Do all snorers have sleep apnea? If you suspect that either you or a loved one has sleep apnea, it's important to get to know the facts about this potentially fatal condition and find out the answers to such questions as "do all snorers have sleep apnea?" Read on for the answers.

Question: Do all snorers have sleep apnea?

The short answer is no, not all people who snore have sleep apnea. That's because snoring (which results when airflow is obstructed while sleeping) may be caused by a combination of many factors. Some examples are:

Snoring may be caused by

  1. Weight

    This is often the most common cause of snoring. A person who is overweight will likely have thicker neck tissues that can cause obstruction of the airway when the muscles relax while in deep sleep. In addition, lack of sufficient vigorous activity weakens the muscles necessary for breathing, including those in your throat.
  2. Position while sleeping

    If you sleep on your back, you will likely notice how the mouth and throat muscles relax more than if you sleep on your side on facing down. Even if you don't snore while sleeping on your back, it would be good to train yourself to do so now and prevent snoring by strengthening the airway muscles.
  3. Nasal resistance and obstruction

    The nose has the primary function to allow air to enter the body. If there is a resistance to airflow by either a deviated septum or a soft tissue obstruction within the nose, you will naturally breathe through your mouth. Mouth breathing then causes the uvula in the back of your throat to vibrate which can cause snoring.
Those are just some of the top causes of snoring. Other causes for snoring may be a hereditary defect in the anatomical structure of the mouth or throat, some forms of medication, and even drinking alcohol before bed. But these are not as serious as the cause with the biggest risk to your life as explained in the next section.

Why Sleep Apnea is The Most Dangerous Cause of Snoring

Sleep apnea is a serious condition causing frequent interruptions in your breathing during sleep. These interruptions can be just seconds long but will affect your sleep quality and leading to headaches, feeling sleepy and sluggish during the day, and moody. If left untreated and especially when combined with similar conditions as bad sleep habits, aging, lack of weight control, and insufficient exercise, these interruptions in breathing can increase in length and frequency, leading to more serious conditions like:
  • High blood pressure
  • A-fib (atrial fibrillation)
  • Heart attack
  • Diabetes
  • Stroke
  • And death!
 

How to stop snoring

Dr. Giesy is your sleep apnea expert in Tacoma, WA Do you now know how to explain the answer to the question, "do all snorers have sleep apnea?". Use what you learned here to help prevent snoring for yourself and to help a loved one. Dr. Giesy can help you diagnose the reason for your snoring and put you back in control of your sleep and life. Good understanding of the causes of snoring and making lifestyle changes are some of the best ways of stopping snoring. There are clinically-proven appliances and even natural ways to stop snoring that Dr. Giesy can recommend during your evaluation. If the cause of your snoring happens to be Sleep Apnea, he is also is an adeptly qualified expert on treating sleep apnea with several methods. Schedule your consultation today and stop the snoring!