Excessive Snoring - Still A Joke?

Do you snore?

Every person undoubtedly snores from time to time, babies and adults alike. In fact, around 40% of the entire population experiences snoring – 45% of them are adults. It is more frequent in men; about 60% of the male and 30% of the female population are ‘snorers’. Even animals snore. But excessive snoring is a different matter altogether, and one that must be addressed.

What is snoring? It is a dysfunction characterized by noisy breathing that is made during sleep. Below are some indications of snoring:

§ Loud sound while sleeping that is mostly heard by other people near the ‘snorer’ and, at times, can also be heard even by the snorer himself/herself!
§ Dry mouth resulting from sleeping with mouth open.
§ Sore throat that is also caused by an open mouth while sleeping.
§ Fatigue and headaches in the morning because of disturbed sleep.

Excessive snoring is generally caused by an obstruction in the breathing passage, and there are various reasons for this. The following are some of them:

1. Heredity. A narrow throat may be inherited, making it possible for snoring to run in the family.

2. Obesity. An overweight person tends to have extra fat to gather in and around his or her tongue, neck, and throat. This narrows the airways and limits the air passage that usually results to snoring.

3. Age. Our tongue and throat muscles have the tendency to become loose and flabby, as we grow old. When this happens, the tongue may fall backwards into the air passages or the throat to close in, causing a person to snore.

4. Body structure. Snoring is more common in men; this is because men generally have air passages that are narrower than women.

5. Intrinsic body framework. The natural deformities of a person, such as the following, can block the airways and bring about snoring:

§ Misplaced structure of the jaw
§ Enlarged tongue
§ Engorged tonsils/adenoids
§ Flabby uvula (the fleshy mass hanging above the back of the tongue)
§ Elongated soft palate (the fleshy part at the back of the roof of the mouth)
§ Crooked nasal septum (the tissue and cartilage separating the nostrils)

6. Allergies and other ailments. Allergic reactions like hay fever, and other illnesses, such as colds, asthma, and sinus infections also result to a swollen throat or an obstructed nasal airway that cause snoring.

7. Smoking. Smoking clogs up the throat and can also bring about excessive snoring.

8. Medications and alcohol. Some drugs, such as sleeping pills, sedatives or antihistamines, as well as alcohol, yield the same effect – they relax the tongue and throat muscles that block airflow and contribute to snoring.

9. Sleeping habits. People who sleep on their backs and use pillows, particularly the very soft ones (they increase the neck angle), allow their throat muscles to relax and obstruct the air passages – they are more likely to snore.

In addition, the level of noise caused by snoring varies: it averages from about 60 decibels (the normal speech level) to 80 decibels (about the sound of a vacuum cleaner), and may even reach as much as 85-90 decibels or more, the hazardous noise level for a person’s ears (equivalent to that of a fire/police siren or a passing freight train).

While snoring occurs occasionally for some people, it is a habit for others. There is mild snoring, the kind that can be easily dealt with (waking the person and having him/her turn to the side to cease the snoring). There is also the severe case of snoring, where the person snores in whichever position (even while seated!).

In general, it is the people who live with (or sleep with) a snorer who determine the severity of that person’s snoring, usually evaluated as the following:

§ Snoring can only be heard when one listens close to the snorer’s face.
§ Snoring can be heard while in the same room.
§ Snoring can be heard while just outside the room, with the door open.
§ Snoring can be heard outside the room, even with the door closed.

A few people may find humor in snoring; making fun of the noise that a snorer makes in his or her sleep. Even so, snoring still remains a problem that can have negative effects on the snorer (and the people around him/her) in a social and medical context.

Social consequences. Snoring results to a disrupted sleep not only for the person who snores but also for anyone who sleeps in the same room (or even same house) as him/her.

The situation often ends up with the people sleeping in a separate room/house from that of the snorer, leaving the snoring person isolated (sometimes ridiculed) and eventually strains the relationship.

Health consequences. Far worse from the social problems brought about by excessive snoring are its health inconveniences:

§ Daytime sleepiness
§ A general lack of energy
§ Morning headaches
§ Dry mouth and sore throat in the morning
§ Obesity (in some cases)
§ Poor mental and emotional health
§ Severe mood swings from depression to irritability to anger
§ Lack of concentration/unclear thinking
§ Slower reaction time
§ Forgetfulness
§ Decreased productivity

Furthermore, excessive snoring may also indicate a more serious health hazard known as sleep apnea. A sleeping disorder, sleep apnea (apnea meaning “want of breath”), is a medical condition wherein a snorer suffers irregular breathing during sleep – he/she actually stops breathing for a short amount of time (lasting from 10-30 seconds at a time) and can occur more than 7 times per hour (about 30-300 times a night)! This condition could further result to the following:

§ Chest pains
§ High blood pressure
§ Hypertension
§ Stroke/Heart attacks
§ Heart disease
§ Type II Diabetes
§ Choking/Premature death

Snoring may be considered harmless most of the time. However, it should not be taken for granted, as excessive snoring may turn out to be a nuisance, and even a life-threatening risk, in the long run.