Studies estimate that 45 percent of men and 30 percent of women snore. And whether you have sleep apnea or simply snore a lot, you’re not getting a good night’s sleep. This affects every facet of your health and your life, as a good night’s sleep is foundational to good physical and mental health.
Snoring is the sound produced when the tissues in and around the upper airway vibrate due to constriction in the airway. The reason you only snore at night is that when you sleep, the muscles in your body relax, including the muscles in your neck and throat area. Relaxation decreases the amount of space in your airways, which can lead to snoring.
There may be additional contributing factors, but in any case, awakening night after night from snoring is annoying, exhausting, and possibly dangerous.
Snoring and loss of sleep can contribute to a whole host of serious health issues such as:
Heart Disease
The presence and severity of sleep apnea are associated with a significantly increased risk of sudden cardiac death.
Stroke
The intensity and length of snoring are related to the risk of carotid atherosclerosis, resulting in a stroke.
Cancer
Lack of sleep has been linked to breast cancer in women and to prostate cancer in men.
Headache
In a National Institute on Aging study, people with chronic daily headaches were almost twice as likely to be chronic snorers as people with occasional headaches. Snoring is also a significant predictor of headaches, possibly due to pauses in breathing that occur when one snores.
Daytime Injury
Daytime sleepiness can put you or those around you at risk. If you wake up exhausted, you’re not able to perform at your best. Driving data shows an increased risk when people are driving tired.
Arrhythmia
People with long-term snoring or sleep apnea risk developing an irregular heart rhythm, or arrhythmia.
Mental Health
The link between sleep apnea, snoring, and depression is well established. Chronic lack of sleep can affect your mental well-being, leading to issues from crankiness to severe depression,
GERD
GERD can occur during snoring because of the altered way in which the throat closes during sleep, causing pressure changes that can force the stomach contents back up into the esophagus.
So, what can you do to eliminate snoring, get a good night’s sleep, and protect your health?
Avoid drinking alcohol close to bedtime.
Avoid sedatives and relaxants.
Lose five to 10 percent of your body weight. You don’t have to be overweight to snore, but if you’re overweight, it can’t hurt to lose some of it.
Change your sleep position.
Use an anti-snoring device
Not all anti-snoring devices are created equal. Look for a pulse sleep band that will not fully awaken you to stop the snoring.
The Sleep Connection Anti-Snore Wristband fits the bill perfectly. This sleep wristband sends smooth electrical pulses when it detects loud snoring, encouraging you to change your position. Other anti-snoring bands wake you up with a buzz or shock, but with Sleep Connect, your sleep isn’t disturbed, and your snoring stops.
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