Studies show that 90 million people in the country occasionally experience snoring, while 18 million people suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. So, what is snoring? It is a physiological condition in which the vibrations caused by breathing against the narrow air passage. However, for many people snoring can be an indicator of a larger health issue. Before exploring the larger health issues, let us understand the differences between harmless and harmful snoring.

1. Snoring that is harmless
Snoring is perfectly normal; as one gets older, the throat muscles tend to get relaxed and snoring literally comes the byproduct of aging. Allergies due to seasonal variations and other respiratory illnesses cause snoring too, and they are commonly referred to as harmless snoring. A deviated septum or enlarged tonsils could also be factors for snoring. Sleep position also contributes to snoring as the flesh in the throat relaxes as one sleeps on their back, thereby blocking the airway. One must, try sleeping sideways and stack a few pillows if required.

To summarize, anatomical alterations and any kind of allergies triggered by a change in season or likewise could result in snoring. However, all of them are harmless snoring and are not likely to damage any other bodily function further. Perhaps, a very simple medication coupled with lifestyle medication could reinstate balance in the body.

2. Snoring that is harmful
More often than not, harmful snoring is nothing but obstructive sleep apnea OSA.  If the individual experiences any of the following symptoms over a period of time, it means that there is some kind of a potential health issue:

• Waking up and not feeling rested enough
• Drowsiness through the day
• Headaches in the morning or heaviness in the head
• Frequent migraine attacks
• Sudden weight gain in the recent past
• Increasing blood pressure in the recent past
• Pain in the chest at night
• Memory loss
• Less focus
• Waking up suddenly in the night and gasping for breath and
• Non-rhythmic breath flow while waking up gasping for breath

The above symptoms are a clear indication that the person is suffering from sleep apnea, wherein breathing is interrupted all through the night, resulting in snoring. The reason for this being the muscles at the back of the throat fail to keep the airway open. The biggest threat in snoring due to sleep apnea is the high risk for cardiovascular diseases.

It is to be noted that those with sleep apnea tend to wake up frequently in the night just to breathe due to the heavy snoring. Many have reported a feeling of choking to death with a sudden change in breathing pattern. It pretty much takes a few seconds to gasp for air and come to normalcy. If this process happens over and over again (reports have even tracked about 100 times per night), the person would be deprived of sleep. All of this is only going to worsen the situation.

If you do not have a bed partner who would catch you snoring, the biggest indicator would be headaches in the morning. Do not delay consulting your doctor once you notice a pattern in this symptom.