What is the difference between snoring and sleep apnea?

Snoring affects millions of people of all ages. It is estimated that between 24 and 50% of adult males and between 12 and 27% of adult females are habitual snorers. The cause of snoring is the physical obstruction of the smooth airflow through the mouth and nose. The walls of the airway can vibrate during breathing, resulting in the distinctive sounds of snoring. Airflow can be obstructed by a combination of factors, including obstructed nasal cavities (commonly caused by allergies; nasal or sinus infections; or septal deviation), poor muscle tone in the throat and tongue, bulky throat tissue, and long soft palate and/or uvula (the dangling tissue in back of the mouth) – one of the most common causes of snoring. Several outer conditions can further worsen your snoring, such as obesity, alcohol abuse, heavy meal consumption before bedtime, and smoking.

While habitual snoring generally affects the people who are sleeping in the same room with snorer, sometimes may be affected a snorer itself! Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious illness that is almost always accompanied by loud snoring, and is characterized by long interruptions of breathing during sleep that are caused by partial or total obstruction or blockage of the airway. If you spend the night with someone suffering from OSA, you may be shocked realizing that this person stops breathing almost every single minute, with breathing interruptions sometimes lasting more than 20 seconds!

About 5 to 10 percent of habitual snorers actually suffer from OSA and they are at increased risk of long-term health problems! Among others, this condition is characterized by lowered blood oxygen levels, which causes the heart to pump harder and blood pressure to rise. The result is a poor night's sleep, which leads to drowsiness during the day and can interfere with the person’s quality of life. Prolonged suffering from obstructed sleep apnea will result in higher blood pressure and may cause enlargement of the heart, with higher risks of heart attack and stroke. 

If your doctor suspects that you might have an obstructive sleep apnea, she/he may decide that you perform so called a “sleep study” – for one night you will be connected to the small apparatus attached to your chest that will monitor your breathing, heart rate, and levels of oxygen during your sleep.