In some cases, snoring is just an annoyance that can result in the occasional argument when you and your partner are trying to sleep. However, snoring is sometimes a sign of a more serious issue with your sleeping patterns.
The cause of snoring for some people is an excess of alcohol and tobacco that relaxes or constricts the throat a bit too much, causing vibrations to emanate from the back of the throat.
However, the most serious, chronic snorers may have a medical issue that’s causing them to lose sleep, making them less valuable to their employers while at work.
Causes of Snoring
There are a variety of reasons why your throat may become constricted, causing you to snore. Being overweight can result in an excess of throat tissue due to added fat, narrowing airways and increasing loud vibrations.
Frequent and heavy drinkers might snore because their intoxication relaxes muscles in the throat a bit too much, resulting in loud noise while sleeping. Allergies and sinus infections might be the cause, blocking airways that are normally clear. If you just happen to be born with a long uvula or soft palate, both of these issues can lead to snoring through obstructed airways that vibrate.
How Does This Affect My Career?
One of the best ways of maintaining a healthy mind and body is to get a good night sleep on a daily basis. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults receive between 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night in order to promote the healing and well-being of the mind and body.
Anything more or less is considered not ideal. In fact, for all intensive purposes, those who don’t sleep for 24 hours function in a way similar to those who have a blood alcohol content of 0.1, which is above the legal limit for driving. Enduring a week with five hours of sleep or less per night also has the same effect.
Snoring, especially when caused by sleep apnea or a deviated septum, can wake you up several times a night, preventing you from getting the solid sleep that you need to function at your best. This will cause a dip in job performance, especially for those with occupations that require a great deal of focus and concentration. While you may not get fired because you’re not sleeping enough, the fact that you can’t perform at your best will likely prevent you from developing your career as fully as you wish, especially when competing against people who get enough sleep.
If you’re dealing with snoring caused by sleep apnea, a deviated palette, allergies or other causes, visiting a doctor with expertise in this type of medicine will help get rid of that thunderous noise you create as you sleep, returning you to a more consistent and peaceful slumber.
Which Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment is Right for Me?
At Houston Sinus & Allergy, we assess patients for the severity of their condition, and determine which snoring treatment is right for you. Learn about the snoring treatments we provide that have helped countless patients with snoring problems, or book an assessment with our experienced ENT, Dr. Nguyen, and start sleeping well again.
