ANCSLEEP BLOG

Pregnancy can drastically change the body. There are many new conditions that can appear when someone does become pregnant. These include conditions such as indigestion, heartburn, to extreme fatigue and trouble sleeping. For some, about 14% to 53%, pregnancy can also come with snoring. This snoring can become more frequent as the pregnancy progresses and the woman becomes bigger. You may be wondering why snoring increases over pregnancy and when snoring may actually be indicative of an underlying issue. Continue reading to learn some of the answers to these questions about snoring, like what causes snoring and when to be concerned.

Nothing can disrupt your sleep like loud snoring. The worst is when the snoring isn't even coming from you! If you have a partner who snores very loudly, this can be a source of conflict for both you. They feel like you're nagging them and you feel like you can't get any sleep because of the one man band you sleep next to.

It's normal to feel frustrated by a snoring partner. Getting low-quality sleep that is often interrupted by your partner's loud noises can cause a lot of irritation, mostly due to the fact that you are sleep-deprived. Regardless how long you think you slept, having low quality sleep due to a snoring partner is the same as getting a couple hours of quality sleep - it's just not enough. But, before you spazz on your partner or get ready to call it quits, here is a little more context on your partner's snoring and what they can do about it.  

Normal vs. Socially Unacceptable Snoring

Does your partner wear earplugs to ward off the blows of your nightly, nasally inhales? Is your snoring the rule, not the exception? Is your snoring a common joke among family members?

Importance of Just Snoring vs Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Is your or your partner’s snoring the primer for family jokes? Does your loud snoring require come with an “ear plugs required” caveat for your partner? Is your snoring the rule, not the exception?

Chronic, loud snoring may be a bigger personal problem than just a nuisance for other people who have to listen to your nightly nasally noises. In other words, while their sleep might be disrupted, your snoring might be caused by a medical condition called sleep apnea, which can have significant health consequences. Or, maybe you are just a loud, chronic snorer.

Knowing the difference and telltale signs between loud snoring and sleep apnea is important, as identifying the potential problem underlying your chronic snoring is the first step to getting healthy again.

What is the Socially Unacceptable Snoring Threshold (Criteria)

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:

• Is the source of many family jokes
• Comes with an “earplugs required” caveat for their bed partner
• Will make it hard for people sleeping in adjacent rooms to sleep
• The loudness is the rule, not the exception
• Happens most nights (or every night)

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.

Underlying Causes of Snoring

There are many things that can cause snoring. If you are able, discovering why you snore is the best way to stop snoring, or at least alleviate it. Some common causes of snoring are:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
• Deviated septum
• Allergies (congestion)
• Improper head elevation
• Alcohol or other sedative drugs/medications
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Tumors/cysts
• Genetics (snoring is hereditary)

Obstructive sleep apnea is important for two reasons. One, there is strong overlap between snoring and OSA. Two, OSA is a serious medical condition that can have significant long-term effects on your health, such as:

• Lower life expectancy
• Lower quality of life in nearly all areas
• Lower performance in nearly all areas of life
• Increased risk of many heart-related diseases

The Socially Unacceptable Snoring Threshold

What’s the difference between “normal snoring” and SUS (socially unacceptable snoring)? Nearly everyone snores from time to time. Many of us snore with regularity, also called chronic snoring. Snoring and chronic snoring are generally not harmful.

But, they can be a sign of a deeper problem. This is when they are termed "problematic snoring". Problematic snoring can include the following characteristics:

• Your snoring keeps your bed partner or roommate up
• Your bed partner has to wear ear plugs to sleep
• Your snoring is the basis for many family jokes
• You snore most (or all) nights

Socially unacceptable snoring really comes down to this: it’s very disruptive for anyone near you to sleep. Beyond being disruptive, it can be a sign that there are underlying and concerning medical conditions causing the snoring – mainly, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), of which SUS is a primary symptom.

If your snoring is a problem, it’s definitely worth trying to identify if there are underlying problems.

When Snoring is a Personal Problem, Not Just a Nuisance

Is your or your partner’s snoring the primer for family jokes? Does your loud snoring come with an “earplugs required” caveat for your partner? Is your snoring the rule, not the exception?

Chronic, loud snoring may be a bigger personal problem than just a nuisance for other people who have to listen to your nightly nasally noises. In other words, while their sleep might be disrupted, your snoring might be caused by a medical condition called sleep apnea, which can have significant health consequences. Or, maybe you are just a loud, chronic snorer.

Knowing the difference and telltale signs between loud snoring and sleep apnea is important, as identifying the potential problem underlying your chronic snoring is the first step to getting healthy again.

When Snoring Becomes a Problem

Does your partner wear earplugs to block out your nightly snoring? Is your snoring the rule, not the exception? Does your family often make jokes about you and your snoring? 

Snoring is one of the most well-known symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The reason why so many sleep apnea sufferers snore is due to the tissues in the back of the throat relaxing and blocking the airway. When the airway becomes blocked, a vibration occurs and creates a sound known as snoring. Snoring can be influenced by a person's anatomy, weight, and lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption.

However, with as many as 90 million Americans suffering from snoring, it may not always be a sign that an individual has OSA. To know whether or not you or your partner have obstructive sleep apnea, you must be aware of the other symptoms that happen with snoring and necessitates a diagnosis of sleep apnea.