Have you ever shared the same room with
someone who snores? Those who have will readily confess that it’s an
unpleasant experience. Snoring can be a bore to the person sharing the
bed or room with the snorer because while the latter seems to sleep
soundly, the ‘room mate’ likely tosses about, waiting for the first
light of dawn.
Men snore more than men, researchers
say. And it could be a distraught experience for a woman, especially
after a bout of … ahem, when the man drifts into a sound sleep, while
the woman remains awake with his limp arm still wrapped around her in an
unconscious state of being!
However, researchers counsel that if
your partner snores, instead of getting mad at the irritating condition,
get help very quickly, because snoring is a risky medical condition
that happens when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing
the tissues to vibrate as you breathe, creating the irritating sounds.
Continue after the cut...
They warn that the situation is
dangerous because when you snore, your breathing becomes shallow or even
stops for a while during the night, which can lead to death if you
don’t wake up within five minutes of breath cessation.
Scientists note that up to 80 per cent
of men snore at some time, double the number of women, while about 40
per cent of men snore every night. This is mainly because men have
narrower air passages than women, they note.
Sleep disorder specialist, Dr. Debo
Sanusi, notes that snoring is caused by a combination of factors,
including body position and alcohol. “When you snore, you can’t move air
freely through your nose and mouth during sleep,” he warns.
Another specialist in the disorder, Dr.
Andrew Veale, of the New Zealand Respiratory and Sleep Institute, says
it could also be as result of certain genes passed down the family tree.
“The most important thing is the
inherited shape of your face and neck. So, if dad is a snorer and you
resemble him, you’re in deep strife,” Veale warns. He says further that
this is because a narrow throat, a cleft palate, enlarged adenoids, and
other physical attributes that contribute to snoring are often
hereditary.
Sanusi notes that alcohol is a muscle
relaxer that eases the tension in the muscles of the airway, inevitably
leading to snoring. He says as an individual increases his alcohol
consumption, the tissues in his throat become much more ‘floppy,’ making
it inevitable for him to snore as he sleeps.
Otolaryngologists say people who snore
may have developed obstructive sleep apnea (a breathing obstruction,
causing the sleeper to keep waking up to begin breathing again), which
increases the risk of developing heart disease.
Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in
Detroit, USA, also warns that in addition to heart disease, snorers
stand the risk of developing stroke!
Worse still, physicians warn, snoring
can make the snorer susceptible to death by cancer. A study presented at
the American Thoracic Society conference concludes that people with
severe sleep apnea are almost five times as likely to die of cancer as
those who breathe easy while they sleep.
The lead researcher, Dr. Javier Nieto,
of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public
Health, says his team tracked 1,500 people for 22 years, and found that
apnea reduces the oxygen level in the blood. “When the body senses this,
to avoid suffocating, tumours grow new blood vessels. These extra veins
and arteries help existing tumours grow faster and give cancer cells
more opportunities to spread through the bloodstream to new parts of the
body,” Nieto explains.
Apart from alcohol and gene, other
things that are responsible for snoring include age. Experts warn that
as you reach middle age and beyond, your throat becomes narrower, and
the muscle tone in your throat decreases, leading to the possibility of
becoming a snorer.
Physicians also say if you have nasal
and sinus problems, the blocked airways make inhalation difficult and
create a vacuum in the throat, leading to snoring.
And if you are overweight, it’s bad news all the way, as the fatty tissue and poor muscle tone contribute to snoring.
Doctors also say that smoking and
certain medications can increase muscle relaxation, leading to more
snoring. And if you are the type that sleeps flat on your back, this
habit will cause the flesh of your throat to relax and block the airway,
resulting inevitably in snoring.
While the Nieto team says more research
is needed to confirm their suspicion that snoring may cause cancer, they
agree that snoring is cause for concern, as it could lead to accidents,
depression, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
They counsel, “If you snore and are
sleepy during the day, check with your doctor, especially if you’re
overweight — a situation that increases sleep apnea risk.
Sanusi also notes that signs of sleep apnea include grumpiness, forgetfulness, and headaches that are hard to shake off.
-Punch
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