Snoring may not just be an annoyance to your partner and something that wakes you up multiple times a night.
You may think it’s the snoring that is keeping you awake, but in reality, snoring may be a sign of something more troubling.
Snoring is a significant symptom of heart problems and the combination of snoring and heart arrhythmia may be what is causing you sleepless nights.
You have obstructive sleep apnea.
How Dangerous Is It?
Obstructive sleep apnea poses many health problems for those who suffer from it. It can increase the risks of obesity, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and heart attack.
Those with this disorder stop breathing for up to 20 seconds during sleep and this can occur up to hundreds of times each night.
Not all those who have this disorder snore and not all snorers have sleep apnea.
Those who snore should see it as a symptom and have it checked out by a doctor.
How Snoring is Connected to the Heart
When people snore, oxygen levels drop in the body triggering various hormone centers to produce an overwhelming amount of adrenaline, cortisone, and other hormones.
These hormones affect the heart because they cause irregularities, cause high blood pressure and exacerbate heart failure.
They can also trigger heart attacks.
Being able to resolve your sleep apnea will likely also reduce your snoring as well as help the overall health of your heart.
The secret is to get to the root of the apnea. It can stem from any number of causes and a doctor will need to determine that.
Who is at Risk?
Those who are at risk for this sleep disorder include those with diabetes, those in their 50s and 60s, and those who use alcohol or sleeping pills.
Men are more at risk than women for this type of sleeping disorder.
You should talk to your doctor if you snore or are constantly waking up during the night.
You may be waking up because you aren’t breathing properly, which indicates the disorder.
