Is snoring actually bad for your health?

We’ve all done it – even you. But is snoring simply a minor annoyance, or could it signal a more serious health threat?

Of course, you never snore. Your partner does. Your parents do. Even your children, roommates, and pets might. But not you.

If that’s what you believe, it might be time to invest in a sleep tracker and see just how often you interrupt your own sleep each night.

The truth is, we all snore. Beyond leaving us tired the next day, long-term snoring can have devastating effects on our health.

Here’s why, and what you can do about it.

What is snoring?

Contrary to what you might think, your partner isn’t snoring on purpose to annoy you. In fact, having the ability to snore on cue would be pretty impressive.

In reality, snoring is caused when there is a partial obstruction of airflow through the mouth and nose during sleep, which then causes the soft tissues in the throat to vibrate. These vibrations produce anything from a soft humming to a loud noise, AKA snoring.

“This usually occurs when, during sleep, the muscles of the throat, tongue, and soft palate relax more than they should, narrowing the air passage,” explains Dr. Sham Singh, a sleep expert and psychiatrist with a holistic approach to mental health at WINIT Clinic.

As Singh explains, one simple cause can be sleeping on our backs, which might allow gravity to act on the tissues inside these airways, causing a bit of a blockage.

Nudging your partner mid-sleep might be all it takes to interrupt their snoring pattern or influence them to move into another sleeping position in which they can breathe more easily. But, Singh warns, this method, while offering temporary respite, does not treat any underlying medical conditions which may be to blame.

Who’s most susceptible to snoring?

Snoring can affect anyone, regardless of age or sex; however, some groups are at a higher risk than others.

“Statistically, men tend to snore more than women, and this could be due to the difference in throat anatomy and the way fat is distributed,” says Singh.

Our general health plays a role, too. Singh explains that being overweight contributes much to snoring because the excess fat around the neck compresses the airway. This may sound controversial, but studies like one published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine have confirmed the link, calling obesity “a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea.”

Snoring is also influenced by factors beyond our control. Age can also play a role as the muscles in the throat weaken over time, increasing the likelihood of obstruction.

As can your family history.

“Genetics can be another reason for snoring,” says Singh. “You may inherit structural features from your parents, such as a deviated septum, narrow airway, or enlarged tonsils, which can lead to snoring. Research into familial patterns, as reported in Chest, also underlines genetic predispositions.”

Other genetic contributors include the shape of one’s mouth and jaw, such as a recessed jaw or a high-arched palate.

“Stress and lifestyle factors, like smoking, alcohol consumption, and even nasal congestion resulting from allergies or colds, are well-known to worsen the condition,” adds Singh.

Is snoring really a health threat or is it just annoying?

We know snoring can cause friction in the bedroom, leading to tension and tiredness the next day. We know first-hand that if we don’t sleep well, it’s harder to operate at our best the next day, and we might even find it more difficult to sleep that night too.

But there’s more to it than that.

“Snoring should not be dismissed as merely an annoyance,” warns Singh. Prolonged periods of snoring are associated with serious health risks – especially when it is linked to obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is essentially the worst possible iteration of snoring, in which our breathing can repeatedly become shallow, or even stop entirely during sleep. As you can imagine, it doesn’t make for the most restful night.

According to a study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, untreated sleep apnea significantly heightens the risk of cardiovascular problems such as hypertension, stroke, and heart attack. Chronic sleep disruption also leads to cognitive decline, as recorded by research carried out by the Mayo Clinic.

Even your standard snoring, without apnea, can affect the quality of life. “The vibration from snoring can—according to studies like this one published in the journal Sleep Medicine—induce inflammation and possible damage to the carotid artery, increasing the risk of stroke,” warns Singh.

What bedtime hacks can help banish snoring for good?

Snoring often requires a combination of lifestyle changes and targeted interventions.

From environmental hacks to lifestyle switches, these expert tips should help you cut out the snoring, finally allowing you and your partner to catch some ZZZs.

Play around with the below to find what works for you.

Mix it up. Sleeping on your side rather than your back can prevent the tongue and soft palate from collapsing into the airway. “Try sewing a tennis ball into the back of your pyjamas to make sleeping on your back uncomfortable,” advises Singh.

Ditch the mouth tape. Your use of tape will come down to personal preference, but for James Wilson, The Sleep Geek at Mattress Online, the negatives outweigh the benefits. “If done wrong, it can lead to more issues with your breathing,” he says. Instead, Wilson suggests you visit a dentist for a bespoke mouth guard guaranteed to work.

Cut out booze. A 2020 study in the journal Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery found that reducing alcohol intake decreased snoring severity. Likewise, cutting out smoking can reduce inflammation and congestion in the airways, improving airflow.

Invest in new pillows. Swapping your down pillow for a foam one may help, according to Wilson. “Dust motes are less likely to live in a foam-filled pillow,” he says. “If you suffer from an allergy to them or the fibre used, this should reduce your snoring.”

Recalibrate your diet. “Weight loss is a powerful long-term solution for overweight individuals because it reduces fat deposits around the neck and improves muscle tone,” says Singh.

Invest in sleep gadgets. For immediate relief, Singh recommends nasal strips or external dilators to open up your airways, while anti-snoring mouth guards, or ‘MAD,’ can reposition the jaw to keep the airway open.

Offset inflammation. According to Wilson, spicy foods can cause inflammation in the airways, leading to a greater chance of snoring. The solution? “Try a spoonful of olive oil before bed,” he says. “It’s anti-inflammatory and may give your partner a bit of quiet.”

Be mindful before bed. As well as helping you leave the stress of the day behind, a mindful routine at the end of the day might also help you sleep better, too. “The management of stress through practices like mindfulness and deep breathing exercises may help with sleep quality and, in addition, decrease detrimental behaviours related to teeth grinding that can aggravate snoring,” advises Singh.

Words: Tom Ward