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Practically everyone who is in a relationship with someone is familiar with snoring and its effects. The majority of people know at least one person who snores. It might be the person you share your bed with, your parents or your distant family.

Many people tend to poke fun at the snorer but fail to realise that it might be a symptom of the very serious disorder, known as obstructive sleep apnoea. It is very important that the snorer if his problem is very bad is evaluated by a sleep specialist to determine the severity of their condition and recommend treatments and lifestyle changes.

Snoring is a noise that is produced when a person is breathing during their sleep. It is usually produced when the person breathes in and causes a vibration in the soft palate and uvula, which is the skin that hangs down in the back of the throat. The term ‘Apnoea’ means the absence of breathing and if it continues long enough can result in death.

All those people who snore have an incomplete obstruction in their upper airway. Habitual snorers experience episodes of complete upper airway obstruction where the airway is completely blocked for periods of time, often ten seconds and longer. This usually involves a silence which is followed by snorts and gasps as the snorer is fighting to regain their breath. When a snorer is snoring so loud that the noise is disrupting others, obstructive sleep apnoea is almost certainly present and should be treated.

There are two main types of snoring. The type mentioned above which is an indication of obstructive sleep apnoea and another which is known as ‘primary snoring.’

Primary snoring is a term to describe simple snoring which does not involve sleep apnoea, noisy breathing during sleep, rhythmical snoring, benign snoring and continuous snoring that often involves loud upper airway breathing.

Primary snoring differs from obstructive sleep apnoea type snoring by:

* No evidence of insomnia or excessive sleepiness due to the snoring
* Complaints regarding snoring by family members or others.
* Dryness in the mouth when awakening

It is essential that a doctor or sleep specialist rules out obstructive sleep apnoea and other disorders before attempting to treat primary snoring. Your own behaviour and lifestyle may have to be considered and changes may have to take place. Perhaps you may need to lose some weight or sleep on your side. You may also have to refrain from consuming alcohol and sedatives.

There are oral devices available that can help to keep the airway open. They can reduce snoring by bringing the jaw forwards, elevating the soft palate or stop the tongue from falling back into the airway. All these methods will or should result in decreased snoring.

Surgery is also an option. This is known as Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) or Laser assisted Uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) which involves the removal of excess tissue from the throat area. A new surgery known as somnoplasty is now available and uses radio frequency waves to remove any excess tissue.

Snoring and Sleep Apnoea

Sleep apnoea is the repeated temporary interruption of breathing during sleep and one symptom of this condition is snoring. In fact the snoring caused by this condition is usually very loud and has been described as raucous!

In sleep apnoea breathing stops for 10 seconds or more at least five times every hour which can lead to there being low oxygen levels in the body which in turn leads to many more serious health conditions.

Sleep apnoea more commonly occurs in those who are overweight or who drink alcohol or smoke. Interestingly, it has also been found to occur more frequently in those who reside at high altitudes.

There are two types of sleep apnoea. The most common one is called obstructive sleep apnoea and occurs owing to a blockage in the airway. The second type of sleep apnoea called central sleep apnoea is a very rare condition caused by a problem in the nerves that control the breathing mechanism.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is thought to mainly affect men between the ages of 40 and 60 and it is said to occur when the nasal passages and the upper airways become obstructed during sleep. Usually this obstruction is caused by the soft tissue of the throat (the pharynx) simply relaxing during sleep. This obstruction prevents breathing until the levels of oxygen in the blood fall to such a low level that the sufferer wakens and responds by taking a deep breath – accompanied by snorting, rasping and other noises associated with snoring.

Carrying excess weight around the area of the neck makes the condition much worse as can having a large tongue or small mouth (comparative to each other).

In children the most common cause of obstructive sleep apnoea is enlarged tonsils or adenoids.

In central sleep apnoea the nerves that usually automatically regulate breathing do not work properly and this leads to impaired breathing. Central sleep apnoea often follows a brain injury or stroke.

The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea often develop slowly over time and are usually first noticed by a partner because of the very loud snoring. Other tell-tale signs are:

- waking up tired
- daytime sleepiness
- poor memory
- impaired concentration
- headaches, particularly in the morning
- impotence in men
- frequent need for night time urination.

If sleep apnoea is left untreated it can lead to problems with irregular heartbeat or arrhythmias; pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the blood vessels serving the lungs) and also an increased risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension).

Severe sleep apnoea can eventually become life threatening.

Whilst people may be reluctant to seek medical help for snoring it is important to recognise that it is often a symptom of what could be a more serious underlying health condition – such as sleep apnoea. Snoring can be a symptom of a health condition that is life threatening, as well as being something that can destroy relationships. Have it checked out and see if the quality of your sleep cannot be improved.


Please click on List of Snoring Details to read about many different aspects of Snoring.