The source of snoring sounds can come from many causes, but the main causes leading to snoring are hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, snoring disorder, and obesity. Snoring occurs when air moves through a narrowed airway, especially in people who are obese or have facial structures such as a short chin, causing the upper airway at the base of the tongue and the palate to sag and collapse, blocking the airway. Therefore, snoring occurs from the effort to force air pressure through the narrow airway, especially when lying on the back. The base of the tongue tends to fall back and block the airway more, leading to obstructive airway conditions and sleep apnea, which means no air flows through the upper airway or breathing stops.
Obesity and snoring often go hand in hand. In fact, snoring is not just an annoying sound but also affects sleep quality and increases the risk of obstructive airway conditions or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Signs that indicate whether your sleep during the night involves obstructive airway conditions and temporary breathing cessation include
- Feeling that you did not get enough sleep
- Waking up with a headache in the morning
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abnormal daytime sleepiness
- Lack of concentration at work, short attention span, poor memory
- Feeling fatigued
- Some people experience sudden awakenings during the night
Health Impacts
Complications and diseases associated with snoring include excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired memory affecting work performance, difficulty driving due to the need to keep eyes open to avoid falling asleep, which often leads to frequent traffic accidents due to drowsiness. If left untreated, it may affect the body and quality of life or increase the future risk of diseases such as hypertension, abnormal heart function, abnormal blood lipids, and can be life-threatening.
The most important treatment is weight control and reduction, combined with treatment of airway obstruction (using positive airway pressure devices (CPAP)) to reduce symptoms of sleep apnea. Safe weight control and reduction involve proper diet planning and energy restriction, behavioral modification, and regular exercise.
