Snoring itself is not officially classified as a medical condition, however, it can be a medical condition when it is severe or chronic, especially if it is accompanied by disruptive symptoms of Sleep-Disordered Breathing, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)  (Reference The Mayo Clinic)

Symptoms

Snoring is often associated with a Sleep Disorder called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). Not all snorers have obstructive sleep apnoea, however if snoring is accompanied by any of some of these symptoms listed below, your snoring may be an indication that you need to talk to your GP for a referral to a Respiratory or ENT Doctor, for further assessment and treatment for potential OSA:

  1. Your partner may witness your breathing pauses during your sleep
  2. Feeling excessively tired, prone to falling asleep in the daytime
  3. Finding it difficult to concentrate
  4. Wakening up with a headache in the morning
  5. Wakening up with a sore throat
  6. Sleeping restlessly throughout the night
  7. Frequent gasping or choking at night, specifically witnessed by a bedpartner
  8. Raised blood pressure
  9. Loud snoring which is disrupting to your partner’s sleep, causing them tiredness and irritability as a consequence of nighttime noise 
  10. Your partner may opt to leave the bedroom as your snoring may be so chronically disruptive to their sleep on an ongoing basis

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is often characterized by loud Snoring, often followed by silence, when breathing stops or almost stops. Eventually, this reduction or pause in breathing may signal a startled jump, reinitiating the cycle of breathing once more. 

This may often be heard or witnessed as a gasping or snorting sound. The cycle of breathing interruptions may then start again and repeat throughout the night, depending on the severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea present. 

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea can be categorised as Mild, Moderate or Severe. 

If you or someone close to you snores and have some of the symptoms listed above, these symptoms may indicate your snoring could be associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). 

Discuss your symptoms with your GP and request a referral to: contact@sleephealthclinic.ie  (This is a Health Mail address) where your referral will be triaged and scheduled with a Consultant in Respiratory and Sleep Medicine or an ENT consultant for your assessment, appropriate investigation and treatment of your presenting symptom(s).