Important Snoring Facts
Myron Huett
Are your sweet dreams constantly interrupted by someone's incessant snoring? There are a few things you need to know.
Snoring affects people of all ages, all over the world. There are an estimated 40 million snorers in the United States alone. In the United Kingdom the figure is around 15 million, with the total climbing to over 15 million in Germany. Across the world, snoring caused by nasal airway blockages afflicts more than a billion people.
Research has given us some interesting facts about snoring. It's estimated that twenty percent of men in their early thirties snore, and nearly five percent of women in the same age bracket. By the time they reach their sixties, however, these numbers will escalate to sixty percent of men and forty percent of women.
It's believed that a higher percentage of men snore, simply because men tend to have larger necks. A man with a neck size of at least seventeen inches is almost guaranteed to snore. There are also more overweight men than women, and that increases the chances of snoring. Of the men who snore, about eighty percent don't consider it a problem. Instead, they see their wives as light sleepers.
A woman who snores is typically shorter and heavier than her female non-snoring counterparts. Women usually only snore through the nose, while men do so through their mouths and noses. Women are less likely to snore because they have smaller necks, larger air passages and a smaller uvula. When the problem does surface, however, a woman will be more likely to find a treatment.
Even young children can snore, usually because of an existing problem with the tonsils or adenoids. Studies have shown that up to six percent of young children snore.
There are some healthcare professionals who believe that the medical arena does not take snoring, along with its causes and outcomes, seriously enough. It's unlikely for a doctor to ask about sleeping habits during a routine physical. Studies also suggest that while seventy percent of people who snore will mention it to their doctors, only ten percent actually proceed with treatment methods. Dentists are able to design and fit mouth appliances to prevent snoring, but most do not ask patients about their sleeping difficulties.
The medical field and general public needs to be provided with more education on snoring and related sleep disorders. Sleep apnea, a medical condition that can cause potentially dangerous health problems, is hazardous to both the person suffering from it, and those who come in contact with them.
Researchers have suggested that people with sleep disorders cause more motor vehicle accidents than drunk drivers do. Further statistics show that seventy four percent of people with sleep apnea have been involved in at least one car accident.
Over eighty percent of snorers are not aware of the problem until it is pointed out to them. As they blissfully sleep, others struggle to rest against the ongoing racket. If someone in your home snores, or tells you that you've been snoring, it's worth speaking with a doctor. Snoring can be the first indication of underlying sleep disorders.
Essayist Myron Huett is an author for several popular Internet sites, on
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