Is Snoring Bad For Your Health?

If you snore or indeed you think you may have sleep apnea, there’s a question many of you may be wondering! Is snoring bad for your health? Well there are several conditions associated to sleep apnea and snoring that you should know about. In case you are unsure as to the effects snoring and indeed sleep apnea in particular can have, this post may serve as a wakeup call for you to start discussing your snoring with a medical professional or at least finding a way to improve the situation.

You probably think of snoring as an embarrassing or annoying side effect of sleeping. However, before you assume that your snoring is nothing but just an ordinary everyday thing, there is something you must remember. People who snore as the result of severe sleep apnea have a 40% higher chance of dying earlier compared to their peers. This is because it is a type of sleep disorder that is associated with numerous health concerns that can range from depression to heart disease.

While we don’t want to cause unnecessary alarm we would still like to make you aware of the potential dangers with snoring and sleep apnea when left untreated. We will list some of the more common related health conditions so you have a better idea as to why treating a condition early will prove beneficial in the long run for your health and wellbeing.

Stroke

One particular sleep study using an analysis of health data has revealed that snoring and its intensity was associated to higher risks of carotid atherosclerosis. This is the narrowing of neck arteries that result from fatty deposits known as plaque, with stroke as the result. It just means that the longer and louder you snore every night, the higher the risks that you will suffer from a stroke.

You have to keep yourself protected by getting assistance for your snoring issue especially when it is at a chronic level, if you are experiencing sleepiness during daytime waking hours, or if your spouse tells you that your breathing stops while you sleep, both of which are symptoms of sleep apnea, or when you have some other health concerns like high blood pressure.

Arrhythmias

People who have sleep apnea or long term snoring also have increased risks of developing arrhythmia or irregular heart rhythm. Researchers have discovered that people who have sleep apnea have higher chances of suffering from episodes of atrial fibrillation, arrhythmia’s most common form, compared to people who don’t have it, or people who have treated their sleep apneas condition using CPAP device.

Much of the evidence suggests that there is a strong link between OSA and atrial fibrillation as outlined in this report.

Sleep apnea can also affect the heart’s conductive system or it can become more common since obstructive sleep apnea seems to make the left atrium grow larger during an extended period of time.

Heart Disease

It is no secret especially in health and wellness circles that sleep apnea is linked to cardiovascular concerns like coronary artery disease and high blood pressure, which can eventually lead to potential heart attacks. In fact, it has been discovered that people who have sleep apnea are twice as likely to have fatal heart attacks, including nonfatal heart disease cases. So it’s a good thing that treatment for such sleep disorders have been found and are proven to be effective. There are clinical studies which show that treatment of sleep apnea using CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure can reduce the risks of heart disease to the point of people with no sleep apnea condition present.

GERD

GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is quite common in those who have sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea may also suffer from GERD due to the disordered way wherein their throat closes every time air moves out and moves in during sleep. This can then cause changes in pressure which can suck their stomach’s content back up to their esophagus.

Both sleep apnea and GERD are associated to being overweight and both might seem to ease as individuals return to their normal weight through the implementation of healthy eating plans, exercise and perhaps undergoing a personal development program.

Mental Health Problems

Sleep apnea may affect your mental health, which can lead to problems from crankiness and lack of sleep to depression. As a matter of fact, the link between depression, snoring, and sleep apnea is well established. In a recent study, it shows that majority of people with daytime sleepiness have a greater chances of having anxiety symptoms or mild depression. Researchers are only really now untangling this kind of relationship, yet we know that treating sleep apnea does help ease depression.

Injury

It’s one of the serious dangers of sleep deprivation that is caused by sleep apnea and indeed snoring. Daytime sleepiness may be very intense even to the point that it will put you and people around you at risk. If sleep apnea or snoring leaves you exhausted, you might be at risk of falling asleep while driving or when carrying out risky tasks.

Headache

Are you one of those who frequently wake up with a migraine or headache? And were not just talking about the one from your partner complaining about your snores. Based on a study wherein habitual snorers were tested, researchers have found a connection between morning headaches as well as sleep disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. Snorers with frequent headaches also reported low quality of life compared to the ones with heads that don’t hurt.

Nocturia

Nocturia is a condition in which you get up to use the bathroom twice or more times every night. For some people, it includes loss of bladder control. It’s also linked with snoring in both women and men. According to research, it was suggested that men aged 55 years and over who wake up to urinate, might have both benign enlargement of the prostate and obstructive sleep apnea. There was also another study that showed a link between the two conditions.

Reduced Sexual Satisfaction

For most older men who snore it was found that the louder and more they snored, the more likely they were to report reduced level of sexual satisfaction, though there’s a clinical analysis didn’t show physiological signs of decreased sexual response. Most people that are affected by snoring, do not have a strong desire for an intimate relationship with their partner in most cases. Usually, the treatment for any sleep disorder can help you spice up the nighttime once more and rekindle the old flame that once burned bright. This improvement in relationships for couples is yet another reason to address that snoring issue right away.

Excess Weight

Most overweight individuals have sleep apnea and will suffer with snoring. This is due to the excess weight, which collects around a person’s neck that makes it harder for them to breath at night. The good thing as we outlined a little earlier in the post is that losing a few extra pounds can improve the symptoms that relate to various sleep disorders including snoring and sleep apnea.

Conclusion

Is snoring bad for your health? Well, it really depends on the underlying health conditions of your body. In short yes snoring is damaging for you and those around you for lots of reasons, some of which we outlined above and others that are outlined in other posts and articles on the site.

Loud snoring that’s habitual or chronic in nature contributes to health complications over time. Even mild snoring can have obvious impacts on health and wellbeing of both you and your loved ones. The drawbacks of snoring can range anywhere from lack of sleep at night and feelings of tiredness during the day, strained relationships can be a major factor while others might just wake up with a mysterious sore throat in the morning. Either way it is in your interest to find the best solution to put an end to snoring and the disruptions it can cause in your life.

If you would like to learn more about snoring please check out our Snorefocus blog and other articles on the site. We recommend solutions to snoring that have the best chance of success depending on your snoring type. If you found this post useful please spread the word and recommend it to others.

Please share your thoughts and feeling about snoring. What products have you used that you found useful? Are you considering or have you undergone any treatment that you found beneficial? This information will greatly help others in a similar situation find an answer to their condition!