When Snoring Signals a Bigger Problem

You Know You’re Snoring When…

The most obvious symptom is the sound, which can range from gentle purring to honking. (Some snores can even match the 60-decibel level of a loud conversation or washing machine.) A bed partner will red-flag the snoring. But if you sleep alone, you probably don’t realize you are snoring but wonder why you wake up frequently or feel tired — even when you turn in early.

Whether the partner you share a bed with points out the snoring or not, you’ll likely experience one or many of these side effects.

• Daytime sleepiness
• Frequently waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Gasping or choking during sleep
• Increased blood pressure
• Lack of concentration and irritability
• Pauses in breathing, heard by your bed partner
• Rising to morning headaches

The collective impact of these symptoms interferes with quality of life. Even light snoring that seems harmless can interrupt sleep cycles and keep you from getting deep, restorative sleep.

Is Snoring a Health Concern?

Occasional, light snoring that does not interrupt you or your partner’s sleep is usually harmless. But snoring might be a problem when it’s loud and chronic, there are pauses in breathing, or fatigue is degrading your daytime activities and mood.

Consistent, disruptive snoring can also take a toll on relationships and is worth addressing for this reason, alone, not to mention the following risks that impact quality of life and health over time.

• Decreased blood oxygen levels
• Hypertension
• Difficulty concentrating
• Daytime fatigue
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Heart disease

Time to Stop Snoring

You can reduce snoring with basic lifestyle changes including losing weight, reducing alcohol consumption, avoiding sedatives, and sleeping on your side. Smoking also tends to increase the chances of snoring. Quitting is healthy across the board and will benefit sleep.

Other methods of treatment for snoring include:

• Nasal strips that open airway passages
• Internal nasal dilators open up nostrils to improve breathing
• Mouthpieces that reposition the jaw
• Address congestion with nasal sprays, antihistamines, or saline treatments that address congestion

If your bed partner reports serious snoring and observed pauses in breath or choking in your sleep, a medical evaluation is in order. This can include an at-home sleep test or an overnight sleep study in a clinical setting to identify if sleep apnea is the cause. Depending on the severity, this sleep disorder requires specific treatment such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.