Ah, Those Noisy Bugles In Another's Ear

Habitual snoring, or mere snoring, may be more than just annoyance. apart from upsetting one’s spouse’s sleep, one may be at risk of a host of health complications.

- Dr Rajgopal Nidamboor

When The Guinness Book of Records once illustrated the fascinating, yet believable story, of a Briton whose snoring patterns disturbed airline pilots at night, it was nothing short of a noisy crescendo construct. This is also human sound system for you. However, the mechanics of snoring are much more than what meets your ear.

Anybody that snores, whether softly or loudly, interfering with another’s sleep or dismantling roof-tops, is always the butt of a good deal of jokes. Not only for the spells of cacophony the unwanted indulgence produces, but also for the inherent discord and discontent, not to speak of ridicule and shame, it causes to its ‘promoter’ in social and familial circles. In their noisy sojourn, the eternal snorer may even be forced to deal with pitched battles vis-à-vis marital problems, constant tiredness, unsatisfactory output at the workplace and lack of personal decorum and effectiveness.

NOT FUNNY, IT’S SOLEMN

Snoring is a social dilemma. It is unsettling to family life. It makes the snorer the object of derision and causes other household members wakeful nights and umbrage. Snorers become undesirable roommates. Snoring also disturbs the sleeping patterns of the snorer, so much so they may not sleep relaxingly. Besides, heavy snorers tend to develop high blood pressure at a much younger age than people who do not snore.

Snoring is no luxury sport. Nearly 45 per cent of the human race snore at some period, with another 25 per cent fulfilling the requirements to being classified as chronic snorers. While it is men that seem to have a dominant preponderance in the nosey affair than their opposite sex, a host of transitory ailments, including some medications, besides other factors may cause occasional snoring.

Problem snoring is also more common in men and overweight individuals; it usually gets worse with age.