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<p>Anyone who has to sleep next to a person with snoring knows well how it disturbs the peace of sleep. It is not only the bed partner who suffers from the snoring sound, which is like a loud engine running in the house, but the snorer themselves may also suffer in the future if they do not recognize the dangers that follow.</p>
<h2 style="color: #008080;"><span style="color: #00826a;">Why do people snore?</span></h2>
<p>Snoring is a common problem, but most people think it is normal and harmless. On the contrary, snoring is a warning sign that the airway is beginning to narrow. When the narrowing becomes severe enough to completely close, snoring stops because no air passes through, turning into a condition called sleep apnea. The oxygen in the blood, which is used continuously even during sleep, drops to a level that triggers the brain to wake up to resume breathing and bring enough oxygen back into the body.</p>
<p>The brain being repeatedly stimulated to wake up throughout the night reduces sleep quality. Upon waking, the person feels unrefreshed, sleepy during the day, fatigued, less productive, irritable, and easily frustrated. If driving or operating machinery, accidents can easily occur.</p>
<p>Children who snore mostly have causes such as allergies or enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Some children may have abnormal facial structures, such as those with Down syndrome. Snoring affects children’s development, learning, and memory, leading to poor academic performance due to poor memory and attention deficit, causing more aggressive behavior than other children.</p>
<p>The main cause of snoring in adults is obesity, which leads to excess fat accumulation, thickening the walls of the throat. Some cases are caused by behaviors such as drinking alcohol and smoking. These behaviors cause the muscles of the airway to relax and swell more than usual.</p>
<h2 style="color: #008080;"><span style="color: #00826a;">When should you see a doctor?</span></h2>
<p>If it is clear that there is sleep apnea or suspicion of it, often noticed by a bed partner, with symptoms of daytime sleepiness despite adequate sleep, or if snoring occurs along with underlying diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or arrhythmia, which can worsen or become difficult to control due to sleep apnea, you should promptly see a doctor.</p>
<h2 style="color: #008080;"><span style="color: #00826a;">What happens if left untreated?</span></h2>
<ul>
<li>Snoring increases the risk of stroke and paralysis many times more than normal people because during sleep apnea, oxygen levels drop while the brain and heart still need oxygen. This causes the heart to work harder to compensate for the apnea initially, and the compensatory heart contractions raise blood pressure higher than normal, which may lead to a stroke.</li>
<li>If severe sleep apnea is left untreated, it can affect health and cause premature death. Associated diseases include high blood pressure, myocardial infarction from ischemia, arrhythmia, insulin resistance, and reduced sexual function.</li>
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</ul>
<p>Additionally, snoring not only affects the patient’s health but also the sleep quality of their partner due to the disturbing noise, sometimes causing family problems up to divorce and unexpected traffic accidents because drowsiness impairs timely decision-making during emergencies, such as sudden braking.</p>
<p>Initial care for snoring patients includes advice to lose weight if overweight, quit smoking, stop drinking alcohol, avoid sleeping pills, avoid respiratory depressants, and change sleeping position to the side.</p>
<h2 style="color: #008080;"><span style="color: #00826a;">Specific treatments such as</span></h2>
<ul>
<li>Using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine every night during sleep</li>
<li>Radiofrequency ablation to reduce the size of the soft palate and tongue base to prevent airway obstruction</li>
<li>Surgical correction of the uvula, soft palate, and pharyngeal walls, including removal of enlarged tonsils</li>
<li>Using an oral appliance worn during sleep to help reduce snoring and sleep apnea</li>
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</ul>
<p>For those who cannot tolerate wearing a CPAP machine every night or do not want to use an oral appliance nightly, they can consult a doctor for appropriate surgical correction based on individual symptoms.</p>
<h2 style="color: #008080;"><span style="color: #00826a;">Prevention of snoring</span></h2>
<p>Do not become obese and exercise regularly and consistently because exercise helps tighten muscles and slow muscle relaxation. Reduce risky behaviors such as avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00826a;"><strong><em>“Snoring is not a normal condition that everyone has. People with snoring should be examined and treated early to prevent complications from snoring or sleep apnea in the long term. If left untreated for a long time, it can unexpectedly harm health, such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and subsequent stroke. Snoring can be completely cured but requires continuous treatment. Current treatments aim to reduce or eliminate snoring sounds and address sleep apnea, which often accompanies snoring.”</em></strong></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #00826a;"><strong>Dr. Phonphorn Apiwatanasevi</strong></span><br />
Specialist in Otolaryngology<br />
Ear, Nose, and Throat Center, Phyathai 1 Hospital</p>


If it is clearly observed that there is sleep apnea or suspected to have such a condition, the person should be advised to promptly consult a doctor because snoring can cause sleep apnea and worsen or make it difficult to control existing medical conditions.

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Snoring... a disorder that disrupts sleep.

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