What is Snoring?

Snoring happens when the muscles in the throat become so relaxed during sleep that they cannot hold the inner airway fully open. The airway then becomes narrow and its tissues vibrate with each breath. The tissue vibration causes the snoring sound.

Snoring in itself can be harmless, even if it is very loud. However, snoring that contains periods of silence, followed by choking or snorting sounds, might be a sign of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The silences happen when that vibrating airway becomes narrow enough to actually collapse, or obstruct. Because breath cannot pass through the obstructed airway, the tissue vibration and the snoring sounds stop. Apnea, or absence of breathing, results.

Essentially, OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) is snoring in its most dangerous form.

How To Tell If You Have Unhealthy Snoring

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you snore loudly?
• Do you feel tired or sleepy during your waking hours?
• Have you been told that you stop breathing, gasp or choke when you sleep?
• Do you have high blood pressure or are you being treated for high blood pressure?

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you may suffer from a sleep-related disorder. For example, loud snoring may be a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder.

Physicians interested in Snoring

Dr. Richard Balys is an ENT in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia currently practicing out of Dartmouth Medical Clinic with an interest in sleep and snoring.  He is currently conducting research into which anatomic level snoring originates from and possible treatment modalities.  There is more information at his website:  http://www.thesleepmd.com.