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5 Interesting Facts About Snoring

Snoring is normal, or is it? There are tonnes of exaggerated and overstated stories about snoring. Some funnier than others, but if you’re the partner of someone who snores on a regular basis – it’s far from amusing.

Snoring can cause potential health problems, lack of alertness, mental health issues and poor quality of life. These issues can affect both the snorer and their partner, leading to discrepancies further down the line.

Here are 5 interesting facts about snoring.

  1. Snoring Is Not Normal

Snoring occurs from time to time when the person has a cold or the flu. But generally speaking, sleeping should be an silent activity. When observing a healthy sleeper, you should only hear the faint sound of them inhaling and exhaling when the person takes normal breaths.

According to experts at the Snore Whisperer, if a person snores on a regular basis, they have what is called “sleep obstructed breathing” which indicates potential obstructed sleep apnea (OSA). For people with OSA, the combination of disrupted sleep and oxygen starvation can lead to hypertension, mood and memory problems or heart disease.

For more information about OSA, please click here.

2. Snoring Could Ruin Your Relationship

Socially Unacceptable Snoring (SUS) is the term used for when snoring is audible to others, and it usually affects two people – the snorer, and his/her partner. Studies show that one in two couples around the world argues about snoring, and when this carries on for years without being resolved – the outcome can result in divorce or breakup.

A study taken place at Rush University found that married couples who are affected by snoring have a high rate of marital dissatisfaction. They blame the reduced quality of life on the lack of sleep and the stress that ensues. Sadly, many couples that suffer from a snoring issue believe that they don’t have control over it. And while they complain, they accept it as a condition of marriage.

In addition to this, because sleep apnea and snoring issues are often related to being overweight, drinking too much, and even tobacco addiction, any degree of influence towards either of these can cause discrepancies. Of course, there are hundreds of other health issues which can result in snoring, but since these ones are somewhat preventable, the arguments persist and worsen over time.

If you’re having these problems and your partner snores, they probably don’t know it, but I’d recommend seeing a doctor and having a sleep study done. After all, this is far better than picking up the pieces from a broken relationship.

3. Snoring Is Bad For Your Heart

Studies at Harvard correlate sleep apnea with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. There are chemicals in the brain that trigger breathing, and these can fail in people that snore. As a result, oxygen levels drop dramatically, causing cortisone and adrenaline to surge.

These hormones contribute to high blood pressure and irregularities of the heart, which can cause heart failure and trigger heart attacks.

Men and women who snore are also at risk of:

  • Becoming obese
  • Being moody or irritable
  • Having a stroke
  • Suffering from constant drowsiness
  • Type 2 diabetes

As you can see, the risk of ignoring sleep apnea can be extremely dangerous to your health. And while we used to relate it to obesity, we now know that this isn’t true. Here are the people who are most at risk of sleep apnea.

  • People who drink alcohol or use sleeping pills
  • People in their 50s and 60s
  • People who suffer from diabetes
  • Men more so than women

4. Snoring Prevents Sleeping

To many peoples surprise, snoring prevents sleeping. When you snore, your brain is being deprived of oxygen, which prevents the brain from settling into a deep – REM- filled sleeping pattern. The result of this leads to a night of disrupted sleep where the body is unable to settle. Over time, this can lead to chronic sleep deprivation.

5. Snoring Can Be Cured

There are many ways in which snoring can be prevented. The most obvious thing to try is elevating your head by around 10 to 40 centimeters. This will prevent your tongue from falling into the back of your throat, which is one of the main causes of snoring.

Snoring can also be treated through surgery. Put simply, tissues are removed to widen the airway and prevent snoring.

So, What Have We Learned?

Well, we all know how irritating it can be to sleep with a snorer on a regular basis, and snoring itself can become a focal point of frustration within the dynamic of a relationship.

However, the majority of snorers don’t know they are doing it, and the serious health risks which can be caused by snoring are to be taken seriously.

Do you or your partner snore? Have you have seen a doctor to seek medical advice to put an end to the sleepless nights? Whatever your situation, leave your thoughts in the comment box below – I’d love to hear your stories.

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Written by Virily Editor

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