The British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association (BSSAA), conducted a survey of nearly 3000 participants and found that snorers were:
• 3 times more likely to suffer the adverse health conditions of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high cholesterol
• 4 times more likely to suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness than their non-snoring counterparts.
Although these health risks have been known for many years to be associated with the condition Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), they have not, until now, been associated with snoring.
Runs in the family?
Preliminary results also suggest that snoring can be hereditary.
Nearly 70% of the snorers in the study demonstrated a biological family link compared with 50% of the non-snorers.
The main risk factors of snoring run in families, partly through polygenic inheritance, (factors such as cardiovascular disease and collar size), and partly through a shared environment and lifestyle.
But what is snoring?
Snoring occurs when air does not flow smoothly through the air passages, or when the soft tissues or muscles in your air passages vibrate.
As you sleep, the muscles in your tongue, throat and roof of your mouth – or soft palate – relax. This causes your throat tissues to sag. As you breathe, this sagging tissue narrows the airway and vibrates, creating the sound of snoring!
General facts
• Male snorers outnumber female snorers (female airways are bigger so let more air in). By the age of 60, about half of men are snorers
• Research in Canada found post-menopausal women are more likely to snore than young ones
• Persistent snoring has been known to reach 90 decibels, as loud as a passing train
• Figures from a recent survey found men are louder snorers than women
Causes of snoring
There are several reasons why people snore. These include:
• Obesity – Obesity causes excess fatty tissue in the throat area that tends to make breathing difficult
• Fleshy or deformed uvula – The small fleshy protrusion dangling downward visibly at the back of the mouth attached to the rear of the soft palate
• Enlarged tonsils and adenoids – Again, this tends to block the air passages
• Blockage of nasal passages – This can be from allergies, colds, sinus problems or a deviated septum
• Age – As we grow older, the flesh and throat muscles tend to lose elasticity and become flabby
• Alcohol – It relaxes the throat muscles, allowing fatty tissue in the throat area to sag and block airflow
• Smoking – Smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to snore because their airways get inflamed and blocked
• Sleeping on your back – This can lead to or aggravate snoring as it allows the flesh of the throat to relax and block airways
How is snoring treated?
• Over-the-counter remedies
Firstly, work out if your problem is with mouth snoring or nose snoring
Then test out the product for at least 6 weeks – most people try them for one night and this is an unrealistic length of time
• There are 3 types of products you can use:
Sprays: Work by stiffening the soft palate so that it doesn’t vibrate while asleep
Nasal sprays: Improve nasal breathing if you suffer from nocturnal catarrh or nasal stuffiness
Nasal strips: Keep the airways open in the nose and keep the passages clear
Mouth guards: Make sure that the mouth stays open so that more air can get in
Sleep Apnoea
Loud snoring may be a sign that the relaxed throat muscles are allowing the throat to become excessively narrow during sleep, with not enough air getting through as you breathe. Sometimes breathing stops altogether for 10 seconds or more.
Fortunately, the body is able to sense this increased obstruction to and the sufferer wakes briefly, takes a few deep breaths, followed by a rapid return to sleep – this is called Sleep Apnoea Syndrome.
