6 Signs Your Snoring May Be A Cause For Alarm

Your in a deep sleep until "whamo!" you're struck in the face with a pillow by your spouse: you're snoring like a chain saw--again! 

Snoring is caused by air waves vibrating the tissue at the back of your throat while you sleep. If you're sleeping on your back, you're more likely to snore. About half of all people snore at some point in their lives. It can occur at all stages of sleep. Men are more likely to snore than women, and in many cases it's hereditary. It can also occur when throat muscles are relaxed through alcohol and other depressants. 

Not all cases of snoring are harmful, but others are a sign of sleep apnea which is a serious sleep disorder in which you temporarily stop breathing in your sleep. Here are some signs you may have sleep apnea:

1. Your partner complains of loud or chronic snoring. While it may seem innocuous enough that you snore, it could be a symptom of sleep apnea, as it is caused by breathing disruption.

2. Gasping for air: Again your spouse may notice you gasping for air, which is your brain signalling you to wake up to begin breathing. In severe cases, one may be gasping for air every 15 to 30 seconds.

3. Daytime sleepiness: If you're getting 8-9 hours of sleep per night and still feeling tired during the day for extended periods of time, you may have sleep apnea. Some people have suffered for so long, they are used to be tired all the time; but there in fact could be underlying difficulties.

4. Irritability or depression: If you're sleep deprived as a result of snoring and gasping for air at night, you will be irritable during the day more so than normal. We all get stressed out and tired, but if you're noticing yourself feeling more irritable or taking things out on coworkers or family members, you may not be getting enough undisturbed sleep.

5. Frequent urination: Getting up out of bed throughout the night to urinate could be a fight/flight response from your brain in reaction to breathing obstruction. This is different from having had too much to drink, or imbibing caffeine products before going to bed; however, drinking caffeine products in the evening to stay awake could be a warning sign that you're sleep deprived.

6. Waking up to headaches: Headaches in the morning could spell disturbed sleep during the night. If you're waking up and constantly reaching for the Advil or a cup of coffee first thing upon waking up, you may want to be checked for sleep apnea.

There are a number of tests and treatments for snoring and sleep apnea that you may want to explore. However, it can be a catch-22, for by not getting treatment you're leaving yourself open to more sleep disturbance and continued symptoms above; however, by getting treatment you may be subjecting yourself to equipment and tools that a) do not have a long history of success, and b) may impair your body's natural ability to sleep. So if you're going to seek treatment, do your research and check out different methods to find what is best for you.