All you want is one good night of sleep . . . Is that too much to ask?
Many of us know someone that keeps others up with their snoring during the night. Some of us may even notice a sore throat, morning headaches or excessive daytime sleepiness which can indicate that you are the one keeping others up with your snoring.
Snoring is a common occurrence for most individuals. It can be relatively harmless but can also be a warning sign for underlying sleep disorders. Snoring occurs when tissue in the back of your throat relaxes and partially blocks the passage of air causing the tissue to vibrate resulting in the snoring noise.
Snoring Facts:
- 24% of adult women and 40% of adult men have been found to habitually snore
- 10-12% of children snore
- Snoring can affect almost anyone
- Alcohol, tobacco, drugs and muscle relaxers use causes an increase in snoring
- Obesity causes an increase in snoring due to the increase in fat tissue in the throat
- Pregnancy can increase a woman’s chance of snoring
- Higher risk for stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, hypertension if you snore
Loud and habitual snoring may indicate that you have some form of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when tissue in the back of your throat relaxes and blocks the entire airways causing your breathing to pause versus vibrate. During this pause in breathing, you are keeping oxygen from reaching your organs, including the brain and heart. Reduction in blood oxygen levels causes your body to wake up and you may make a gasping, snorting or choking sound to try and catch your breath. This blockage of oxygen can happen hundreds of times a night will leave you feeling like you have not slept at all.