking, snorting, or gasping for air during sleep
- waking up frequently at night
- morning headaches
- mood disorders
- daytime sleepiness
Whether it’s seasonal allergies or a structural issue, there are treatment options available. You don’t have to continue suffering from poor or lack of sleep. Talk to an airway focused provider soon.