Snoring Can Be Associated with the Risk of Dangerous Diseases

Snoring is often considered a bad habit during sleep. Because the snoring sound that is often disturbing by people around. Snoring is a fairly common thing, but this condition can also appear as a symptom of a dangerous medical condition. Snoring is more experienced by men, especially men who are overweight. Some people who are overweight tend to experience sleep apnea with its main characteristics snoring to wake up. This condition is likely caused by excess fat that has accumulated around the neck, causing interrupted breathing during sleep.

Snoring and the Risk of Accompanying Diseases

Some people may have tonsils or large tongue which can narrow or obstruct the airway, causing snoring during sleep. Family history of snoring and drinking can also increase the risk of snoring. As you age, snoring can get worse. In certain cases, snoring can also be associated with an increased risk of various dangerous diseases, including:

• Respiratory disorders

People who snore often at risk of experiencing sleep apnea. This condition can cause breathing problems due to a closed airway. This incident can occur more than 10 seconds during sleep.

• GERD

People who snore and have sleep apnea are also at risk of developing gastric acid disease (GERD). This condition causes a change in pressure which makes the stomach contents go up again the esophagus.

• Headaches and insomnia

Research reveals that there is a relationship between morning headaches and insomnia. People who snore and often have headaches tend to have lower quality of life than those who don't.

• Stroke

According to the study, the intensity of snoring is associated with the risk of carotid atherosclerosis, which is narrowing of the arteries in the neck due to fat deposits or plaque. Plaque accumulation is what can cause a stroke, if it also occurs in the blood vessels of the brain.

• Arrhythmia

In the long term, obstructive sleep apnea sufferers may experience enlargement of the left atrium of the heart and may affect the electrical conduction of the heart. This condition is known as arrhythmias (heart rhythm disorders).

• Pregnancy complications

Although the relationship isn't completely clear, studies have found that pregnant women who snore in the last trimester of pregnancy are more at risk of developing pregnancy complications or fetal disorders.

In addition to the possible risks above, snoring can also cause other complications, such as difficulty concentrating, daytime drowsiness, and a tendency to be aggressive. This condition can cause a person more at risk of an accident or injury, as well as lower sexual satisfaction. Therefore, if this habit of snoring feels very disturbing, you should immediately contact a doctor. To diagnose the cause of snoring, the doctor can make several diagnostic steps, for example by X-ray, CT scan, or MRI of the respiratory tract. In addition, the doctor may conduct a sleep study to confirm the condition. After the diagnosis is made, the doctor will ask the patient to adopt a healthy lifestyle as the initial step of treatment. Snoring habits can also be overcome independently by changing sleeping positions, sleeping on time and regularly, avoiding the use of alcohol, and drinking lots of water.