Does It Matter How Loudly You Snore?

If you snore, the situation can be embarrassing for you and bothersome for your partner. But did you know that your snoring could indicate something about your health? How loudly you snore might also provide important information about your wellness. What is the connection between snoring loudness and health? This blog post provides fascinating information.

What Causes Snoring?

During sleep, certain tissues in your nose, mouth, and throat can overrelax. As air moves past them, vibrations occur. The sound produced by those vibrations is known as snoring. Snoring can be a harmless annoyance in some cases, but in other instances, it indicates the presence of a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which occurs when airway obstructions become so severe that they cause repeated pauses in breathing.

What Affects How Loudly You Snore?

A team of researchers from the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital set out to determine the relationship between snoring loudness and the effort that patients made to breathe.

The study revealed that snore loudness increased when airway obstructions were present and the person was making an increased effort to breathe. However, normal breathing effort combined with airway obstruction, as well as increased breathing effort combined with an absence of obstruction, did not affect snoring loudness. They also found that extreme airway obstruction, such as what is common in OSA, could actually be associated with a decrease in snoring noise.

Snoring Loudness and Your Health

The abovementioned study just scratched the surface of the relationship between snoring loudness and health. However, it does underscore an important and well-known fact: Loud snoring can indicate airway problems and possibly point to the presence of OSA. Therefore, if your partner frequently complains about your snoring, it may be time to talk to your doctor about undergoing a sleep test.  With treatment for snoring and sleep apnea, you may enjoy quieter nights, more energy every day, and a decreased risk of numerous systemic health problems.

Snoring could indicate a problem with your health! You should seek professional care if you suspect that the quality of your sleep could be improved.

Meet the Practice

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is an experienced practitioner who focuses on helping patients find freedom from OSA via oral appliance therapy. He is double board certified in dental sleep medicine. If you are concerned about snoring or sleep apnea, he and our team would be pleased to consult with you. Contact any of our locations, or call our Vero Beach office at 772-882-6800.