Is snoring Normal? It may seem like an innocent question, but no, snoring is not normal. This annoying noise, produced by the vibration of the throat structures, results from a partial narrowing of the airways during sleep. The forced passage of air through this partial obstruction causes the noise of snoring. Read on and learn more about the severity of snoring.
Is Snoring Normal?
More than half of the world’s population is estimated to snore eventually and 20% of the adult population to snore habitually.
Some people snore every night, all night long; others only at the beginning of sleep or in deep sleep, or when they sleep on their backs, or when they are cold, or after dinner or drinking an extra glass.
Nowadays snoring is no longer simply a social problem and a major marital breaker. According to Luis Fernando Veríssimo “the main cause of divorce in Brazil is the woman shaving her legs with her husband’s beard and then not cleaning. Second comes adultery; thirdly, snoring ”. In addition to these social implications, snoring is now a medical problem and is associated with vascular morbidity and mortality in middle-aged patients with a high incidence of hypertension, angina, myocardial infarction, and strokes.
Predisposing Factors for Snoring
Anatomical and constitutional factors that cause airway restriction may be determinant for snoring. These include nasal obstruction leading to mouth breathing, enlarged palatine tonsils, uvula (bell) and excess soft palate, large tongue, facial skeletal changes such as the small jaw or chin slightly back, short, thick neck and mainly obesity.
As part of a continuum, in which snoring is the initial symptom, over the years these patients may experience respiratory arrests during sleep, characterizing what we call obstructive sleep apnea. Apneas have a minimum duration of 10 seconds, occurring numerous times and exclusively during sleep, resulting in recurrent asphyxia with decreased oxygenation, with serious consequences for the body.
Clinical Repercussions of Snoring and Sleep Apnea
This problem reflects nocturnal and daytime symptoms, with decreased quality of life, and its incidence is estimated in 10% of men and 5% of women in adulthood.
The nocturnal symptoms, besides snoring and apnea, are choking, sleep fragmentation, bruxism, dry mouth, non-restful sleep and acid reflux.
Daytime symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, morning headache, attention deficits, memory and learning, depression, moodiness, obesity, and impotence.
Daytime symptoms are Excessive Daytime Sleepiness,
- Fatigue,
- Fatigue is a term used to describe an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy. It isn’t the same as simply feeling drowsy or sleepy. When you’re fatigued, you have no motivation and no energy. Being sleepy may be a symptom of fatigue, but it’s not the same thing.
- Fatigue is a common symptom of many medical conditions that range in severity from mild to serious. It’s also a natural result of some lifestyle choices, such as lack of exercise or poor diet.
- If your fatigue doesn’t resolve with proper rest and nutrition, or you suspect it’s caused by an underlying physical or mental health condition, see your doctor. They can help diagnose the cause of your fatigue and work with you to treat it.
- Morning Headache,
- Sleep problems. Several sleep problems can lead to headaches in the morning. Share on Pinterest Sleep apnea, snoring, and disrupted sleep paterns may cause morning headaches. According to the American Migraine Foundation, several factors can contribute to, or cause, frequent early morning headaches.
- Attention Deficits,
- Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a neurological disorder that causes a range of behavior problems such as difficulty attending to instruction, focusing on schoolwork, keeping up with assignments, following instructions, completing tasks and social interaction.
- Memory and Learning,
- Learning and memory are closely related concepts. Learning is the acquisition of skill or knowledge, while memory is the expression of what you’ve acquired. Another difference is the speed with which the two things happen. If you acquire the new skill or knowledge slowly and laboriously, that’s learning. If acquisition occurs instantly, that’s making a memory.
- Depression,
- Moodiness,
- Obesity, and
- Impotence.
The clinical repercussions of snoring and apnea occur in all vital sectors of our body such as cardiovascular disease ( high blood pressure </ a>, myocardial infarction, heart failure), brain diseases (strokes), endocrine disorders (diabetes), sexual disorders (impotence) and behavioral disorders, all being major causes of traffic and work accidents. Population studies have shown increased mortality in sleep apnea due to acute myocardial infarction and sudden death.
Patients with these complaints should be investigated for the quality of their sleep and examined by medical specialists (ENT, neurologists, pulmonologists) so that they can be treated as early as possible. These snoring treatments involve behavioral measures (sleep hygiene), pressure device treatment positive airway (CPAPs), intraoral appliances, or surgical airway treatments.
Recommendations to the Roncadores
- Avoid Sleeping Belly Up;
- Avoid Heavy Meals Before Sleep;
- Avoid alcohol and smoke at least 4 hours before bedtime;
- Avoid Caffeinated Drinks (Coffee, Tea, Black Tea, Chocolate), Hypnotic or Hypoallergenic Sedatives before bedtime;
- Lose weight and have regular physical activity;
- Avoid sleep deprivation: sleep at least 7 hours a night;
- Raise the headboard about 6 to 8 inches;
- Try to keep regular times for bed and sleep;
- Take care of your nose not to sleep with your mouth open.
These general measures can help you and your spouse have a more enjoyable and healthy sleep. If this does not happen, your Reliable Sleep Doctor may indicate appropriate treatments for your case.
Article Posted on: August 10, 2017 and Updated: November 20, 2019