The Health Risks of Snoring

It happens to many of us: we snore. Often, it is purely situational, due to nasal congestion or sleeping in a wrong position. But consistent snoring can, over time, affect the quality of your sleep to the detriment of your health.

What causes snoring? Simply, you will snore when the air you breathe through your nose or mouth is physically blocked in some way. Sleep apnea is one common condition that causes snoring, which causes you to have frequent interruptions of stopped breathing while you sleep.

If you are a habitual snoring due to sleep apnea or other issues, you are at risk for a number of health problems, including:

• Poor sleep: With snoring or sleep apnea, the quality of your sleep is affected, either by interrupted sleep or only light sleeping.
• Chronic daytime fatigue and irritability: Poor sleeps will cause havoc with your wakeful times too. You may be irritable and tired all the time. This can lead to lack of focus for daily tasks, especially ones where you need to focus – like driving.
• Obesity: When you have a poor sleep, you have no energy during the day. And that, along with other related factors, will affect your desire to exercise, as well as your body’s metabolism. This can lead to obesity and its associated issues.
• Frequent headaches: When your body doesn’t get enough of a chance to recharge, it may signal that lack through frequent headaches.
• High blood pressure: Sleep apnea can be a cause of lower oxygen levels in your blood. This can be a factor in constricted blood vessels, which is a cause of higher blood pressure.
• Heart issues: That higher blood pressure can cause your heart to become enlarged. This leads to a higher risk of both heart attack and stroke.

Snoring can be quite annoying, but if ignored, that snoring can lead to serious health issues. Make an appointment with your doctor to determine the cause of your snoring, and stop any side effects before they can take hold.

Download the FREE Beginners Guide to Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.