Saturday 2 April 2016

Are There Any Health Risks Related to Snoring?




If you have a snoring problem, it should not be ignored because, besides being a common bedtime nuisance, it may also be an indicator for some health risks. Actually, recent studies show that snoring can be a cause of abnormalities in the carotid artery, putting people at a greater risk than those who smoke or are overweight and have high cholesterol. This is actually worrying because the thickening of the carotid artery, which is one of the two large blood vessels responsible with oxygenating the brain, is a precursor of atherosclerosis, responsible for cardio-vascular diseases.

Many specialists already advise that snoring patients should take treatment in the same way they would if they had other risk factors for cardio-vascular disease, such as high blood pressure. Even isolated snoring should be investigated because, unless it is caused by some temporary condition (an allergy or a cold, for example), it may not be as harmless as it used to be considered. 

Another issue related to snoring is obstructive sleep apnea, which is a respiratory condition that occurs due to the collapse of the airway in the throat during sleep. It generates snoring and breathing pauses, being often linked to cardio-vascular issues.  

Untreated, sleep apnea may have the following consequences:
 
·         Cardiac arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation)

This is translated into fluctuations in the heart's natural rhythm. Arrhythmias are quite common and nonthreatening usually; however, they can cause concern in association with sleep apnea.
 
·         High blood pressure

It creates higher risks for strokes and heart attacks and increases the heart's size.
·     
         Breathing interruptions

These occur many times per night and may last for more than 10 seconds, resulting in poorly oxygenated blood reaching the brain, as well as causing constricted blood vessels in the lungs and pulmonary hypertension.

·         Sleep problems

People suffering from obstructive sleep apnea wake from sleep much more frequently, disrupting the natural sleeping cycles. Some may end up sleeping lightly, trying to keep their throat muscles toned in order to maintain airflow and prevent sleep apnea. All these typically result in fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, poor personal performance, lack of concentration and awareness.
·        
         Chronic headaches

Low levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, as well as the poor sleep caused by snoring, frequently cause morning headaches.
·     
         Gastro-esophageal reflux disease

This sounds rather uncommon, but it really happens in snoring patients, due to the way the throat closes as air moves in and out of the lungs, causing changes in pressure that result in the stomach acids going into the esophagus during sleep.

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Considering that some of the causes of snoring are alcohol consumption, smoking, medication, being overweight or having nasal problems (anatomical or resulting from infections),we can also talk about all the potential health issues resulted from these risk factors .

Statistics show that more than 20% of the population has snoring problems and 60% of men aged 40+are snoringregularly. In some cases, the snore is indeed only an annoyance, mostly for the sleep partner, but in other situations, it may be an indicator of present or future health problems.