Facts About Snoring

• Snoring arises when the air passage is blocked which inhibits easy and normal breathing during sleep.
• When awake the muscles of the throat keep the throat open but when asleep these muscles go into a relax mode and sag inward. Snoring occurs when these muscles collapse (i.e. become too lax), creating a blockage at the airway.
• The orchestrated snoring movement opens with the excessive vibration of the uvula and the soft palate as air is being forced through the narrow air passage way to reach the lungs.
  The soft palate is the upper surface of the mouth that separates the oral and nasal cavities. It is just behind the hard palate and it has no bones. The uvula is that small piece of soft tissue dangling down from the soft palate over the back of the tongue.
• The sound generated from snoring varies with the degree of obstruction.
• A nasal blockage causes one to breathe through the mouth which can lead to snoring. In an open-mouth position the tongue is pushed back causing the uvula to press against the back of the throat.
• An air blockage whereby the muscles of the throat either become too lax or swell can be caused by alcohol, smoking, sleeping pills, blocked nose, sinusitis, enlarged tonsils, cough mixture containing dextromethorphan, excess body weight and an allergy to dust, mold, wheat or eggs. Other causes include a large uvula and deformities in the nasal pathway,
• Sleep apnea (Apnea is a Greek word that means “want of breath”) is a condition where the snorer stops breathing for a couple of seconds (10-30 seconds) at a time, long enough to deplete oxygen in the blood and brain, then followed by loud snorts. This cycle occurs many times during sleep. In some cases, the snorer awakens abruptly a few times in the night, gasping for air or may have jerking limbs, which are periodic limb movements of sleep (PLMS).
• Sleep apnea is also known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome or sleep apnea syndrome.
• Sleep apnea may contribute to heart disease, stroke and hypertension.
• An additional cum unexpected health risk posed to snorers with sleep apnea is type II diabetes. Researchers found that when apnea limits a constant flow of oxygen and allows a buildup of carbon dioxide, the adrenal glands will hurry into action to produce more catecholamines (e.g. stress hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine) in response to this unnatural air-traffic situation. Elevated levels of catecholamines will reduce the effectiveness of insulin which could possibly lead to diabetes in time to come.
  Source : Al-Delaimy WK et al “Snoring as a risk factor for type II diabetes mellitus: a prospective study” American Journal of Epidemiology (2002) 155(5):387-393
• A study from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel found that sleep apnea sufferers with heart disease had very high levels of homocysteine which implies free radical damage. Homocysteine is an amino acid produced in the body, a precursor to other amino acids used by the body. High homocysteine levels can irritate blood vessels, leading to blockages in the arteries and cause oxidation to the low-density lipoproteins (LDLs).
  Source : P. Lavie et al “Plasma Homocysteine Levels in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Association With Cardiovascular Morbidity” CHEST (2001) 120:900-908

• Severe sufferers of apnea are often deprived of restful slumber as the body is constantly on the alert mode to keep the airways open for breathing.
• It is common that people with hypothyroidism snore and have OSA. There are 2 possible reasons why hypothyroidism raises the likelihood of getting OSA :
  1. The problem of obesity is common for those with hypothyroidism and obese individuals are more likely to get OSA.
  2. A hypothyroid person tends to have a bigger tongue (macroglossia) and when this is combined with an increase in fat deposits in the upper airway, sleep apnea can result.

  However even if the hypothyroidism is adequately treated but not the obese problem, snoring and OSA may still persist.

• The SleepStrip™ is an inexpensive and non-invasive device used to detect sleep apnea. It is created by the Technion Sleep Research Laboratory in Israel. The 4-inch long SleepStrip™ plastic strip is fastened onto the upper lip before bed. There are 3 tiny temperature sensors powered by a small 8-hour battery attached to the strip which records when breathing stops. The strip is removed and returned to the doctor who will read the results directly from the built-in display on the strip.
• Overweight middle-aged (or older) men and overweight menopausal women are more likely to be snoring candidates.
• Snoring can run in the family.
• Most snorers are not aware that they are snoring though some can hear their own snores if they are half-awake.
• For some, snoring can also take place in a seated position.
• Children do snore and usually it is because their adenoids are enlarged or when they have a blocked nose. Snoring may also occur in small babies as their airways are still relatively small.
• Snoring is common in children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Treating the snoring cum sleeping problem could help eliminate ADHD.
• Though it is no surprise that snoring has been a cause of marital discord, there are many helpful aids and information is readily available so do not ever let it affect your marriage.
• If everyone could see for themselves what severe snorers go through each night, they would be thankful for every breath they take.
• Did you know snoring is hardly heard in astronauts when they are out in space? The effects of zero gravity will spare the throat muscles and tongue from collapsing.
  Source : A. Elliott et al “Microgravity reduces sleep-disordered breathing in humans” American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (Aug 2001) 164(3):478-85
• When the snoring phase reaches a stage where the snorer has to breathe and exhale through the mouth, expect saliva to be blown out during exhale. Spouses, take cover!
• Snoring can sound like a running motor engine with an exhaust.
• The Schnarck Museum houses all sorts of anti-snoring devices and aids created from past centuries to the modern day. The museum is located in Lower Saxony, Germany.
• Every year, during the third week of April, the British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association organizes an event called the National Stop Snoring Week to raise awareness of the problems snoring can cause and provide advice as to the range of methods that can be used to ease the problem.
• A gunfighter by the name of John Wesley Hardin (1853-1895), reputed to be the meanest man in the Wild West, was so angry when he was awaken by the snoring noise that came from a man sleeping in the next room that he fired 2 shots through the wall of the American House Hotel and killed the snorer in his sleep.

  Subscribe to my RSS feed for regular updates.