American Academy of Otolaryngology states that almost 50 percent of adults snore from time to time and another 25 percent always snore. You may not take snoring problems seriously since it is so common. However, chronic snoring does result in adverse health conditions if left alone. In this article, we will explore four familiar snoring effects.

1. Sleep Apnea

Usually snoring does not affect your health. But if your snoring is the result of a serious breathing obstruction, then it can be a sign of sleep apnea, a potential life-threatening sleep disorder.

Sleep apnea arises when your airway gets congested. After you snore, you will stop breathing for a short period of time. This will happen a few times throughout the night. You receive no oxygen for your body during that time. This will increase the carbon monoxide in your system and subsequently, you will wake up.

In 2003, a study by Stanford University showed that snoring is related to hormone deficiency in postmenopausal women. So, the risk of developing sleep apnea is four times greater than that of pre-menopausal women.

Left untreated, it can lead to hypertension and heart disease.

2. Poor Academic Performance

In July 2001, a study which involved 1,588 seventh- and eighth-graders highlights the impact of snoring on academic performance. The study finds that almost 13 percent of the lowest rung snores while only 5 percent of top performers snores.

3. Relationship Havoc

According to Dr. Laura Berman, a relationship and sex therapist in Chicago, snoring is a "big relationship divider". No one is happy when they don't get enough sleep. Don't you feel irritated, sluggish or find it difficult to concentrate at work because of lack of sleep?

Excessive snoring can place intolerable strains on a relationship. Couples who used to be happy together now stay away from each other because of their partner's nocturnal noise. You or your partner may even sleep in another room just to shut out the snoring.

On going snoring can wreak havoc on relationships especially marriages.

4. Decreased Sexual Life

Apart from affecting your relationship and health, snoring can also interrupt your sexual life. Studies reveal that married partners who snore excessively tend to experience reduced sexual drive. Often times, heavy snoring leads to sleep apnea.

When you have sleep apnea, you wake up several times in the night due to the blockage of air passage. So, you are deprived of oxygen and you don't get enough sleep. As a result, you feel exhausted and depressed. These effects can crush your desire for sex.

So, snoring is not a minor problem especially if you snore a lot. The effects from snoring can be devastating in terms of health and relationship. If you find yourself snoring excessively, it's time to tackle your snoring problem and find a suitable stop snoring remedy.