It's often the source of jokes, but loud snoring is no laughing matter. Estimates are that 45 percent of men and 30 percent of women snore, and this snoring can sometimes point to a harmful condition called sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a suspension of breathing for 10 seconds or more while a person is asleep. The muscles controlling respiration do not move and the lung volume does not change. When the breathing stoppage is due to obstruction of the airway--the most common cause--this condition is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). And OSA can be deadly.
How dangerous?
The severity of an OSA episode depends on the frequency of the breathing pauses; in a severe case there may be more than 30 per hour.
The long-term effects of severe OSA can include:
- High blood pressure
- Increased incidence of cardiovascular disease--heart attacks, strokes, heart failure
- Daytime sleepiness and lack of concentration, which elevate the risk of automobile or workplace accidents
- Nighttime chest pain (angina)
- Greater total mortality from all causes
Older studies concluded that severe OSA was associated with a 3- to 6-fold increase in deaths. However, results of a large U.S. study published this year found that men with severe OSA were 2 times more likely to die from all causes, than were men without OSA, and 50 percent more likely than men with moderate OSA. Mortality was not significantly increased in women with even severe OSA or in men with mild OSA.
Signs that you may have OSA
- A lot of snoring. Some individuals may be able to hear their own snoring, especially if it's loud, but more often the racket will bother a sleep mate or other family member.
- Restless sleep
- Daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and loss of concentration
Risk factors for OSA
- Obesity is the most common underlying cause of apnea because excessive fat in the neck increases the tendency of the upper airways to collapse.
- Current smoking increases the risk 3-fold.
- Diabetes is also associated with a 3-times greater risk.
- Older age--the older you get, the more frequent the problem.
- Alcohol and tranquilizer use
Because all of the signs and symptoms of OSA are common and nonspecific, the disorder is often unrecognized by affected individuals and underdiagnosed by doctors. You should consult your doctor if you or family members suspect you have OSA. (See Sleep Apnea: What Increases Your Risk.)
What you can do to treat OSA
- Lose weight if you are overweight.
- Stop smoking if you smoke.
- Avoid alcohol, tranquilizers, anti-histamines, and heavy meals before bedtime because they can all aggravate OSA.
- Don't sleep on your back. You can avoid this sleeping position by taping/stitching a tennis or ping-pong ball or a rolled-up pair of socks to the back of your pajama tops.
- Get treatment for any allergies, or use a decongestant spray when you have a cold, to keep nasal passages clear.
Severe OSA may require wearing a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device while you sleep. It will keep the airways open by delivering a constant, gentle stream of pressurized air into the breathing passages. (See CPAP Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.)
