Snoring And Its Relationship To Sleep Apnea

Nearly 90 million Americans have admitted to snoring at least once, while 37 million people class themselves as habitual snoring. And while many times this isn’t something you can fully rectify, there are things you can do to minimize the effect snoring has on others and the snorer themselves.

For many people snoring isn’t bothersome and doesn’t affect their sleep quality. Snoring can range from heavier breathing and periods of snoring during different parts of the sleep cycle to ongoing persistent noise appearing to be coming from the nose or the throat. In cases of severe snoring, sufferers will likely not only disturb those around them but people sharing the same sleeping space too.

What is Snoring?

Snoring is the sound that occurs when air flows past the soft tissue in your throat when relaxed. As the air passes the tissue, a harsh sound is generated and can be audible to those around the sleeping person. Snoring can affect anyone, and most people will snore at least once in their lives, whether they realize it or not. For others, however, the issue can be chronic and massively impact their quality of life.

This is where the correlation between sleep apnea and snoring comes into play.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea is present in around 3% of the population. Multiple pauses in breathing during sleep characterize it. These pauses can last approximately 10 seconds each and are caused by the upper airway narrowing or collapsing. This event causes a decrease in oxygen and causes the heart to work harder. Sleep apnea can disrupt a person’s ability to get a good quality sleep, and symptoms or signs of this is going on include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Waking up from sleep choking or gasping
• Frequent nighttime urination
• Mood swings
• Loud snoring
• High blood pressure
• Chest pain of a night
• Headaches of a morning
• High blood pressure

What is the Connection Between Snoring and Sleep Apnea?

Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea; however, everyone who has sleep apnea will snore. For some people snoring is simply part of how they sleep and is as innocuous as their sleeping position. But as is often the case, those who have disturbed sleep due to snoring may find other factors, including nasal conditions, alcohol consumption, obesity, allergies or a change in sleeping position, cause it.

One study used machine learning to assess the snoring of adults by using machines and technology to record breathing and snores as they slept. While all participants registered high scores, the results showed a weak correlation between snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. This means that diagnosing sleep apnea on snoring alone can lead to increased misdiagnosis, and the snoring could be attributed to other factors.

That’s not to say the presence of snoring alone doesn’t indicate sleep apnea. Merely other factors, health conditions and symptoms must be considered before diagnosing.

Snoring and Lifestyle

In most cases, snoring won’t mean you have sleep apnea. Instead, you need to assess your lifestyle as a whole to find the cause of your snoring. If you have recently increased your alcohol intake or only snore after drinking, alcohol will likely be the reason and not drinking will stop the snoring. The same goes if you have recently put weight on and started snoring or noticed you are snoring louder than before. Losing weight can help resolve the snoring.

Other health conditions that can cause snoring include: a deviated septum, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, nasal polyps or cysts, allergies and the common cold, and it can even be hereditary; if your parents snore, then you may be more likely to snore. Snoring is also more common in men over 50 who are overweight and in older people as muscles relax, leading to an increased risk of snoring as well as some medications.

A determining factor in getting a diagnosis of sleep apnea will be how you feel when awake. As the disruption of sleep apnea can be extreme, you will likely find you are unable to stay awake all day, get a restful night’s sleep or have difficulties concentrating.

Seeking Help for Snoring

If you feel your snoring is detrimental to your life, you should first see an ENT doctor to determine the cause of your snoring. An ENT doctor is an expert in all aspects of ear, nose and throat issues and can investigate the cause of your snoring to help you understand what is causing it and if you can do anything to resolve the snoring. Whether you have sleep apnea or a different cause for your snoring, you can contact ENT Specialists today at (402) 983-9948 to find the answers you need!