Suppose, there’s all right and right you never wish to wake up from—eating with a movie star or relaxing on a fine sandy coast. The worst thing that can happen is that your partner is snoring right beside you.
You could shake him/her wake and tell him/her to go back to sleeping in the hope of waking up to the dream. Some may shout lavishly, disturbing the partner vigorously: “Honey wake up, you are snoring again.” Can you please stop?”
However, snoring is not one of those things that can be regulated easily by the victim. While people are able to shut their mouth, and stop speaking, they cannot switch off their foam dummy, also known as the ‘snore button.’
This position can be very demoralizing particularly if the non snoring partner is as frustrated as the latter is embarrassed. In the long run, people even joke around with each other on how the patient snores during his sleep.
However, it’s important to note that it may, in fact, be indicative of a more severe condition, such as sleep apnea and should preferably be reviewed with a physician.
The term apnea means the suspension of breathing is a term used commonly when explaining different types of sleep disorders.
Snoring is characterized by a partially closed airway, which in turn results to pause and start airflow. This blockage can lead to the snorers to produce some forms of sound such as snorts or wheezing as they try to breathe.
In severe cases it is possible to have complete upper airway occlusion for more than ten seconds and such an event, if disruptive to the other family members, signals obstructive sleep apnea.
So, how can you tell which is normal and which is the dangerous kind of snoring? In fact, there are two main types to be aware of:
1. Primary Snoring: This type of snoring involves noisy breathing without episodes of choking and gagging passing through it. Primary snorers are those whose sounds are constant throughout the period of sleep and awakes with a dry mouth.
In primary stage it does not have insomnia or tends to have excess daytime sleepiness.
2. Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Some forms of snoring include; loud, gasping, snorting and wheezing, OSA is a more severe form of snoring as compared to others.
If you have any doubts that your partner actually has a form of snoring beyond primary snoring, it is appropriate to seek the opinion of a health care provider.
However, if you think the snoring is harmless, regardless of the severity, it is advisable for you to consult with your physician to solve for a possible sleep disorder that poses health risks.
