One in five Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 report they breathe with a snorting or grunting sound while asleep.
Snoring is often seen as a benign and somewhat comical issue. Many people joke about how their partner’s loud snores keep them up at night. However, it’s a common problem that affects many people’s quality of life in more ways than we realize.
While it is often seen as a simple annoyance, snoring can actually be a sign of a more serious health problem such as heart disease.
Exploring the underlying causes of snoring and adequately addressing them is crucial for improving health and quality of life. When healthcare providers and patients work together to address the issue, it can lead to improved sleep quality and reduced risk for serious heart-related complications.
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs when air flowing through the mouth and nose is obstructed during sleep, leading to loud and often disruptive breathing sounds. The reason for restricted airflow can vary, with possible causes including the following:
Obesity: Excess weight and tissue around the neck and throat puts pressure on the airway, causing snoring.Nasal congestion: Allergies or sinus infections can lead to blocked nasal passages, staining nighttime breathing.Sleep position: Sleeping on one’s back can cause the tongue to fall back and obstruct the airway, leading to snoring.Lack of sleep: Chronic sleep deprivation can relax throat muscles and cause snoring.Alcohol consumption: Consuming alcohol before bedtime can relax the muscles in the throat, causing them to collapse and obstruct airflow.
Some causes of snoring are modifiable, such as losing weight, reducing alcohol consumption, and sleeping in a different position. However, other risk factors are not — nasal structure, being a man, and family history.
Snoring Linked to Heart Disease
A recent study from Nature reveals that snorers, particularly overweight middle-aged men, are at double the risk for developing heart disease. These numbers nearly doubled among men with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or airway blockage during sleep. Up to 70% of snorers have been diagnosed with OSA.
Sleep apnea raises cardiovascular disease risks, including heart attack and stroke. When someone with sleep apnea stops breathing, their oxygen levels drop significantly, putting stress on the heart and blood vessels. This strain can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, and other complications.
Snoring can lead to restricted oxygen and poor sleep quality, ultimately straining the heart. OSA only increases this risk, making addressing snoring and sleep apnea essential for overall health and well-being.
Addressing Snoring for Heart Health
Routine snorers should consult a healthcare provider, especially if other sleep apnea symptoms are present, like daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, or gasping for breath during sleep. A sleep study is the first step in assessing snoring and its effect on vitals.
Treatment options for snoring and OSA include lifestyle changes like losing weight, avoiding alcohol before bed, and changing sleep habits. For severe cases, experts recommend surgery or devices like mouth guards, nasal dilators, or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.
Addressing underlying health issues such as allergies or sinus infections can improve snoring and positively impact overall heart health.
Optimizing Heart Health
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is often called a silent killer since it doesn’t present with any symptoms. Snorers or those with loved ones prone to snoring should learn to recognize subtle signs of potential health problems and allow for early intervention and monitoring.
Snorer or not, following a heart-healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a balanced diet, managing stress levels, and getting enough sleep can reduce heart disease risks and improve cardiovascular resilience.
Managing Snoring Is Vital
While this nighttime behavior may seem harmless, when you understand snoring’s link to heart disease and proactively respond, it can make all the difference. Because snoring and sleep apnea don’t look the same for everyone, consult a healthcare provider for personalized recommendations and treatment options. Addressing snoring and making positive lifestyle changes can improve sleep quality and overall heart health. Experts urge snorers to pay attention to their body’s signals and work towards optimizing health to feel their best.
