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Here’s Why Your Snoring Could Be Dangerous

Effectively managing snoring involves raising awareness, implementing preventive measures, seeking accurate diagnosis, and adopting appropriate management strategies.
Everyone in the world snores, even the animals. If we talk about humans, every individual whether male, female, or kids to adults, in the night while sleeping occasional snoring is a natural mechanism for everyone. But, there is always a fine line that separates normal occasional snoring from excessive frequent one, though natural occasional snoring could be bodily nature against various circumstances, but snoring that is disruptive, loud, and breath obstructing could be a sign of something more dangerous. Before knowing how snoring can be dangerous to your health and the consequences related to it, first of all, we must know what snoring is and how it occurs.

What is Snoring?

What is the respiratory system?

The respiratory system is the group of organs that helps humans to breathe or inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, nose, mouth, throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx), windpipe (trachea), large airways (bronchi), and lungs are part of our respiratory system.

What are the upper and lower respiratory tracts?

The upper respiratory tract includes the nose, pharynx, and larynx. The lower respiratory tract consists of the trachea, bronchial tree, and lungs.

What is an airway?

An airway refers to the passage through which air travels to and from the lungs, enabling breathing. It is part of the respiratory tract, which consists of a series of connected organs and structures that facilitate airflow during ventilation (inhalation and exhalation).

The airway or respiratory tract allows airflow or oxygen without obstruction, allowing breathing and speaking. While we sleep all the muscles in our body rest and get relaxed, relaxation occurs within the muscle tissues of areas in our upper and lower respiratory tract too.
When the muscles in the upper respiratory tract relax during sleep, the tongue or soft tissues of the palate or throat muscles may collapse backward, leading to a partial obstruction of the airway. This partial obstruction can result in snoring or, in more severe cases, obstructive sleep apnea, where breathing temporarily “stops and starts” repeatedly during sleep.
When the flow of air through the passages at the back of the mouth and nose can’t move freely or is obstructed, air is forced out through the area. Making mouth, throat, and nasal tissues bounce and vibrate thus generating a sound known as snoring.
Snoring can range from being quiet and non-disruptive to loud and bothersome. Occasional, mild snoring is generally harmless and does not interfere with the quality of your sleep. Most of the time we don’t know about our snoring but people near you can have a dwindling night, as people who snore do it continuously without stopping.
Frequent snoring is also associated with a sleep disorder called sleep apnea and the condition must not be ignored, as it can be very hazardous to your health in the long term.

Your Snoring Could Be Dangerous - Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Apnea is a Greek word Apnous, which means breathless”

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder that consists of partial or complete closure of the upper airway while you sleep. Discontinuance of breathing can be repetitive in nature with less or more than 10 seconds of breathing cessation. A diagnostic scale known as the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is used to measure the severity of obstructive sleep apnea.
Due to the full collapse of the upper airway, breathing is completely stopped for a minimum of 10 seconds, it is termed apnea, and when airways partially collapse it is known as hypopnea, resulting in shallow breathing for a minimum of 10 seconds.

Diagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnea - Mild, moderate, or Severe?

To be diagnosed with sleep apnea, medical professionals often use the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) to measure the frequency of pauses in breathing during sleep. The AHI is calculated by counting the number of apnea (complete breathing pauses) and hypopnea (partial breathing reductions) events per hour. Sleep apnea is categorized by severity as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the AHI score, with higher scores indicating more severe cases of the disorder.
  • Severe obstructive sleep apnea – Your AHI is greater than 30 episodes per hour.
  • Moderate obstructive sleep apnea – Your AHI is between 15 and 30 episodes per hour.
  • Mild obstructive sleep apnea – Your AHI is between 5 and 15 episodes per hour.

What Are the Symptoms of OSA?

During sleep, oxygen levels in the blood can decrease slightly compared to when you are awake, though this is usually normal and not significant. For most healthy individuals, the drop in blood oxygen levels (measured as oxygen saturation or SpO₂) is minimal – typically remaining within a safe range, around 94-98%.
However, in cases like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or other sleep disorders, breathing can be temporarily blocked or interrupted, causing significant drops in blood oxygen levels to unhealthy levels. Restlessness, frequent changing of sleeping position, or frequent waking in the night can all be the cause of OSA.
Believe it, if your partner always complains about your snoring then don’t ignore the signs and plan your visit for a physical checkup to ensure there is no underlying medical condition like obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) or something more serious like heart problems.
Symptoms associated with OSA can include:
  • Loud, long-term (chronic) snoring
  • Other unusual sounds like whistling, neighing
  • Total or partial pauses in breathing during sleep
  • Wake up abruptly, gasping for air, choking or shortness of breath
  • Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
  • Sleepiness during the day
  • Difficulty staying awake or alert
  • Extreme fatigue, tiredness, and lack of energy
  • Nocturnal urinary frequency or frequent nighttime urination
  • Wake up with headache or migraines
  • Health problems like High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke
  • Stress, anxiety, Irritability, mood changes, difficulty concentrating

9 Most Common Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Natural breathing during sleep continues without conscious effort, as it is an essential, involuntary process to sustain life. However, when there is excessive obstruction in the upper respiratory tract, your respiratory system must work harder to inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.
This increased effort can lead to turbulent airflow, especially at the collapsible part of the airway where the tongue and upper throat meet. This air turbulence can result in vibrations, producing harsh sounds that can be emitted from the mouth, nose, or both simultaneously. These sounds are commonly associated with snoring.
Let us find out a few reasons that make you snore and can be the cause of obstructive sleep apnea,

1. Blocked Nasal Airways

Nasal airway obstruction suffering patients face the problem of reduced airflow, blockage, or fullness in the nasal cavity affecting one or both nasal passages. Even a minor narrowing of the nasal valves can cause a significant reduction in airflow and difficulty breathing through the nose. Infections, allergies, and pollutants are major causes of nasal congestion.

2. Sinus Infection

Sinus infections happen when fluid builds up in the air-filled pockets in the face (sinuses). The sinuses are hollow spaces in the skull and the face bones around your nose. Sinusitis refers to inflammation of the sinus cavities, it occurs as the result of an inflammatory reaction or an infection from a virus, bacteria, or fungus.

3. Nasal Polyps

Painless teardrop-shaped inflamed soft tissue that grows in the lining of the nose and surrounding sinuses. Infection, allergies, drug sensitivity, or certain immune disorders may be the cause of nasal polyps development and the associated symptoms can be a runny nose, post-nasal drip (a constant need to swallow), decreased sense of taste and smell, nosebleeds, and obstructive sleep apnea.

4. Enlarged Neck Lymph Nodes

Swollen lymph nodes, also called “swollen glands.” are the most common cause of airway blockage. Enlarged neck lymph nodes cause inflammation, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing and occur due to different reasons, including exposure to viruses, bacteria, fungal, and parasitic infections.

5. Anatomical Variations and Abnormalities

Anatomical variation occurs when a part of the body is functioning properly but deviates from the normal arrangement of anatomy. Anatomical variations can contribute to snoring like a small upper airway, a small or receding jaw, an enlarged soft palate, a high tongue position, a deviated septum, and cervical spine disorder.

6. Excess Weight Around the Neck

Some people tend to carry weight and excess fat in the neck region, fatty deposits narrow the upper airway and excess weight can put more pressure on the upper respiratory tract which can contribute to restricted airflow. Men with a neck size of 17 or more inches and women with a neck size of 15 or more inches are at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

7. Older Age

Sleep apnea can occur at any age but the sleep apnea rate significantly increases as we age and becomes more alarming in old age people, symptoms like snoring, daytime sleepiness, and decreased cognitive functioning peak between the ages of 50 and 60.

8. Obesity

Obesity and sleep apnea are directly proportional to each other, the more weight you carry the prevalence of OSA will also be high. The problem of obstructive sleep apnea can be twice as high among the obese when compared to normal-weighted individuals. If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, you fall within the obesity range, abnormal or excessive body fat accumulation can cause many health issues and sleep apnea is one of them.

9. Smoking

Smokers were found to have measurably more severe sleep apnea due to increased carbon monoxide content in blood and reduced concentration of hemoglobin-bound oxygen. Also, Smoking-induced chronic mucosal inflammation can be a reason behind sleep apnea, when people smoke the cells that produce mucus in the lungs and airways grow in size and number. As a result, the amount of mucus increases and thickens. Lungs functionality is impaired because of high mucus content and due to the reduced capacity of passing mucus out, it stays in the airways only. Airway mucus traps inhaled toxins, bacteria, and viruses and if not cleared can cause damage to your airways and the small air sacs (alveoli) found in lungs. Encouraged mucus production and non-clearance of mucus make the respiratory tract irritated, swollen, and congested, all are the common causes of sleep apnea.

Takeaway

There are Three Main Types of Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – This is the most common type of sleep apnea. It occurs when the muscles in the throat relax excessively during sleep, leading to partial or complete blockage of the airway. As a result, breathing is temporarily disrupted, which can lead to awakenings during the night and a range of health problems.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) – CSA is less common and involves a different mechanism. In CSA, the brain fails to transmit the appropriate signals to the muscles that control breathing. This results in a lack of effort to breathe, leading to pauses in breathing. Unlike OSA, there may be no physical obstruction in the airway.
Complex or Mixed Sleep Apnea – Some individuals may experience a combination of both OSA and CSA. This is referred to as complex or mixed sleep apnea.
These three types of sleep apnea can have varying levels of severity, from mild to severe, and they all require medical evaluation and treatment to manage the condition and its associated health risks.

Wrapping Up

Snoring is something you probably don’t even realize you’re doing because, well, you’re asleep! It’s usually the people around you who notice and let you know that you’re making some loud, growling sounds that are disturbing their sleep.
But here’s the thing: snoring isn’t something to ignore. It can be a sign that your airways are partially blocked, meaning you’re not getting enough oxygen – and oxygen is pretty important for keeping your body working well. If you’re not breathing properly while you sleep, it can affect your organs and overall health.
When you’re lying there unconscious with low oxygen levels, over time, it can lead to some serious health issues. Snoring can happen for many reasons-age, obesity, smoking, poor lifestyle choices, and so on. If your partner or family members keep mentioning your snoring, don’t brush it off. It’s a signal that something needs to change. Taking action now can help you live a healthier, snore-free life and make everyone’s sleep a lot better, too!

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