Many people still see snoring as just a noisy thing when sleeping, but experts believe that this may be an early warning sign of serious problems of the cardiovascular system.
Loud, prolonged snoring is often directly related to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA), which is a condition likened to a "alarm" for the heart.
According to Dr. Varun Bansal, senior consultant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital (India), snoring is not simply a bad habit.
“Gross and prolonged swelling is closely related to adverse changes in heart and blood vessel activity,” he emphasized.
Experts from the Apollo, Aster CMI and Fortis hospital systems have pointed out five main mechanisms why snoring and OSA are harmful to the cardiovascular system.
Oxygen deficiency and stress for the heart
When snoring turns into sleep apnea, the airway is blocked, causing breathing to stop for a few seconds, even minutes. This situation repeats dozens to hundreds of times each night, causing blood oxygen levels to drop sharply.
The brain triggers a stress response, forcing the heart to beat faster to compensate, making the heart unable to rest properly.
High blood pressure is difficult to control
In healthy people, nighttime blood pressure usually decreases. Conversely, people with chronic snoring or OSA have high blood pressure, even spikes in shortness of breath.
Dr. Vivek Mahajan, an interventional cardiologist at Fortis Kalyan Hospital (India), said that many cases of ineffective hypertension treatment have root causes from sleep apnea that have not been detected.
Increasing the risk of arrhythmia
Interrupted breathing stimulates the body to release stress hormones such as adrenaline, increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation and other rhythmic disorders. These disorders make the heart pump blood ineffectively, leading to the risk of stroke and congestive heart failure.
Causing inflammation and damage to blood vessels
According to Dr. Sunil Kumar K, an interventional lung disease expert at Aster CMI Hospital (India), repeated apnea causes systemic inflammation.
Chronic infections damage the endothelial layer of blood vessels, promote atherosclerosis, which is the leading factor leading to myocardial infarction and impaired heart function.
Create a metabolic stress vicious cycle
Snoring often comes with abdominal obesity and diabetes. Sleep disorders disrupt the hormones of hunger and satiety, causing weight gain, thereby exacerbating snoring. This vortex accelerates cardiovascular damage at an earlier age.
Doctors recommend not ignoring snoring if it is accompanied by daytime fatigue, shortness of breath when sleeping, morning headaches, dry mouth or uncontrollable high blood pressure.
The good news is that heart damage caused by OSA can be prevented and even recovered if detected early. CPAP treatment, weight control, and lifestyle changes are important steps to protect the heart for the long term.
(The article is for reference only, not for professional advice. Always consult a doctor or medical expert if you have questions).
