It's the night-time terror that for many thousands of people across Havering is the cause of stress anxiety and many a sleepless night.
While there are many causes of snoring, the end result is always the same; snorts, grunts and whistling, that can prevent or interrupt sleep patterns. But, doctors are warning that regular snoring maybe a sign of something more serious.
A survey conducted by BMI Healthcare in London found that in Havering 73 per cent of residents said their partners sleeping habits had caused arguments or affected their night's sleep.
Snoring occurs when the throat, tongue, and muscles in the roof of the mouth relax, obstructing the airways. The obstruction causes air turbulence when you breathe. Snoring affects people of all ages, though it can worsen as you get older.
"While snoring for many people can be annoying and disruptive we don't generally think of it as something to be overly concerned or worried about," Adrian Williams Professor of Sleep Medicine at BMI Healthcare commented. "However frequent, loud snoring can be a sign of sleep apnoea, a common and potentially serious disorder that causes interruptions in your breathing during sleep."
Sleep apnoea affects the way you breathe while you're sleeping. During an episode of sleep apnoea, breathing is briefly interrupted or becomes very shallow. These pauses in the normal breathing rhythm typically last between 10 to 20 seconds and can occur hundreds of times a night, jolting you out of your natural sleep rhythm. As a consequence, you spend more time in light sleep and less time in the deep, restorative sleep you need to be energetic, mentally sharp, and productive the next day.
Here Professor Williams and his team at BMI Healthcare look at the simple changes that can help ease snoring and help prevent episodes of sleep apnoea:
• Lose weight if you are overweight or obese
• Limit your alcohol consumption and avoiding alcohol during the evening
• Quit smoking
• Avoid the use of sleeping tablets and tranquillisers
• Don't sleep on your back
Lifestyle changes, such as losing excess weight, can often help mild cases of sleep apnoea to resolve. In more severe cases though, the use of breathing apparatus while sleeping may be necessary. Left untreated sleep apnoea can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
"Many people may not think that they could visit their GP about their snoring," Professor Williams commented. "But, if your snoring is affecting your sleep and is impacting your life with excessive tiredness or poor concentration it could be a sign you are having episodes of sleep apnoea. Mild cases of sleep apnoea can usually be treated by making simple lifestyle changes, but it is always important to visit your GP so they can perform an assessment and suggest the best available treatment plan.
