Snoring happens when air is expelled along relaxed tissues in the throat. The tissues vibrate with respiration, causing the grunting, huffing and roaring snoring.
There are varying estimates on the number of Americans who have a snoring problem. Cox Health estimates that about 45 percent of the American population snores, with 25 percent of them classified as habitual snorers.
The Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study, which researched snoring, claims that 44 percent of all men it surveyed and 28 percent of women were habitual snorers.
A problem so common doesn't sound like such a big deal, right? The danger in all cases is obstructive sleep apnea, which is a sleep disorder defined by labored breathing, repetitive pauses or gasps while sleeping, and snoring. The pauses are because the airway is either partially or totally obstructed during sleep, resulting in decreased oxygen flow. This cycle repeats during the night, stopping only when the snorer briefly awakens.
This sort of fragmented sleep results in tiredness the next day, which can be accompanied by reduced attention span, low energy level and poor concentration. In severe cases, the sufferer may fall asleep during the daytime, a particular danger while driving or operating machinery. It is estimated that sufferers awaken and go back to sleep as many as five times an hour, resulting in a totally broken sleep pattern.
Overall, the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study found that roughly 4 percent of men and 2 percent of women suffered from obstructive sleep apnea, which seems to increase as the snorer grows older, particularly after age 65. Snoring is also associated with and brought on by excessive alcohol consumption, weight gain, nasal obstructions, allergies, sedative or muscle relaxer use, and smoking.
What causes snoring?
Cut down on snoring by losing weight, drinking moderately, and sleeping on your side or in a semi-upright position. Pollen allergies or other airborne irritants may cause and exacerbate snoring. Some people snore because of a deviated septum, which is a change in the wall that separates each nostril from the other. Others have nasal polyps that can vibrate when air passes through them.
Some other causes of snoring are related to poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat. These vital passages can be overly relaxed and collapse, falling back into the airway. This is often found in those who drink heavily, use sleeping pills or sleep deeply after a long day’s work. With age, the muscles also loosen, so the elderly may have more of a tendency to snore.
The other side of the coin in throat issues is having bulky throat tissue. This can simply be caused by excess weight or may result from enlarged tonsils or adenoids from adults who never had them removed in childhood.
Finally, a very long soft palate or a long uvula (that’s the punching bag-like piece of dangling tissue in the back of the mouth) can close off the opening from the nose to the throat. When air passes over them in the night, they can vibrate and bump, obstructing the airway and causing snoring.
Helpful Anti-Snoring Devices
There are various devices that may cut back on snoring, like Breathe Right strips, which affix to the nose. There are also some oral devices and nose appliances known as nasal continuous positive airway pressure devices. These apparatuses prevent the tongue and soft palate from backing up and cutting off the airway.
In severe cases, laser surgery may be necessary to remove tissues from the back of the airway, thereby reducing the field where air can pass and causes vibration. This is a painful procedure, though effective in many cases at cutting snoring in half or more.
But if snoring is loud and out of control, consult a doctor about the problem because it could be obstructive sleep apnea. The condition is characterized by daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, lack of concentration, restless sleeping habits, sore throat, choking or gasping at night, high blood pressure, and possible chest pain in the evening.
While snoring in adults may be a sign of some medical issues, snoring in children is considered less serious. About 20 percent of children are estimated to snore at some point, with 7 to 10 percent snoring every night. Only about 1 percent of children are considered to have obstructive sleep apnea that can lower attention spans and cause other problems. For the rest, enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the cause and that’s usually remedied with surgical removal.
What to Do About Snoring
When you visit the doctor about the snoring issue, it’s a good idea to bring along your partner because he or she can better relate the issues that seem to be causing the problem while you sleep. The doctor will, of course, administer a physical examination.
After that, there may be an imaging test to observe the airway for any issues, such as a deviated septum. After that, beyond the standard advice to lose weight and not drink to excess, your doctor may recommend a sleep study. Some sleep studies can be done at home, but most are conducted at a medical sleep center, where a team of specialists can monitor activities during sleep, a study known as a polysomnography.
This study will monitor blood oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing rate, brain waves, sleep stages, leg movements, eye movements and any other issues that may occur during sleep. From the results, your doctor will get a better picture of the issues and may be better able to recommend a course of action.
Whatever causes snoring, it’s a good idea to check in with a medical professional and find out whether there are underlying issues that need to be addressed. You’ll sleep better at night if you know what’s going on with your body.