Do you snore? These snoring facts might surprise you!
It doesn’t matter whether it’s you who snores, your partner, or another member of your household; the likelihood is that anyone’s snoring is going to be an issue if it’s occurring. The impact of snoring on self and others is much greater than most people could ever expect – and it can have wide ramifications in numerous areas of life – not just your ability to get a good night’s sleep.
We have shared lots of news articles here that relate to sleep and snoring – from why we snore to why it’s a problem and how to effectively address it.
Here are some interesting, funny, and very important basic facts about snoring. Some of this knowledge could also change your life.
Interesting Snoring Facts
- Healthy, normal sleep sounds like gentle, rhythmic, quiet breathing. Snoring is NOT normal.
- Few people are aware that they snore – and often choose not to believe that they do, or how bad it is when they are alerted to the fact by family or friends. It can be hard to convince a snorer that the issue is no joking matter.
- The term “snore” was first used by William Shakespeare (in preference to the usually used “snort”) in his play “The Tempest”. Shakespeare is said to have believed that likening humans snoring to animals snorting was insulting.
- Sleep disorders (including snoring) were once blamed on evil spirits. Snoring is, however, not caused by demons but by an airway obstruction of some kind. This could be from nasal or sinus inflammation due to allergies or enlarged tonsils or adenoids, a fat neck, sleeping on the back, alcohol consumption, and even sleep deprivation (which is ironically a direct effect of snoring itself).
- How is snoring detrimental to sleep? It deprives the brain of the oxygen required to settle into REM sleep and then transition to deep sleep.
- Snoring can be a genetic issue – if you have a parent or grandparent who snores, chances are you will as well.
- Have you been accused of snoring like a freight train? The loudness or volume of snoring ranges from 50dB (comparable to a quiet conversation) to 100dB (equivalent to being right next to a blender, lawnmower, forklift, bulldozer, or train). Completely incompatible with being able to sleep, exposure to this level of noise is also damaging to hearing.
- Almost all snorers, with few exceptions, will disrupt their partner’s sleep. If your partner snores, you likely lose more than an hour of sleep every night. It’s easy to see why snoring is a wider problem and the ramifications of this include negative impacts on the partner’s health, mood, libido, focus, and relationship – commonly causing resentment and conflict.
- In the USA, snoring is the third-leading cause of divorce, second only to infidelity and financial issues. For those couples who do not end their relationship due to snoring, a remarkably high number will elect to sleep in separate rooms due to one partner’s snoring.
- It’s not just adults who snore. Children who are overweight, or who have large tonsils or adenoids can snore – most will outgrow the problem by puberty. The impacts, however, are very real – from daytime tiredness to memory and concentration issues, mood problems, and more.
- Statistically, men do snore more than women. After menopause, however, snoring in women does increase and/or worsen. Younger women are more inclined to snore during pregnancy, due to the body’s hormonal changes that relax the muscles and other tissues.
- Lifestyle changes are an important method of minimising snoring – like losing weight and avoiding drinking alcohol near bedtime.
- Consuming milk and other dairy products may contribute to snoring for some people. Dairy increases mucous production in the body, and this may build up in the airways and worsen snoring.
- Dehydration is another simple-to-remedy cause of snoring. A dry mouth and nasal passages will irritate the airways, causing inflammation and swelling and snoring. Drink plenty of water! Using a humidifier at night can also help.
Snoring is a Health Hazard…
- Snoring reduces one’s quality of sleep. This causes fatigue and daytime tiredness, impairing alertness, ability to concentrate and learn, decision-making ability, and reaction time. It directly increases accident and incident risk in workplaces and on the road. It can also compromise the immune system, and this contributes to everything from insulin resistance and Type II diabetes to chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease, nervous system and brain conditions, and respiratory disease.
- Obesity is a major contributor to snoring – but, ironically, snoring itself can also directly cause obesity due to a variety of factors, including the daytime fatigue that snoring leads to. This makes snorers less inclined to exercise and make healthier lifestyle choices.
- Snoring prevents the body and brain from receiving the oxygen they need. Chronic snorers are at a much higher risk of developing heart disease, including high blood pressure, heart attack, blood vessel disorders, and stroke.
- Almost everyone with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea will snore (though not everyone who snores has OSA). Up to 30% of men and 20% of women who snore moderately to severely may have OSA, a serious medical condition. Untreated sleep apnoea is a major risk factor for developing high blood pressure, coronary diseases, having a stroke or heart attack, and can even lead to sudden death.
Snoring Remedies…
- Back sleeping almost guarantees snoring for a lot of people. Changing your sleeping position may be enough to reduce your snoring – or at least effect an improvement in its severity.
- Making certain lifestyle changes and using anti-snoring devices are important parts of a stop-snoring strategy.
- For ongoing or severe snoring, you should see your doctor.
ApneaRx Anti-Snoring Device
Snoring may be common, but it is certainly not normal. It disrupts a good night’s sleep and can negatively impact everything from mental health to physical health, mood, safety, focus, and performance.
ApneaRx can help minimise or prevent snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea.
ApneaRx is the NZ brand of a very effective anti-snoring device. Its unique adjustment feature gently alters the position of the lower jaw during sleep, moving it slightly forward and helping to open the airways. This enables smoother breathing and reduces snoring and issues associated with mild to moderate sleep apnea.
