Snoring has become a bedroom nuisance, where the loud, wacky sounds keep the other person awake, staring at the ceiling in frustration. Some may even call it a relationship deal-breaker. But what many do not realise is that this symptom points to an underlying health condition, which may be connected to a chain effect of health conditions. So instead of getting irritated, consider addressing the situation with empathy and a medical perspective.

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Don't ignore snoring! (Picture credit: Pexels)

To bring in a more serious perspective, did you know snoring is linked to brain health and possible dementia risk? Giving much-needed clarity on this alarming association, Dr Pramod Krishnan, HOD and consultant, neurology, epileptology and Sleep Medicine at Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road in Bengaluru, weighed in with expert insights on why you should not be casual about someone snoring in your household, let alone dismiss it as an annoyance. In reality, snoring is a symptom of a sleep disorder which is serious enough to adversely affect brain health and cause life-threatening conditions.

The neurologist advocated for empathy as he recounted the wide evidence linking this ‘habit’ to actually being a symptom of a sleep disorder, “Growing scientific evidence suggests that it is no laughing matter and may indicate a serious underlying sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).”

He elaborated that OSA, aside from loud habitual snoring, has other signs and symptoms which may sometimes overlap with other ailments. Some of them include:

Like a domino effect, since the body is so interconnected, other areas can get affected, where a simple symptom like snoring, which is viewed more as an irritation than a health symptom, may actually be a risk factor for dementia and life-threatening conditions like stroke.

Upon closer inspection, it can be found that your cognitive functions can get affected when you let OSA persist. The doctor indicated that memory-related areas get affected. And memory loss is one of the telltale signs of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia. But why are memory areas, the hippocampus/amygdala, getting affected?

Dr Krishnan answered, “Repeated oxygen drops can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and injury to neurons. Especially in areas involved in memory and other cognitive functions. Cognitive testing has consistently linked OSA to suboptimal cognitive performance in many affected individuals across several domains, including attention, executive function, processing speed, and memory."

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.