Tag Archives: Snoring

The indiscriminate snore

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Researchers suspect there may be a social stigma with snoring among women, leading some to withhold information about their snoring habits. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


New research shows that snoring is not the sole domain of men.


“We found that although no difference in snoring intensity was found between genders, women tend to underreport the fact that they snore and to underestimate the loudness of their snoring,” said lead investigator Dr. Nimrod Maimon. He is head of internal medicine at Soroka University Medical Center in Be’er Sheva, Israel.


“Women reported snoring less often and described it as milder,” Maimon said in a news release from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.


The study included more than 1,900 people, average age 49, who were referred to a sleep disorders center.


Snoring was found in 88% of the women, but only 72% reported that they snore. Both rates were about 93% in men in the study group.


Among people who snored, the average maximum loudness was 50 decibels among women and 51.7 decibels among men. While 49% of the women had severe or very severe snoring, only 40% rated their snoring at this level, the researchers found.


The study authors noted that there is a social stigma associated with snoring among women, so women may not be truthful when asked about snoring. More troubling, this may contribute to the underdiagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea in women.


Snoring is a common warning sign for obstructive sleep apnea, in which the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and other health issues.


“The fact that women reported snoring less often and described it as milder may be one of the barriers preventing women from reaching sleep clinics for a sleep study,” Maimon said.


When screening women for obstructive sleep apnea, health care providers should consider other factors in addition to self-reported snoring, he suggested.


For example, women with sleep apnea may be more likely than men to report other symptoms, such as daytime fatigue or tiredness.


The study was published online recently in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Lore of the snore

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A sleep schedule allowing for fewer than seven hours of sleep each night is likely to lead to serious health problems. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Mistaken beliefs about sleep are common and pose a significant health threat, a new study warns.


Among these myths: some people only need five hours of sleep, snoring is harmless and a drink before bedtime helps you fall asleep.


“Sleep is a vital part of life that affects our productivity, mood and general health and well-being,” lead investigator Rebecca Robbins said. “Dispelling myths about sleep promotes healthier sleep habits which, in turn, promote overall better health.”


Robbins is a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of population health at NYU Langone Health in New York City.


For the study, the researchers reviewed more than 8,000 websites to identify the 20 most common beliefs about sleep.


One of the top myths was the claim of some people who insist they can get by on five hours of sleep a night. The study authors said this poses the most serious health risk due the effects of long-term lack of sleep.


Robbins and her colleagues suggested creating a consistent sleep schedule and getting at least seven hours of shut-eye a night.


And don’t assume your snoring is no big deal—that’s another myth, the study team said. While it can be harmless, snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly during the night. Left untreated, it can lead to heart problems and other illnesses.


The researchers also dispelled the notion that a drink before bed can help you sleep. Alcohol actually makes it harder to achieve deep sleep, which is crucial for proper daytime functioning, they explained in a news release from NYU Langone.


The study was published online recently in the journal Sleep Health.


Study senior investigator Girardin Jean-Louis, a professor in the departments of population health and psychiatry at NYU Langone, said the public needs to be better informed about the importance of sleep.


“For example, by discussing sleep habits with their patients, doctors can help prevent sleep myths from increasing risks for heart disease, obesity and diabetes,” he said in the news release.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.