Impact of snoring

Snoring, more than just a nightly nuisance, can have far-reaching effects on both your well-being and overall health, extending beyond mere sleep disturbance.

Here's an in-depth look at how snoring can adversely impact your health:

 

  1. Drop in Blood Oxygen Levels

    In normal circumstances, blood oxygen levels should fall within the range of 94% to 98%. When snoring leads to interrupted breathing episodes lasting 30 seconds or more, blood oxygen levels may plummet to 80% or lower. Any level below 90% is deemed perilous and demands immediate attention. Such diminished oxygen levels can harm vital organs and disrupt normal bodily functions. 
  1. Daytime Sleepiness

    Snoring disrupts sleep patterns and leads to fragmented and inefficient rest, consequently causing daytime sleepiness. The consequences of this sleep deprivation extend to irritability, reduced alertness, an increased risk of accidents (such as automobile accidents due to drowsy driving), and even the onset of depression in some cases. 
  1. Headaches

    Frequent snoring is often linked to waking up with headaches, with some research connecting snoring and other sleep disorders to morning headaches. Chronic headaches throughout the day can also be attributed to habitual snoring, further contributing to irritability and mood swings. 
  1. Heart Diseases

    Snoring, particularly when it escalates to sleep apnea, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure. Studies have indicated that individuals with sleep apnea are twice as likely to develop heart diseases and suffer heart attacks. Furthermore, snoring can lead to irregular heart rhythms, known as arrhythmia, amplifying the risk to heart health. 
  1. Strokes

    The severity and persistence of snoring can heighten the risk of suffering a stroke. This occurs due to the intense snoring, which can lead to the narrowing of arteries in the neck, often caused by fatty deposits, posing a significant risk to overall vascular health. 
  1. Accidents

    Sleep apnea, a condition often linked to snoring, can induce excessive daytime sleepiness. This drowsiness can be especially dangerous when it causes people to nod off during activities that demand attention, such as driving. This propensity for dozing off can result in road accidents and other mishaps, making it a serious public safety concern. 
  1. Mental Health Concerns

    As previously mentioned, snoring's disruptive effects on sleep quality can exacerbate irritability and mood swings. In more severe cases, it can even contribute to anxiety and mild depression. This underlines the complex interplay between sleep quality and mental well-being. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing persistent snoring and its related health consequences, seeking medical advice and exploring treatment options is advisable.

As we have explored the impact of snoring, it's essential to debunk myths related to snoring, shedding light on the fascinating misconceptions that often related to sleep disruptions.

 

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Sleep Revitalizes your Mind, Body, & Heart

The body goes under many transformations, while it is in the state of rest during sleep. There are many essential functions that take place in the body such as tissue repair, memory and energy restoration, release of essential hormones, muscle relaxation, and others. While you are asleep, the brain releases indispensable hormones that promote tissue growth. This process helps your body rejuvenate from the daily hustle bustle. Moreover, tissue growth aids in the recovery from wounds or cuts. Sunita Kumar, Co-Director, Centre for Sleep Disorders, Loyola University Medical Centre, aptly remarks that during sleep the body produces more white blood cells, to fight countless bacteria and viruses1. The heart rate also registers a dip during sleep, which according to Ms. Kumar, strengthens the heart as it is at rest with lowered activity. Moreover, a good night’s sleep also reduces the chances of getting afflicted with heart diseases.

Good Sleep = Sharp Memory

Sleep is a time, when becomes sharp and strong. Sleep quantity and quality play a fundamental role in determining what one remembers and what one doesnt. Therefore, development of long-term memory (LTM) from short-term memory (STM) happens during sleep.  Scientific researches state that the brain follows a different mechanism for storing memories through the hippocampus and neo-cortex areas. Hippocampus helps you to remember your life experiences (childhood memories), while the neo-cortex is responsible for remembering the concepts you learn (name of a color). Communications and sync between the two, helps in learning new data and updating old ones.

Sleep Steers Hormonal Hunger

Sleep not only affects your energy levels and mental functions, but also regulates your body weight. Improper sleep is related to the increasing cases of obesity, worldwide2. Many hormones which regulate the feeling of hunger (ghrelin) and signal the feeling of being full (leptin), are all influenced by the quality of your sleep.  Leptin: This is also known as satiety hormone, which is produced by the fat cells of the body. It prevents overeating by sending signals to the brain that the body does not require more food, as there is enough to fuel the body.  Ghrelin: This hunger hormone is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, which signifies the body that there is need for food. This hormone rises in the body, when you feel hungry and decreases when you have consumed some food.  Studies show that people who have disrupted patterns of sleep - have larger appetite, because of higher ghrelin secretion and lowered secretion of leptin. This imbalance in the secretion of these hormones is a result of improper sleep patterns3.

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Reference

1

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/discomfort-15/better-sleep/healing-power-sleep?page=2

2

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3619301/

3

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3619301/