Surprising Facts About Snoring

Snoring is a sleep disorder that touches a huge number of people all over the world.

There are an estimated forty million snorers in the United States alone.

While in the United Kingdom the figure is around fifteen million and in Germany the estimates exceed fifteen million. It is believed that there are over one billion people who snore worldwide because of some type of nasal airway obstruction.

Research is providing clearer evidence about the vast problems of snoring. Including that in their early thirties twenty percent of men and about five percent of woman snore.

But, by the time they have reached their sixties this rises significantly to sixty percent of men and forty percent of women. Reasons for the differences between men and woman are quite simple.

Larger Necks

More men tend to be overweight or at least have larger necks. A neck size of at least 17 inches almost guarantees you’ll snore. 85% of men who snored do not consider it a problem and instead complain that their wives are light sleepers.

Women Snorers

Woman snorers are usually shorter and heavier that their female non-snoring counterparts. When women snore it is more commonly through their noses than their mouths whereas for men it is more likely to be both.

Women are more apt to try to find snoring treatment than men. The reasons women snore less on average are that they tend to have smaller necks, larger air passages and a smaller uvula. All of which make it less likely for her to snore.

Interestingly over 8% of snorers, until it’s pointed out to them, they do not even notice that they’re snoring and sleep comfortably uninterrupted by their own racket. Young children who snore often have tonsil or adenoid problems. Yet, studies show that as many as six percent of young children snore.

One concern among health professionals is that snoring, its causes and outcomes, are not taken seriously enough in the medical arena. Too often during a routine physical the general practitioner does not ask anything about a patient’s sleeping habits.

Statistics show that only 70% of sufferers ever mention sleep problems to their physicians and then only ten percent have tried to follow it up. As well, dentists, who actually design, or at least fit, many of the snoring appliances, almost never inquire about sleeping difficulties with their patients.

The medical field and general public needs to be educated on snoring, and related sleep disorders. Sleep apnea, which is potentially the worst problem of people who snore, is not only dangerous to the person suffering from it but to the public who may interact with them.

According to current research, motor vehicle accidents are caused less often by drunk drivers then by those with sleep disorders. There is research to back this up as studies have shown that 74% of people with sleep apnea have had at least one car accident. Remember, snoring can be the first indicator of sleep disorders.