Snoring & Health

More people are afflicted by snoring than most people think. One in five men snore. One in ten women and even 10 % of all children snore. The noise generated by snoring can reach more than 90 decibels, which is the same noise level as a bar full of people with music. It takes no more than 30 decibels to disturb a good night’s sleep.

The health consequences of snoring are often underestimated. Snoring disturbs the regular sleeping pattern of you and your partner. The faltering breathing through the mouth, in combination with the obstruction of your pharynx due to the incorrect position of your lower jaw, causes your oxygen uptake to be deficient during sleep. As a result you get insufficient rest and are still tired when you wake up in the morning. The lack of regeneration, or ‘recharging of your batteries’, during sleep can lead to serious health problems in the long term.

Snoring also disturbs your partner’s rest, causing his of her sleep patterns to be interrupted. Snoring often causes couples to drift apart, both emotionally and physically (sleeping in another room). Research shows that emotional and physical distance between partners can have a negative effect on their health in the long term.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS):

Apart from the negative long-term effects on your health snoring can also cause serious short-term damage to your health, if you suffer from ‘sleep apnoea’.

There are three kinds of sleep apnoea: obstructive, central and complex. Obstructive sleep apnoea is the number one cause of loud snoring. When the flow of air in the mouth or nose is interrupted for more than 5 seconds, this is called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS). Sleep apnoea causes you to wake up several times a night, and can lead to fatigue and concentration problems during the day.

Sleep apnoea is measured using the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI). As of at least 5 apnoeas per sleep session, the sleep apnoea is characterised as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS). Up to 15 apnoeas a night constitutes a mild form of the syndrome.

Obstructive snoring: Obstructive snoring is characterised by a partial obstruction in the upper respiratory tract. In the long run this can lead to high blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Some scientists have even suggested a link with early dementia, because poor oxygen uptake during sleep over a long period of time can cause brain damage.

The Snoozer® has a proven action against snoring and improves your health.