Snoring can be a common sleep behavior, but did you know that there is actually a criteria to determine if your snoring is problematic? There’s normal or periodic snoring, and then there’s the socially unacceptable snoring (SUS) that you might describe as extreme, over the top or embarrassing snoring. Socially unacceptable snoring describes a person whose snoring may fit many or all of the following:
While socially unacceptable snoring might be cause for jokes among friends and family and/or frustration for bed partners, it may actually be a bigger personal problem for the snorer. While bed partner’s sleep might be disrupted, SUS is a primary symptom of a serious medical condition and sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can have significant health consequences.
Knowing the differences and telltale signs between socially unacceptable snoring and SUS caused by sleep apnea are important. Identifying the potential problem underlying your chronic snoring is the first step to getting healthy again.
While socially unacceptable snoring may be caused by OSA, it’s important also point out that it can be simply be caused by:
Fixing your snoring can be as simple as learning to sleep on your back, or it could mean getting a sleep study, diagnoses, and wearing a CPAP device.
Let’s look further at OSA and OSA symptoms.
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder and medical condition where you repeatedly stop breathing many times – about 40-100+ times throughout the night. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea.
With OSA, you attempt to breath but are unable to due to some kind of physical ‘obstruction’ in your airway. Namely, this obstruction is caused by the relaxation of your breathing muscles and subsequent blockage by:
Each time this happens, you experience an apnea event or apnea, which is when you stop breathing and eventually rouse awake to begin breathing again. You won’t remember ever waking up during the middle of the night, and it’s your bed partner who will likely notice your repeated apnea events.
In general, OSA often leads to:
Apnea events can happen many times per hour. Here is the general categories used for mild, moderate, and severe OSA:
The risks and symptoms are still about the same with mild, moderate, and severe OSA, the only difference may be the prevalence and severity of the symptoms.
Some telltale signs (OSA symptoms) that obstructive sleep apnea is causing socially unacceptable snoring are:
Bed partners can be instrumental in helping identify when socially unacceptable snoring is caused by OSA. As many bed partners can attest to, they could sit and count the seconds while their untreated OSA partner doesn’t breath throughout the night.
Diagnosing OSA can be a bit trickier without a bed partner, because it involves relying will have to identify other OSA symptoms that you may or may not be struggling with. If you live in Alaska and are concerned that you have OSA, please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test. Afterwards, you will be able to contact our sleep center, get a referral for a sleep study, book the appoint and conduct the study, and receive the results so you can create a treatment plan.
CPAP devices are the mainstay treatment for OSA to stop the snoring, which means a better night for you and anyone sleeping in your vicinity.