You may think that snoring is normal but it can be something worth your concern. It is not only a nuisance, but it can tell you something about your health. Let me share everything you need to know about snoring.
So, can snoring kill you? Yes, snoring can kill you or rather, the cause behind the snore is what can kill you. Snoring loudly every time you sleep is a major sign of sleep apnea, an illness that can kill people in their sleep.
Sleep apnea interrupts our breathing for a few seconds up to two minutes and that amount of time is already dangerous to our health.
The pauses in breathing happens approximately 400 times a night. The continuous disruption in our breathing will eventually affect our overall body’s functionality.
According to a study, about 40% of adult men and 24% of adult women are habitual snorers. It’s estimated that 22 million people suffer from sleep apnea which means that amount of people are actually snorers.
Approximately 40,000 people die from sleep apnea or conditions complicated by sleep apnea every year.
Being unable to breathe makes your muscles unable to relax as well.
Since your body is so worked up despite the fact that it should be “sleeping”, this will put your entire system in a dysfunctional state. You won’t be able to get enough rest and you will wake up feeling tired.
Sleep apnea is also recognized as an ” accompanying illness”, meaning that it doesn’t come alone. It is usually caused by another illness or it will invite another illness within you.
Difficulty in breathing alone is already dangerous, what more about the other risks it can bring? Sleep apnea can make patients suffer slowly without them even knowing about it.
This sleeping condition usually causes brain and heart issues which can be deadly if left untreated.
In fact, the sudden pauses in breathing alone caused by sleep apnea is enough to become a person’s cause of death since the heart is unable to beat and the oxygen doesn’t reach our brain.
So how does snoring or sleep apnea actually “kill” people? What are these illnesses that it can come together with? How can you stop it? Learn how to avoid the risks of snoring and sleep apnea as you read on.
How snoring can kill you
If your snoring is a sign of sleep apnea, aside from the possibility of suddenly dying in your sleep because you stopped breathing for a minute, there are other illnesses sleep apnea can create if left untreated.
These illnesses can lead to one unwanted ending which is death. Please keep in mind that not all of these are that “dangerous”, but we still want to let you know what sleep apnea or snoring can do to your entire life.
- Snoring & sleep apnea causes:
- Death
- Sleep apnea interrupts breathing that can affect the heart and the brain which can lead to sudden death during sleep.
- Difficult breathing
- Sleep apnea can occur when there is an obstruction in the airway or the brain is unable to function well that helps the body breathe, causing difficult breathing.
- Discomfort to your bed partner
- Since you will continue to snore, you will continue to make sleeping harder for your bed partner. This will eventually affect your overall relationship with people.
- Worsens other illnesses
- Being unable to breathe well during sleep disrupts your entire body’s functionality and eventually attacking the other diseases a patient may already have.
- Heart problems
- With sleep apnea, you are more prone to heart problems such as heart failure or heart attacks. This is due to the lack of blood oxygen levels.
- Irregular heartbeat
- Due to the low blood oxygen levels or the air is unable to reach your heart, it can lead to an abnormal heartbeat or pauses in breathing during sleep.
- Stroke
- Similar to heart problems
- Depression
- Being unable to breathe well during sleep and get the proper rest can mess up your emotions or eventually lead to depression.
- Weight gain or loss
- Sleep apnea messes up your body’s hormone production. You can end up gaining weight faster due to sleep apnea.
- Diabetes
- Having sleep apnea disables the body’s ability to control the sugar level which can lead to diabetes.
- High Blood Pressure
- Sleep apnea can potentially cause or worsen hypertension in people.
- Increases ADHD
- Being sleep deprived decreases the person’s ability to focus, worsening conditions such as ADHD.
- Headaches
- The lack of air that enters the brain can lead to other brain problems, but usually results in morning headaches.
- Daytime sleepiness
- Difficulty breathing at night can lead to restless sleeps, making you feel the need to stay asleep even during the day because your body couldn’t rest well at night.
- Insomnia
- Difficulty in breathing can lead to insomnia. Instead of waking up randomly at night, you will end up being unable to sleep.
- Seizures
- Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.
- Irritability
- When you are sleep deprived, you will unconsciously lose control of your emotional stability. You can become irritable or easily frustrated with sleep apnea.
- Poor memory
- Sleep apnea causes sleep deprivation which may lower your brain’s performance as it affects the brain activity, causing poor memory in patients.
- Respiratory diseases
- Sleep apnea is a respiratory disease that may cause other diseases or worsen them.
- Driving accidents
- The lack of concentration and daytime sleepiness can lead to driving accidents when you have sleep apnea.
- Death
It can be truly terrifying, so make sure you stop snoring or sleep apnea immediately.
How to stop snoring that can kill you
If you suspect that your snoring is no longer normal and it is already a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, then you should make sure that you treat it immediately before it gets worse.
The following treatments will be different depending on what causes the snoring or the sleep apnea in the first place.
It may involve surgical operations, using medical equipment or undergoing simple lifestyle changes. Again, the cure depends on the cause.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion
- For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
- Jaw Advancement Surgery
- For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
- Surgical Airway Advancement
- Similar to the 2nd example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
- Nasal Strips
- Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat conditions like sleep apnea and its symptoms such as snoring.
Nowadays, there are newly developed nasal strips that you can try.
- Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat conditions like sleep apnea and its symptoms such as snoring.
- Oral Appliance
- Oral pieces can help with sleep apnea and snoring, they are custom made to make sure it prevents the obstruction in the airways and counter sleep apnea and snoring.
- CPAP Treatment
- The CPAP or “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure” is a commonly used treatment and proven to be effective for sleep apnea patients and helping snoring.
- Avoid sedatives before going to sleep
- Certain sedatives can cause sleep apnea. Consult a medical expert to determine what type of sedative may be the cause.
- Treat chronic allergies
- Some allergies can trigger obstruction in your body’s airways and may cause you to have sleep apnea and cause you to snore.
- Try to avoid overworking yourself.
- Sometimes, simply going to sleep while totally exhausted can make our muscles relax too much to the point that it can lead to sleep apnea.
- Avoid drinking liquor before bed.
- Excessive liquor can also relax the muscles that will lead to sleep apnea. Limit alcohol consumption or avoid drinking too much before going to sleep.
- Sleep with your head elevated.
- When the head is not properly elevated, the tongue can fall back and block the air passage, causing the tissues to vibrate and snore.
You can also use an anti-snore pillow which will keep your head in proper place that can help stop sleep apnea. Sleeping in a chair or a recliner chair is also an option.
- When the head is not properly elevated, the tongue can fall back and block the air passage, causing the tissues to vibrate and snore.
- Try to sleep on your sides.
- Sleeping flat on our backs can cause the tongue to fall back and block the airways. It can also make the muscles relax and cause sleep apnea.
You can read about: “How to prevent sleeping on my back” to learn how you can keep sleeping on your sides.
- Sleeping flat on our backs can cause the tongue to fall back and block the airways. It can also make the muscles relax and cause sleep apnea.
- Get plenty of exercises.
- Lack of physical activity can cause our body’s functionality to drop. This means that we need the right amount of exercise to keep our body “awake” and functioning even as we sleep.
- Stop or limit smoking.
- If your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and causing you to snore.
Those who are also exposed to secondhand smoke can be prone to sleep apnea, so avoid getting near smoke as much as possible.
- If your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and causing you to snore.
- Drink enough water.
- When we are dehydrated, the throat becomes dry which makes the vibrating tissues sound louder and produces snoring or sleep apnea. Stay hydrated!
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Our diet plays a huge part in our health! You should also avoid eating heavy before sleeping, if you go to sleep on a full stomach, your muscles may not work as it should.
Focus on eating healthy foods!
- Our diet plays a huge part in our health! You should also avoid eating heavy before sleeping, if you go to sleep on a full stomach, your muscles may not work as it should.
- Sleep on time.
- Not getting the right amount of sleep and not sleeping early can cause the body to become dysfunctional and have sleep apnea.
- Lose weight.
- Being overweight or obesity will cause difficulty in breathing. The excess fat will get in the way of the air passages, causing tissues to vibrate and cause sleep apnea.
To understand the best treatment for your snoring or sleep apnea, please consult your doctor for proper diagnosis.
What are the signs of snoring that can kill
- When you snore heavily
- Maybe, it can be a sign of fatigue but snoring loudly and constantly can be a sign of sleep apnea.
- Sudden weight gain or loss
- Losing control of your weight can be a sign of sleep apnea.
- Gasping for air during sleep
- The feeling of drowning without knowing it and suddenly you’re out of air.
- If you have insomnia
- Having trouble going to sleep because you have breathing problems that you may not notice
- If you experience hypersomnia
- Having trouble staying awake in the morning because you were unable to sleep well due to your sleep apnea
- Waking up with a headache
- Sleep apnea can disturb your body’s “charging” state. Since you can’t sleep well, your body will use energy for means that can help you breathe which may lead to headaches.
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- With sleep apnea, the person tends to snore and keep their mouth open when gasping for air which leads to a dried up mouth once we awaken.
- Decreased ability to focus
- Sleep apnea can give lack of sleep which will also result in difficulty to focus on anything
- Feeling uncomfortable
- Your lack of energy due to sleep apnea can make you feel uncomfortable and irritable without your knowledge
- Suddenly stop breathing during sleep
- Your housemates should notice this and tell you about it. Sleep apnea can disrupt breathing that may last for up to 10 seconds which is already risky.
Related Questions
Does sleep apnea show up on autopsy reports?
Yes, sleep apnea shows up on autopsy reports but most of the time, doctors or people alone are more focused on its partnered diseases and conditions that sleep apnea is often overlooked despite its contribution to death.
Read: “Does Sleep Apnea Show Up On Autopsy?”
Does taking medicines before sleeping worsen sleep apnea?
Yes, medicines, drugs or sedatives that can cause the muscles to relax will definitely worsen sleep apnea and may result in other conditions that can be fatal and may result in sudden death during sleep.
Can sleep apnea kill a child?
Yes, sleep apnea can potentially kill a child.Sleep
apnea causes difficulty in breathing and repetitive short pauses in
heartbeats which can turn fatal if worst comes to worst.
Interrupted
breathing and paused heartbeats can result in other medical problems
that affect the heart and the brain the most and that is what sleep
apnea does to our bodies, even children.
Obstructive sleep apnea makes children more prone to different illnesses mainly attacking the brain or heart.
Read: “Can Sleep Apnea Kill a Child?” for more.
