Snoring is often the sign of a condition called obstructive sleep apnea, which increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular problems. This is one of the most serious dangers of sleep deprivation caused by snoring or sleep apnea. Daytime sleepiness can be so intense that it puts you and the people around you at risk, says Doghramji. If snoring or sleep apnea leaves you exhausted, you risk falling asleep, perhaps while driving.
An analysis of health information and driving data from 618 adults over the age of 10 showed that the more sleepy people felt during the day, the greater their risk of a car accident. The risk was also higher if people were driving alone. Do you often wake up with a headache? It's not just because your spouse complains about your snoring. According to a recently published study of 268 people who snored routinely, researchers found a connection between frequent morning headaches and sleep disorders, including insomnia and sleep apnea.
Not surprisingly, snorers with frequent headaches report a lower quality of life than those who do not have a headache. Getting up to go to the bathroom two or more times a night is a condition called nocturia. For some people, this includes loss of bladder control. It is also related to snoring in both men and women.
Research suggests that men older than 55 who frequently wake up to urinate may have both benign prostate enlargement and obstructive sleep apnea. Another study showed a strong link between the two conditions. Snoring can itself be a symptom of a health problem such as obstructive sleep apnea. Talk to your doctor if you are too sleepy during the day, if you snore often or very loudly, or if your partner notices that he sometimes stops breathing completely.
You may need medical help so that you (and your loved ones) can sleep well at night. It is estimated that 45 percent of adults snore occasionally, while 25 percent snore regularly, often disturbing the sleep of their bed partner and possibly also their own. The Sleep Cycle app has a built-in snoring tracker that monitors the sounds you make while you sleep and evaluates their impact on sleep quality. But if you snore for a long time, you not only alter the sleep patterns of people close to you, but also impair your own quality of sleep.
People who snore may spin and around at night, have a dry and sore throat when they wake up, and feel tired during the day. Compared to those who do not snore, it was found that snorers had significantly greater intima-media thickness of the carotid arteries, according to the study. A recent study of 74 snorers showed that the more daytime sleepiness people report, the greater their chances of also having mild symptoms of depression or anxiety. In total, 54 patients completed the snoring results survey regarding their snoring habits, and underwent duplex ultrasound of the carotid artery to measure the intima-media thickness of the carotid arteries.
Henry Ford's research team plans to conduct another long-term study on this topic, particularly to determine if there is a higher incidence of cardiovascular events in patients who snore. So instead of throwing your snoring bedmate out of the room or spending sleepless nights elbowing him or her, seek medical treatment for the snoring. Your provider will ask you (and perhaps your partner) several questions, including how often you snore, what you sound like, and how your diet and lifestyle affect your sleep. The study reveals changes in the carotid artery with snoring, even for those without sleep apnea, probably due to trauma and subsequent inflammation caused by vibrations from snoring.
If you know you have sleep apnea or snoring, here are 11 conditions related to snoring and sleep apnea you should know about. .
