Apnea is Greek for "without breath," where the tongue is completely sucked against the back of the throat and blocks breathing.
Snoring is caused by a narrowing of the upper airway during sleep. This can be due to large tonsils, a long uvula (the small piece of soft tissue that dangles from the soft palate over the back of the tongue) or excessive flabby tissue in the throat. All of these areas relax during sleep.
In other cases, nasal congestion from allergies or deformities of the cartilage between the two sides of the nose can contribute to narrowing of the airway.
However, the most common cause of narrowing of the upper airway is a tongue muscle that becomes too relaxed during sleep. When relaxed, the muscle is sucked into the back of the throat with each breath taken.
Snoring occurs when air travels faster through a narrow tube than through a broad one. This rapidly moving air causes the relaxed soft tissues of the throat to vibrate. It is this vibration that creates the sound of snoring.
By keeping the airway open, air travels more slowly, reducing throat vibrations and thus reducing or stopping snoring. One of the most effective ways to keep the airway open during sleep is by holding the tongue forward.
Snoring can progress into a condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Airway obstruction causes the heart rate to fall below normal, with decreases in blood oxygen levels. The obstruction will not clear until oxygen levels to the brain fall low enough to partly wake the sleeper with a release of adrenaline. This is an automatic body reaction and is intended to prevent suffocation. The airway obstruction is usually broken with one or several gasps to take in fresh air.
This event may happen hundreds of times a night for someone who suffers from OSA, which means the sleeper does not get a deep, restorative sleep. Such a condition greatly affects body chemistry and poses many serious health risks.
Common causes of snoring & Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Supine body position (lying face up)
- Large tonsils, long uvula, excessive flabby tissue in the throat
- A tongue that becomes too relaxed during sleep
- Being overweight: A recent study showed that a 10 percent weight gain is associated with a six-fold increase in the odds of developing OSA.2
- Nasal congestion from colds, allergies or deformities of cartilage within the nose
- Menopause: Postmenopausal women were shown to have more than twice the risk for SDB and three times the risk for severe SDB.
- Consumption of alcohol, medication or tobacco
- Hypothyroidism: Due to lack of thyroid hormone, sufferers tend to have a larger tongue, as well as increased fat deposition in the tissues of the upper airway.
Social and health consequences of snoring.
- Snoring is No. 3 on the list of reasons for divorce in married couples. Only infidelity and finances are blamed before snoring.1
- Snoring can be very distressing for sleep partners, with banishment from the bedroom for the snorer.
- Sleep disturbance/deprivation to sleep partners is very real, with a negative impact on well-being and quality of life.
- Snoring can be the cause of embarrassment/humiliation when traveling with others.
- Snorers experience tiredness, morning headaches, dry mouth, relationship difficulties, lower blood oxygen levels and other associated consequences.
- New research has shown that loud snoring poses health risks similar to OSA.3
Footnotes:
1. The causes of snoring: A nemesis in many a bedroom. Dr. David W. Sparks.
2. Peppard PE, Young T, Palta M, et al. Longitudinal study of moderate weight change and sleep-disordered breathing. JAMA 2000;284:3015-3021.
3. Punjabi NM. The epidemiology of adult obstructive sleep apnea, Pro Am Thorac, 2008;5:136-143.