Difference Between Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Posted by Jess Williams on February 22nd, 2019

Sleep apnea and snoring are two sleep-related health problems. Snoring is considered as the initial stage of sleep apnea. But many patients do not aware of the differences between the snoring & sleep apnea. This article is all about the basic differences between snoring and sleep apnea.

1. The medical study reveals that there is no fixed connection between the snore & apnea. The person who snores may not be suffered in sleep apnea in the same way the person having sleep apnea not necessary having snoring difficulties.
2. The symptoms of Snoring & Sleep Apnea are different. In snoring a loud sound produces with nose due to vibration in the air passage. This is due to the obstacle in the air passage. The obstacle or blocked in air passage is the result of many things like cold, allergies etc.

The symptom of sleep apnea is subtly in nature and cannot be detected by the patient until it reaches a severe condition. A short pause in the respiratory process is the prime symptom of sleep apnea. The severity of the apnea is calculated according to the number of air pause count per hour.

Up to 15 pauses per hour is a mild problem, 15 to 30 pauses per hour a moderate apnea and above 30 pauses per hour is severe sleep apnea condition. The sleep apnea can be deadly whereas snowing is not such severe health problems on the human body.

3. Snoring and Sleep Apnea can be differentiated according to their risk factor. Sleep Apnea has more prominent risk factors in both physical as well as psychological health. Sleep Apnea without having snoring symptoms is more dangerous if left untreated. It gradually decreases the blood circulation and oxygen supply to the brain and the whole body part. As a result, the life span of the patient decreases drastically.

The snoring cannot be reached at the severe condition as the prime symptom of loud noise aware of the patient as like alarm.

4. Snoring & Sleep Apnea are also different from each other in terms of treatment involves. The snoring can be treated naturally with making some few lifestyle changes like losing excess weight, live an active lifestyle, free from addiction & adjusting the sleeping position etc.

In the other hand, sleep apnea required to advance medical treatment to get rid out from it. A device called Airway Treatment Dental Device is used to maintain continuous positive airway pressure. This is a very simple device and the patient can drink & talk by wearing the device.

5. Though the reason for snoring & sleep apnea is almost the same they're still there is little difference noticed. At the time of the sleep, the whole body gets relax so as the soft tissues of the neck also. At the relaxing positions, these tissues are narrow the breathing passage which creates an obstacle in the respiration process. When the air passes through these narrow passages forcefully the vibration in these tissues produce a special sound which called snoring.

And in case of the sleep apnea problem, this narrow passage actually blocked completely and airflow stops for a while.

Though there are many differences between the snoring & sleep apnea nothing is good for human health. It required immediate medical attention by the sleep specialist before things are going beyond control. So the fatigue at the day time, headache and laziness occur combined with the snoring, it is advised to consult the physicians. Otherwise, this simple lifestyle change will lead to high blood pressure, arrhythmias, psychological problems, cardiovascular diseases, heart attack, diabetes, and many other chronic diseases.