Snoring can badly affect a relationship but is it actually a sign that it is affecting your health?

A lot of people wave it off as an issue their partner has to deal with, or move into the spare bedroom.

But is snoring signifying a deep-lying health

“Most simply, snoring can fragment sleep, robbing us of its full restorative benefits. But it’s the most common symptom of a common yet widely undiagnosed condition called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA),” Dr Shereen Lim, a dental specialist in airway health and author of Breathe, Sleep, Thrive, told The Guardian.

OSA occurs when a person’s breathing pauses at night, because their throat becomes partly or completely blocked for a short time while they are asleep.

OSA can occur at any age but it’s more common as people get older, especially if overweight.

People who have OSA may snore, wake up gasping and feel tired during the day.

“OSA has been linked to disturbed sleep, chronic stress and inflammation. But it’s also linked to an increased risk of virtually every chronic health condition, from high blood pressure, heart disease and depression to metabolic disease, memory loss, cancer and more,” said Dr Lam

A loud snore may indicate greater resistance to airflow, but far more concerning is a person’s sleep is disrupted. Signs and symptoms include choking or gasping while asleep, waking up unexpectedly, or just feeling tired during the day.

Tips to help a person stop snoring?

·       Sleep on Your Side

·       Wear a Nasal Strip or Dilator

·       Use an Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece

·       Make Lifestyle Changes

·       Reduce weight

Besides reducing snoring, anti-snoring dental devices can even positively impact mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Sleepers shouldn’t self-diagnose or self-treat sleep apnea, however.

Only use a dental device for sleep apnea with the approval of your doctor.

“Snoring is a symptom of poor airway structure and function. It plays out during sleep because our muscles are more relaxed, we are lying down, and reflexes that normally keep our airway open during the day are not active during sleep,” said Dr Lam.