Snoring is the condition in which the affected person makes a sound due to the vibrations of the soft tissues in the throat. This vibration happens because of restricted airflow while breathing during sleep. There are different levels of snoring though; it can be mild as well as fatally serious. That is why you should never take the health issue lightly and seek medical attention as soon as the symptoms are noticed.

Levels of Snoring

Snoring, that occurs due to a mild resistance in the airflow within the upper airways, is not associated with any sleeping disorders. However, if the resistance is increased again, the awakening from sleep will get more prominent. Still, this is not that serious to cause a decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood and this condition is known as respiratory effort related arousal.

If the resistance increases even more, it will be hard to maintain the proper oxygen level in the blood as a result of the body’s efforts to provide adequate ventilation. This makes the affected person’s sleep more fragmented and there will be frequent disruptions during sleep. This condition is known as hypopnea syndrome.

Ideal Tests to Measure Sleepiness

MSLT (Multiple Sleep Latency Test)

This test will help to measure how fast someone will fall asleep during the daytime. MSLT is usually conducted after doing a sleep study for the night and the test comprises of at least 4 to 5 naps that last for 20 minutes within a frequent interval of two hours.

The average time required for the person to fall asleep in all these tests are taken into account – 10 minutes or more is considered as the normal time required for a person to fall asleep. If the person takes only 5 minutes of below to fall asleep, it is a sign of excessive sleepiness.

MWT (Maintenance of Wakefulness Test)

This test also measures the daytime sleepiness. Here, the patient is instructed to stay awake and 4 sessions comprising of 40 minutes with an equal interval of two hours is conducted. This test is especially done in employees in the Department Of Transportation like pilots, drivers, etc.

Why Snorers Must be Evaluated

As said, you must not take your snoring problem lightly; it can be an indicator of many serious medical conditions too. For instance, sleep apnea or gasping for breath during sleep may indicate heart-related problems, while jerking movements while sleeping may be a signal of restless leg syndrome or periodic limb movement disorder. Hence, it is necessary to conduct a sleep study to rule out these fatal disorders.