Snoring not only keeps sleep partners awake, but also the snorers, themselves. And snoring also contributes to other health issues other than tiredness.

People with nighttime breathing problems may be 80 percent more likely to develop depression compared to people who breathe (and sleep) soundly through the night.

Snoring and other night time breathing problems also contribute to:

High blood pressure [Hypertension]
Heart disease
S troke
Excessive daytime sleepiness.

Snoring Related Depression

Depression associated with snoring is more than just grumpiness from waking up tired. Serious depression often goes hand-in-hand with a sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD), a condition that interferes with breathing whilst attempting to sleep.

Sleep apnea, a common SRBD, deprives your body of oxygen by slowing your breathing way down. Some people stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer, often several times an hour.

The brain rouses them from deep sleep to get them breathing again, interrupting their sleep pattern.

It is not well understood how snoring and sleep apnea contribute to depression; however, frequent awakenings and/or oxygen deprivation may help trigger the mood disorder.

However, it is well accepted that SRBDs and depression are closely linked. In a study, people with an SRBD were much more likely to develop depression over 4 years compared to the people who did not have sleep-related breathing problems. The worse their nighttime breathing problems, the more severe the depression.

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

Sleep Disorder Treatments

Sleep Apnea Resources