Who are the Possible Snorers?

Quality of both our sleep and our waking lives gets reduced by any factor that disrupts the normal sleep wake cycle.

The more we learn about snoring, the more we realize how disruptive it can be - and not just to the snorer’s bedmate.

Consider that the average sleeper takes a breath every twenty to forty seconds.

We may breathe anywhere from seven hundred to fourteen hundred times each night depending on our breathing patterns and how long we sleep. It’s not surprising that snoring, which interferes with the ability to breathe fully and deeply each time, can affect our health.

Heavy snorers with sleep apnea have measurably less oxygen circulating in their blood at night. A vital role is played by oxygen in transporting nutrients to body cells and removing the waste products of the cell’s biochemical processes.

Reduced oxygen supple means reduced efficient body metabolism, allowing these toxic by-products to build up in body tissues.

Evidence is mounting that over time snoring affects both health and longevity. Actually, it has been reported that heavy snorers have a greater risk of developing heart disease than non-snorers.

Overweight

One of the main causes for snoring is overweight. When a person is overweight, he or she will put weight all over our body, including the throat and neck. A thicker neck means more throat tissue pressing on the airway.

The smaller the diameter of the airway, the harder it will be for you to breathe while sleeping. The more effort you have to put into breathing, the more apt you are to snore. Approximately one-third of Americans weigh more than they should, and about 58 million are well over a healthy weight.

The good news is that you don’t have to lose a lot to reduce snoring. Reducing just five to ten pounds can make a big difference in helping you sleep better.

Man are More Prone to Snoring

Anything that obstructs the airway will make it harder to breathe during sleep. Consecutively it increases the chance of snoring. The typical snorer is a moderately overweight man, generally in his forties or fifties. Many studies have shown that men are at more prone to snore than women.

Men also snore louder. The reason for this is unclear. It may be due to androgen, a male hormone that, in addition to its other effects, stimulates appetite and encourages weight gain and the development of bulky muscles and body tissues.

Menopause

Among young adults, male snorers outnumber female by ten to one. However, female snorers reverse this count up their engines after menopause, until the ratio is more like three to one. [Sleep and Menopause]

This phenomenon may be due to more than weight gain; doctors think the female hormone estrogen stimulates breathing and discourages snoring. This may explain why women often don’t start snoring until after menopause, when their bodies cut back on estrogen production.

Lack of Exercise

Another main cause of snoring is lack of exercise. As we get older we all lose some muscle tone. This is just as true for the muscles in the face and neck as it is everywhere else. During sleep if these muscles sag, they can narrow the airway and obstruct your breathing leading to snoring.

We can’t blame it all on age, unfortunately. Sedentary people who don’t get much exercise are three times more likely to snore than people who stay active. Mild to moderate activity such as gardening, bike riding, or walking the dog are activities that helps you stay active.

Age Factor

In addition to weight gain, age is also a cause of snoring. We are more likely to start snoring as we get older. This may be because many of us gain a little weight and lose some muscle tone over time. An extra weight and loser throat muscle means louder snores. This is true for both sexes.