If you or someone you love snores, it might seem like an embarrassing annoyance—but it can actually be a sign of something more serious. Snoring and sleep apnea are closely related and can have a significant impact on the quality of your sleep. Let’s dive into the relationship between snoring and sleep apnea and what you can do about it.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes people to stop breathing for short periods of time during their night’s rest. In people with sleep apnea, the airways are blocked during their sleep, preventing them from getting the oxygen their body needs. This blockage in the airway causes people to snore as their body struggles to pull in enough air. Common sleep apnea symptoms include excessive daytime tiredness, frequent headaches, and mood swings. All of these are signs that a person isn’t getting enough deep sleep. Thankfully, though, people can do things like use nasal strips or change their sleeping position to keep their airways open so they can get a better night’s rest.
How Does Snoring Relate?
Snoring is often associated with sleep apnea because these episodes of interrupted breathing cause loud snoring sounds as air tries to pass through a blocked airway or due to lack of oxygen being sent to the brain. That’s why if you notice yourself or your partner snoring more than usual, it could be a sign that there might be an underlying issue such as sleep apnea that needs to be addressed by a medical professional. People who suffer from either form of this disorder wake up feeling unrested, may experience memory problems, fatigue, headaches, and other health issues.
What Can Be Done?
If you think you or someone you know might suffer from sleep apnea or CSA, there are sleep apnea treatment options available such as CPAP machines that provide pressurized oxygen while sleeping in order to keep airways open and provide relief from snoring. Snoring and sleep apnea, often seen as night time nuisances, actually have a very close, causal relationship. That’s where Nightlase snoring treatment comes in! This form of laser snoring treatment works to reduce or even eliminate snoring at night while also helping to prevent sleep apnea—so you can enjoy blissful nights without one leading to the other. So if you care about your night’s rest (and let’s be honest, don’t we all!), consider learning more about Nightlase laser snoring treatment today!
Snoring and sleep apnea are linked in ways that not a lot of people might be aware of. While snoring can just be an annoyance, it could also be an indication of the presence of sleep apnea, which is a serious condition that affects the quality of sleep and can lead to even more issues down the line. It’s best to consult a doctor to find ways to prevent snoring in the first place – maintain a healthy lifestyle, lose extra weight (if any), and find ways to reduce nasal congestion during bedtime.
