Sometimes a person is diagnosed with sleep apnea because their partner has been awakened night after night by their intense and loud snoring, and the partner has finally insisted that their loved one take part in a sleep study.
Snoring is not a prerequisite for having sleep apnea, although it is frequently a symptom associated with this prevalent sleep disease. The use of CPAP masks and machines, which should eliminate or significantly reduce snoring, is an integral part of the treatment for sleep apnea.
It is possible that there is an issue with the performance of your CPAP mask or equipment if you or your partner have been diagnosed with sleep apnea but are still snoring despite using CPAP therapy.
Snoring occurs when the passage of air through the mouth and nose is physically obstructed in some way.
The following are some of the potential causes of airway obstruction:
- Long uvula or other part of the soft palate
- a lack of muscular tone in either the tongue or the throat
- obstructed passageways in the nasal cavity
- excessive amounts of throat tissue
Snoring when receiving CPAP treatment may be an indication that there is a problem with your sleep therapy setup; therefore, it is important to investigate the at-home repairs that are listed below or to speak with your primary care physician about solutions to stop snoring.
Is It Normal to Snoring Despite Using a CPAP Mask?
Snoring even while using CPAP is not considered normal. This prevents the soft palate, uvula, and tongue from sliding into the airway and lowers the vibration that generates the sound of snoring.
Snoring can be stopped with CPAP because it delivers a consistent flow of continuous positive airway pressure to the upper airway.
If, after a few days of utilizing CPAP equipment, you find that you are still snoring, it is important that you speak with either your primary care physician or a sleep care practitioner. It is imperative that you do not tinker with the settings of your CPAP machine or mask on your own.
Does Treatment with CPAP Help to Decrease Snoring?
It’s possible that you’re curious about whether or not a CPAP mask and machine can put an end to snoring. To put it simply, absolutely! Snoring can be reduced by sleep therapy, as it should be, and this should be the case.
However, due to the fact that snoring can have other causes, beginning CPAP therapy may not entirely cease snoring. As was previously said, a CPAP machine makes use of continuous positive airway pressure to keep the throat more open all through the night.
This helps minimise the number of breathing events that occur and prevents breathing events known as apneic episodes.
Is Snoring a Symptom of Sleep Apnea in Everyone?
Snoring affects adults at a rate that ranges from 85% to 98% of those who have sleep apnea. Forty-five percent of individuals are able to be classified as habitual snorers. Snoring can be brought on by a number of different things, some of which may or may not be connected to sleep apnea.
There are a number of things that you can do to help prevent snoring, such as sleeping on your back or avoiding alcohol or heavy meals before bedtime. However, if you have sleep apnea, the only time you or your partner may notice a difference in your snoring is once you begin using a CPAP mask and machine.
You can lessen the severity of your snoring by maintaining a healthy weight, managing nasal congestion, sleeping with your head up, avoiding smoking, and drinking plenty of water.
On the other hand, those who snore and have sleep apnea should not rely on these strategies as a treatment for their sleep apnea.
It is possible to reduce the amount of snoring you do by doing things like increasing the number of pillows you use or giving up smoking, but none of these things is in any way considered a cure for sleep apnea.
Why Is It Not a Good Idea to Snore While You’re Asleep?
Snoring causes sleep disruptions, which can lead to irritability, daytime sleepiness, poor cognitive function, depression, lower sex drive, weakened immunity, and potentially some life-threatening conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, heart attack, or heart failure. Snoring is a common cause of sleep disorders.
You and your partner may benefit from getting better sleep if you treat your snoring with CPAP therapy and take other corrective measures, such as avoiding the use of alcohol and cigarettes.
Getting the recommended amount of sleep each night can improve your mood, help you avoid getting sick, and minimize your risk of developing serious health concerns.
The Top Four Reasons You Might Still Be Snoring Even While Wearing a CPAP Mask—and How to Quit
Even though you are wearing your CPAP mask, you may still be snoring for a number of causes, including the following:
- It’s possible that the pressure settings on your device need to be modified (never make adjustments without talking with your doctor first). The use of high pressure settings can result in snoring and may also be an indication that your equipment is leaking.
Get in touch with your primary care physician or a sleep care specialist if your settings don’t seem right; it’s possible that you’ll want another titration study in order to find the optimal pressure.
- Leaks from your CPAP mask are caused by air gaps in certain places, such as the nose and mouth, and they have the potential to drastically reduce the efficacy of your treatment for sleep apnea.
You can try a different model of CPAP mask or attachments for your current mask, such as nasal pillow liners, nasal gel pads, or eye shields, to assist repair leaks in your current mask.
- It’s possible that you’re breathing via your mouth, which can make your snoring worse and contribute to a host of other health problems, including morning headaches, brain fog, exhaustion, and digestive problems.
When you breathe via your mouth, not only does it reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in your blood, but it also slows down your blood circulation. People who breathe through their mouths would benefit the most from wearing a full-face CPAP mask.
- Because you sleep on your back, the air pressure generated by the machine might not be able to fully open your airways. Instead, you should consider switching to a side sleeping position and investing in a mask designed specifically for those who do so.
Conclusion
If you are wearing a CPAP mask but you are still snoring, you may need to have your doctor increase the pressure settings on the machine or change the way that your CPAP mask is currently set up.
If you are still snoring while using CPAP, this may be an indication that there is a problem with either your CPAP mask or machine. This problem needs to be fixed in order to ensure that you are getting quality sleep and that you are getting the most out of your sleep apnea treatment.