Snoring Is a Sign of Risk

Snoring occurs because your airways are not wide enough to supply the air your lungs are trying to draw in or push out. This creates a turbulent airflow that leads to the vibration that creates the sound of snoring. As a result, you spend your entire night being oxygen deprived, and it’s possible that many times a night your airway may actually close completely, cutting off air.

When your air supply is cut off, your body has to awaken slightly to resume breathing. This is what we call sleep apnea, and it’s a deadly health condition that needs to be treated.

Even if you don’t have sleep apnea, you’re still experiencing poor sleep and a lack of oxygen. As a result, you may experience daytime sleepiness and cognitive difficulties. This can increase your risk of, for example, falling asleep behind the wheel, which can result in deadly accidents.

Snoring Is Damaging

snoring dangers detroitThere are many who believe that snoring on its own also has risks of serious cardiovascular problems. Some studies have linked it to an elevated risk of atherosclerosis, hardened arteries. It is believed that the constant, deep vibrations of snoring cause tiny injuries to the blood vessels in the head and throat. When the body places scabs over these injuries, the result is a hardening of the arteries. The scabs on the wounds can later become free as a result of elevated blood pressure or just spontaneously, traveling to the brain, where it may block blood vessels there: a stroke. Strokes can be fatal, and they can result in severe, permanent brain damage. The longer you snore, the more damage that is done to your blood vessels and the greater your stroke risk.

Snoring and Domestic Violence

Snoring is one of the more common causes of arguments in households across America. Partners of snorers lose over an hour of sleep every night, and it feels like even more than that because sleep fragmentation degrades the effectiveness of sleep. Since the snorer is also getting poor sleep, it’s no wonder that arguments about snoring can escalate, resulting in violence.

And even if snoring doesn’t cause domestic violence, it is one of the leading causes of divorce in the US.

Don’t put yourself, your health, or your family at risk. Please call (248) 480-0085 or email the Michigan Center for TMJ & Sleep Wellness today and learn more about snoring dangers in Detroit.