Snoring is a common problem experienced by many adults. In fact, one in four adults have snoring issues. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that approximately 37 million adults in the United States are chronic snorers.
Salt Lake City and Utah patients are no different. Every day we see people who suffer from snoring and sleep apnea. If you count yourself in that mix, you’re in good (but loud) company.
Why do you snore? There are many causes but the most common is that at night while you are sleeping, your body and muscles relax including those in and around your throat. This relaxation can cause loose or excess tissue in the upper airway to vibrate as air passes over it while breathing resulting in the snoring noise.
Snoring can be intermittent or habitual; soft or loud. Habitual snoring is nearly always a social problem for a bed partner. That’s because snoring causes a reduction in the quantity and quality of sleep for the person snoring, people in the same bed, same room, and sometimes the same house.
The bed partner of a chronic snorer loses on average one hour of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation can cause irritability, mood swings, low energy, decreased productivity, muddled thinking and even make you unsafe at the wheel while driving.
Sleep deprivation can also lead to health problems including compromising the immune system. Snoring is also one of the primary sleep apnea symptoms. Many couples resort to sleeping in separate bedrooms due to the annoyance of snoring. This can lead to relationship strain and loss of intimacy.
The good news is that snoring treatments are available. The same is true for diagnosing and managing sleep apnea. If you are ready to control your snoring, call the Ear, Nose and Throat Center at 801-328-2522 today.
