The harsh sound produced when breathing due to obstructed airways is called snoring. It can sometimes point to a serious health issue, while other times it could just be a nuisance.
Luckily, several strategies like avoiding alcohol before bedtime or sleeping on your side can help you reduce or even stop snoring. Yet, if these tips don’t help you and your disruptive snoring continues, there are medical devices or surgery options that could solve your problem.
So, if you want to understand whether or not your snoring is taking a toll on your health and quality of life, continue reading this article to find out everything needed about snoring and when to see a doctor.
Snoring and OSA
In general, snoring is almost always associated with OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) as it is the main symptom of this sleep disorder. But, not everyone that snores has obstructive sleep apnea. Here's a list of the most common symptoms that might indicate OSA:
- Loud snoring
- Extreme daytime sleepiness
- Morning headaches
- Concentration issues
- Gasping and choking during sleep
- Sore throat
- Restless sleep
- Chest pain at night
- High blood pressure
When to Seek Medical Help?
Now that you know the major OSA symptoms, it’s key that you consult your doctor and get checked for OSA if you have any of the listed symptoms. Sometimes, your symptoms may point to another underlying medical condition that could be serious.
In addition, if you hear your child snoring at night, don’t neglect the symptom as obstructive sleep apnea is also diagnosed in children. The most common cause of this sleep disorder in children are nose and throat issues like enlarged tonsils or narrowed airways due to obesity.
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs when the soft palate muscles, tongue, and throat relax when you transition from a light to a deep sleep stage. The tissue in the throat relaxes enough so that it partially blocks the airway and vibrates. And logically, the more narrowed the airway, the more forceful the airflow and the louder snoring becomes.
In brief, many factors can cause snoring including mouth and sinuses anatomy, allergies, alcohol consumption, weight, etc.
Here’s a little bit more on them:
A low and thick soft palate can make the airway narrow and cause snoring. Typically, obese or overweight people have excess tissue in the back of the throat that narrows the airways. Also, an elongated uvula, the fleshy extension that hangs from the soft palate, could obstruct the airways and increase vibration.
Like mouth anatomy, nasal anatomy can also make people snore. Usually, the most common nose-related snoring causes are chronic nasal congestion and deviated nasal septum, i.e. a crooked partition between the two nostrils.
Although it may sound strange, the truth is that alcohol consumption close to bedtime can cause snoring, especially if you drink too much. The reason for this connection is that alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat and reduces the body’s natural ability to fight against airway obstruction.
As we already said, snoring is the main symptom of OSA which is a serious condition characterized by frequent breathing interruptions during sleep caused by blocked airways. In OSA, the loud snoring sound is followed by periods of silence when breathing stops.
To conclude, snoring is typically a minor health issue, however, it could also be a sign of a more serious sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). That said, if you snore, ensure you consult your doctor as soon as possible.