Snoring
is often laughed off as a joke. It’s a punchline in slapstick comedies. But it isn’t a joke. There are very real snoring dangers that can have grave consequences if ignored. Snoring could be a sign of sleep apnea, which is associated with deadly heart and metabolic conditions. But snoring also has dangers of its own, and may increase your risk of stroke. Snoring can also put you and your family at risk from domestic violence—arguments about snoring often result in physical violence because neither person is capable of being rational with little sleep.
Snoring occurs because your airways are not wide enough to supply the air your lungs are trying to draw in or push out. This creates a turbulent airflow that leads to the vibration that creates the sound of snoring. As a result, you spend your entire night being oxygen deprived, and it’s possible that many times a night your airway may actually close completely, cutting off air.
When your air supply is cut off, your body has to awaken slightly to resume breathing. This is what we call sleep apnea, and it’s a deadly health condition that needs to be treated.
Even if you don’t have sleep apnea, you’re still experiencing poor sleep and a lack of oxygen. As a result, you may experience daytime sleepiness and cognitive difficulties. This can increase your risk of, for example, falling asleep behind the wheel, which can result in deadly accidents.