Health Effects of Snoring

The Health Effects Of Snoring And Sleep Deprivation

While many people find snoring to be a laughable and non-serious matter, there are others who are severely suffering from snoring. Those affected by snoring may not feel as though they are affected, but most will likely be affected by sleep deprivation or a similar sleeping disorder. This occurs because their sleep is interrupted and they can’t achieve a deep sleep where their bodies can fully rest.

This may seem like a condition one may ignore, but the long term health effects of snoring are increasingly harmful. Those that are sleep deprived will face mood swings, anxiety, and their overall mental focus. Even more serious conditions such as heart problems and high blood pressure have also been attributed to snoring.

Battling The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

These articles will discuss the health effects of snoring, but more importantly the effects of sleep deprivation. The true danger of snoring is that it deprives the snorer of quality, uninterrupted sleep. By understanding the severity of sleep deprivation effects, one can begin to look for solutions. You will find many helpful articles and research pertaining to the health effects of snoring and sleep deprivation in the section of our site. However, it is always recommended to visit a doctor, ideally a sleep specialist, to get the best diagnosis of your sleep deprivation.


Articles on Health Effects of Snoring

Study Shows Tongue Size May Affect Snoring at Night

Written by Manny Erlich. Posted in Health Effects of Snoring, Snoring 101

 

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Study Shows Tongue Size May Affect Snoring at Night  

Snoring is a common sign of sleep apnea, which is a sleep disorder that can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, stroke and diabetes. It can also raise your risk of having an accident while driving or working. Researchers have been trying to understand the association between sleep apnea and snoring better in order to come up with more effective treatments. In a recent study, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center have discovered that tongue size might affect snoring.

Behind the Study

The study involved having high-resolution upper airway MRIs done on 90 obese adults diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and 31 obese control subjects with no history of sleep apnea. Researchers specifically looked at the size and distribution of fat deposits in each subject’s tongue. They found that the obese subjects with sleep apnea had greater amounts of tongue fat, particularly near the base of the tongue, than the obese control subjects. Researchers controlled for other factors that might affect these findings, such as gender, body mass index, age and race.

The Effects of Tongue Size on Snoring

The researchers who conducted this study believe that having a larger amount of tongue fat might prevent the muscles that connect the tongue to bone from working properly and keeping the tongue from blocking the airway. This could result in regular snoring and sleep apnea, where paused breathing episodes lasting from a few seconds to minutes occur during sleep.

Tongue Size and Sleep Apnea

The results of the tongue size study could lead to improved treatment methods for sleep apnea. The researchers involved in this study have recommended additional studies on the effectiveness of reducing the amount of tongue fat in sleep apnea patients by having them lose weight, perform upper airway exercises or undergo surgery. By removing tongue fat, snoring might decrease, leading to sleep apnea that is better controlled.

The Link between Obesity and Snoring

Researchers included weight loss as a potential method of reducing tongue fat due to the association between obesity and snoring. Those who are obese have a higher tendency to snore and potentially develop obstructive sleep apnea. In fact, a higher body weight is a main risk factor for this type of sleep apnea. Losing weight can significantly decrease the risk of snoring and developing sleep apnea.

With these new research findings, which are the first to demonstrate a link between tongue size and sleep apnea risk, researchers are one step closer to better understanding how to treat sleep apnea more effectively.

To learn more about the correlation between tongue size and sleeping problems, visit your doctor or consult a sleep center.  You can find a sleep center near you by searching our sleep center directory.

 

Poor Sleep Kills Brain Cells

Written by Manny Erlich. Posted in Health Effects of Snoring, Snoring 101

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If your bed partner snores keeping you up through the night, you may also be burning out vital brain cells.

A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience established loss of sleep destroyed brain cells in mice making scientists/doctors suspect the same affect on humans.

The study conducted by the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania (in collaboration with Peking University) showed staying awake too long damages a brain cell which plays a key role in keeping us alert, sharp and awake. In the study mice were forced to mirror sleep conditions of late night or shift workers. Conclusion: agitated circadian rhythms led to the destruction of locus ceruleus brain cells.

This is the third study published within the past 12 months linking changes in the brain and lack of sleep.

Warning: Sleep Deprivation Risks Good Health

No one seems to be listening to the warning signals. College students encouraged to do “all nighters” in the library, young professionals feeling the pressure to work until 10PM to compete with their peers, workers volunteering for double shifts—all work longer hours at the expense of sacrificing sleep.

According to the Center of Disease Control (“CDC”) lack of sufficient sleep in America has reached “epidemic” proportions.

A CDC survey showed:

  1.     Of approximately 75,000 respondents 35% averaged less than seven hours of sleep per day and
  2.     48% admitted to snoring (often related to poor sleep).

If your partner’s snoring is keeping you awake at night, suggest a sleep study. Its time we recognize sleeping one or two additional hours per night will help us achieve healthier and more productive lives.

The Link between Snoring and Heart Disease

Written by Manny Erlich. Posted in Health Effects of Snoring

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From the rumbling snore to the rasping snore, snoring affects more than 90 million American adults, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF.) It affects men and women alike and can become more prevalent with age. The NSF reports that, “The two most common adverse health effects that are believed to be casually linked to snoring are daytime dysfunction and heart disease.” Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

Link between snoring and heart disease

2013 study conducted by otolaryngologists at Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital has determined that snoring actually is a bigger risk factor for heart attack or stroke than other common risks such as smoking, high cholesterol and obesity. Research doctors Robert Deeb and Karen Yaremchuk discovered that for some people, snoring can indicate carotid arterial damage. The carotid arteries transport oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Snorers may suffer changes in the carotid artery due to the inflammation/trauma inflicted by the vibrations of snoring, states Science Daily.

Snoring, sleep apnea and heart disease

During sleep, some snorers will stop breathing for brief moments. This is known as sleep apnea. Someone suffering from nightly snoring and sleep apnea may stop breathing as many as 30 times per hour, often waking the sleeper. Sleep apnea causes restless sleep and is linked directly to heart arrhythmia, stroke, high blood pressure and even heart failure, states the American Heart Association.

Snoring remedies and cures

For many snorers, their nocturnal noisiness is an annoyance. However, because of its link to heart disease it may be beneficial to consider various remedies or cures for snoring. Two of the easiest ways to reduce nighttime snoring is to limit your intake of alcohol and to lose weight. Other snoring remedies and/or cures include:

  • Use of a mouthpiece during sleep to open the airway allowing easier breathing
  • CPAP mask use: wearing Continuous Positive Airway Pressure mask can help alleviate moderate to severe sleep apnea
  • Switch from sleeping on your back to sleeping on your side
  • Elevating the head at least four inches to ease breathing constriction and allowing your tongue to fall forward keeping the airway clear

Lifestyle changes may also help with reducing nightly snoring. Don’t drink caffeine or eat heavy meals before bed and consider running a humidifier in the bedroom if your home is dry. Remember that snoring can be a serious issue and indicator of other health issues. Talk to your doctor about any concerns regarding your snoring.

 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Overview

Written by Manny Erlich. Posted in Health Effects of Snoring, Snoring 101

WHAT IS OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA (OSA)?

OSA is one of the most common causes of snoring, occurring when the muscles in the upper throat relax during sleep and block the flow of air into the lungs causing a person’s breathing to stop for a significant period of time, sometimes as long as 10 or more seconds.

The loud snoring sound that is so common in people who have OSA is caused when the air tries to pass through the blocked airway. People with obstructive sleep apnea repeatedly have their loud snoring interrupted with periods of silence during which there is no breathing. The period of silence is then followed by a snort and a gasp for air.

Sleep Apnea & Sleep Disordered Breathing Cause More Than Hypoxemia

Written by Manny Erlich. Posted in Health Effects of Snoring, Snoring 101

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association claims that aside from diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, sleep apnea may be one of the causes of dementia.

This link of sleep apnea and dementia can be explained through hypoxemia, which is a drop of oxygen levels in the blood, often caused by the obstruction of breathing that is the main symptom of sleep apnea.

The Serious Effects Of Snoring

Written by Manny Erlich. Posted in Health Effects of Snoring, Snoring 101

Know this the next time you are awakened by your partner’s loud snoring: He or she could be suffering from a slew of serious physiological problems.

Loud snoring and sleep apnea (a condition where sufferers wake up several times an hour because they stop breathing) are among a group of sleep related breathing disorders (SRBDs) that increase the risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, daytime sleepiness and, according to new research, depression.

Snoring During Pregnancy: Why It Happens and How to Correct It

Written by Manny Erlich. Posted in Health Effects of Snoring, Snoring 101

Why Snoring or Sleep Apnea During Pregnancy Could Be a Problem for You and Your Baby

Entering the third and final trimester is an anxious time for most women and couples on the verge of having a child. There are many complications that could arise during pregnancy that normally wouldn’t occur. Snoring during pregnancy is a common problem that many women experience. Being aware of this issue may be helpful in taking proactive measures to stop snoring and ensure healthy sleep. The following results should be taken seriously as snoring can lead to possible dangerous health issues for both mother and child.

Snoring Implications

Written by Manny Erlich. Posted in Health Effects of Snoring, Snoring 101, Snoring and Your Bed Partner

You might think of snoring as a mere nuisance, but, in many cases, it is more. Snoring can have both social and health ramifications. So, if you snore, there is every reason for you to want to stop.

When you snore, you affect not only your sleep but the sleep of your sleeping partner as well. Research shows that when you snore, you wake your sleeping partner more than twenty times an hour, which severely cuts into their restfulness. In many cases, partners of snorers are forced to sleep in separate rooms. Sleeping separately creates lack of intimacy and strains the relationship. This alone should motivate snorers to seek help.