Loud snoring may not only wake your neighbors but also can raise the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease and other health problems.

Snoring is often accompanied by repeated short interruptions of breathing, referred to as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea not only can cause high blood pressure, but a recent article reported that men with severe sleep apnea have a threefold higher risk of a heart attack or stroke. The fractured patterns of sleep often lead to daytime sleepiness that can be bad enough to result in traffic accidents.

Sleep apnea is most often caused by a blockage in the airway, which is more common in obese individuals. In fact, a common medical term for sleep apnea is Pickwickian syndrome, named for the extremely obese and sleepy character in Dickens? Pickwick Papers. Obese people may lessen or cure this problem with weight loss.

If your bed partner (or child) complains that your snoring is making it difficult for him or her to sleep, consider asking your doctor for a referral to a sleep center for a study to confirm the presence of sleep apnea. One effective treatment is to use a continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) device, which uses a specially designed nasal mask to deliver air while you are sleeping.