Snoring can be as soft as snuffles or as loud as rasps and snorts. An estimated 45 percent of adults snore, frequently interfering with their bed partner’s sleep and maybe their own.

Who snores, and why? The sound of impeded breathing, or snoring, can be brought on by a number of basic conditions, including weak muscles, thick throat tissue, or a long, soft palate or uvula. A deviated septum, nasal polyps (noncancerous growths in the nose), or sinus congestion brought on by an allergy or infection may also be indicators of a treatable medical problem that is obstructing your ability to breathe as you sleep.

But occasionally, more serious, even fatal, health issues may be associated with snoring.

Obesity

“Obstructive sleep apnea can be indicated by snoring, particularly loud snoring punctuated by pauses in breathing and loud snorts or gasps as the sleeper takes a breath again,” advises a sleep specialist. Cardiovascular disease is significantly increased by sleep apnea. Early detection and treatment of it are essential.

Those who suffer from sleep apnea experience brief breathing disruptions during sleep. An hour may see up to twenty or thirty of these pauses. The brain then jolts you out of deep slumber so you can take a breath as oxygen levels in the blood drop. The stress hormone adrenaline surges. It feels like someone is jolting you out of sleep every few minutes. The circulatory system and heart must work harder. Plus, you lose out on comfortable, deep sleep.

People who have sleep apnea, therefore, run the risk of major health issues, including:

• An erratic pulse
• Blood pressure too high
• Better chance of stroke and heart attack
• Better chance of diabetes
• drowsiness during the day raises the possibility of motor vehicle accidents

According to studies, middle- or late-life severe sleep apnea can increase your chance of dying too soon by up to 46 per cent. The good news is that treating health concerns with a continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machine that softly blasts air into your neck to keep airways open can help reverse the hazards.

Getting Too Little Sleep

Your ability to sleep both more and better may be hampered by snoring. That is important beyond simply being worn out the next day. The foundation of good health is sleep. Adequate sleep may facilitate the body’s healing from disease and trauma.

Other significant advantages of sleep are its mental ones. Daily living can seem more stressful and less productive when one is sleep-deprived. There are some who suffer from insomnia, or persistent difficulty falling asleep, who are more prone to develop mental health issues. Depressed people also have sleep issues. People who struggled with getting enough sleep struggled in a study to complete memory and learning tests.

Though individual needs differ, most healthy adults should sleep for seven to nine hours every night.

Guidelines for Healthier Sleep

If snoring bothers you or a loved one, don’t be afraid to discuss it with a medical practitioner who can create a customized treatment plan.