Is snoring an issue for you? Some of these facts about snoring might surprise you.
Whether you snore, your partner snores, or someone else in your home snores, it’s going to be on your mind – and the ramifications of snoring are much bigger than most of us would expect. Even having a loud snorer next door can disrupt your sleep!
We have shared numerous articles about sleep and snoring, including explaining why we snore, why it’s a problem, and ways to address it.
Here we’d like to present, in no particular order, some fast facts about snoring. Some may be surprising, some may be amusing, and some could be life-changing for you.
21 Facts About Snoring
- Snoring is not normal! Healthy sleeping sounds like gentle, rhythmic breathing – it should be quiet.
- The word “snore” was first used by William Shakespeare, in his play “The Tempest”. Before this, people called snores “snorts”; Shakespeare reportedly believed likening humans to animals snorting was insulting.
- Most people are unaware that they snore – and certainly don’t understand how much they snore. This is why it can be so difficult to convince your partner or parent that their snoring is real and not a joking matter.
- Snoring is caused by an airway obstruction of some kind, and may be due to anything from nasal or sinus inflammation to enlarged soft tissues in the upper airways, sleeping position, alcohol consumption, carrying excess weight, and even sleep deprivation – which, ironically, is an effect of snoring itself.
- Snoring prevents the body and brain from entering and staying in the deepest, most restorative sleep stages. The deprivation of oxygen in the brain that snoring causes prevents the brain from settling into REM (dreaming) and deep sleep.
- Snoring can be hereditary – a majority of snorers have a parent or grandparent who also snores.
- The volume of snoring ranges from 50 – 100 decibels. At 50dB, this is comparable to quiet conversation. 100dB, however, is equivalent to being next to a mower, blender, forklift, train, or bulldozer. Not only is this totally incompatible with being able to sleep, but exposure to noise levels this loud (especially over several hours and/or night after night) is enough to cause hearing damage.
- 95% of snorers disrupt their partner’s sleep. The average snorer’s partner loses more than an hour of sleep every night. This illustrates that snoring is not just a problem for the snorer but for others as well – and the implications include negative impacts on their focus, mood, performance, libido, and general health, not to mention causing resentment and conflict within the relationship.
- Snoring is cited as the third leading cause of divorce in the USA – only infidelity and financial issues directly lead to more marital breakups. Furthermore, a relatively high percentage of couples opt to sleep in separate rooms due to one partner’s snoring. This can impact not only physical but also emotional intimacy within a marriage or similar relationship.
- Children can snore too! Being overweight, or having a deviated septum and/or large tonsils or adenoids causes snoring in children. Many children will outgrow this, however, the impact on their daily well-being while they habitually snore is similar to that of an adult – tiredness, concentration and memory issues, mood changes, and more.
- Men tend to snore more than women, however, after menopause, a woman’s likelihood of snoring increases significantly.
- Younger women are more likely to snore when they are pregnant – in part, due to the hormonal changes that occur within the body and which relax the muscles and other tissues throughout the body.
- Losing weight and choosing to not drink alcohol in excess or near bedtime are extremely effective antidotes to help prevent many types of snoring.
- Consuming large amounts of dairy products can contribute to snoring in some people. This is because dairy encourages mucous production in the body, which can build up in the airways and exacerbate snoring.
- Are you dehydrated? If so, this may contribute to your snoring. Dry nasal passages or mouth can increase your likelihood of snoring – so drink plenty of water and, if appropriate, use a humidifier in your bedroom at night.
- Snoring compromises healthy breathing during sleep and, if you snore, you may not be getting the oxygen your body and brain require to function properly and be healthy. Over time, snorers are at considerably higher risk of developing heart issues including high blood pressure, other cardiovascular diseases, and stroke.
- Obesity is a major cause of snoring – but snoring itself can also cause obesity. This is, in part, due to the daytime fatigue that snoring leads to an associated disinclination to make healthier lifestyle choices.
- Not everyone who snores has obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), but almost all people with OSA will snore. As many as 30% of men and 20% of women who habitually snore moderately to severely may have some level of OSA – this serious medical condition requires diagnosis and appropriate management. Untreated sleep apnoea dramatically increases the risks of developing coronary diseases, high blood pressure, having a stroke or heart attack, high blood pressure, and even sudden death.
- Sleep on your side to snore less. For some people, changing their sleeping position is enough to minimise or even eliminate snoring – and almost all will experience some improvement when they don’t sleep on their back.
- Snoring causes tiredness by reducing one’s quality of sleep. This, in turn, impairs reaction time and alertness – directly increasing the risk of workplace and road accidents. It also weakens the immune system and can lead to everything from chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease to insulin resistance and type II diabetes, lung disease, and brain conditions.
- An Old Wives’ tale suggests pinching a snorer’s big toe to stop them from snoring (if only it was this simple!).
If you snore, actively minimising it through lifestyle changes and using alternatives like anti-snoring devices can also significantly improve your partner’s sleep and well-being.
SnoreMD Anti-Snoring Device
Though common, snoring is not normal. As well as disrupting sleep and being incredibly annoying for others, it impacts mood, performance, safety, and mental and physical well-being.
SnoreMD can help.
SnoreMD is an effective anti-snoring device. By gently altering the position of the lower jaw during sleep, it helps to open the airways for smoother breathing and less likelihood of snoring.
See some facts about how SnoreMD works and order yours today.
