There’s nothing more infuriating than your partner snoring away while you struggle to drift off to sleep.
Now, scientists have revealed why snorers don’t wake themselves up.
Dr Manish Shah, a general medical practitioner and dentist from the Sydney Center for TMJ and Sleep Therapy, said: ‘Have you ever slept in the same room as a snorer?
‘If you answered yes, chances are you had trouble sleeping. Whether the snoring is loud or moderate, the noise can certainly disrupt your sleep.
‘It is annoying and a cause for concern, especially when it happens every night. But if someone’s snoring wakes you up, you might wonder how the snorer can sleep through the noise.’
He explained that snorers do hear the sounds they are making, but that their brains filter it out as a low-priority noise.
‘The snoring sound you produce is filtered out because your ears and your entire system are used to that sound,’ he said.
‘Your brain also prioritizes restfulness, so it won’t trigger your body to wake up, even with the presence of your snoring sound.’
There’s nothing more infuriating than your partner snoring away while you struggle to drift off to sleep. Now, an expert has revealed why snorers don’t wake themselves up (file image)
He explained the brain of the snorer becomes accustomed to the sound of their own snoring over time.
This process, called habituation, means they are not awakened by it, no matter how loud the noise is.
However unusual noises – such as a loud bang in the kitchen or a rattle on the roof – can be enough to wake up a loud snorer.
This is because these are ‘high-priority’ signals, Dr Shah said, triggering your brain to activate your body’s defence mechanism.
‘This activity in the brain explains why you can be awakened by subtle noises but not by your loud snoring,’ he said.
While snorers do appear to be able to sleep through their racket, some do wake up, he explained – but only for a few seconds.
‘The snorer can go back to sleep again after that,’ he added. ‘The fact that snorers can go back to sleep is why many of them don’t even remember waking up.
‘They are still in a sleep state when the sleep disturbance happens and do not have a recollection of it in the morning.’
Dr Shah explained the brain of the snorer becomes accustomed to the sound of their own snoring over time (file image)
While snoring is an annoyance for anyone who has to listen to it on a nightly basis, there are some occasions when it could indicate a more serious issue.
Loud snoring, specifically, can indicate a serious health condition, he said. Chronic snoring – caused by a blocked passage at the back of your mouth – can be a symptom of sleep apnoea.
This condition causes the snorer to stop breathing for 10-30 seconds, which can put a strain on your heart and significantly raise risks for high blood pressure, a heart attack and stroke.
‘Casual snoring is common and usually nothing to worry about,’ Dr Shah concluded.
‘However, habitual snoring is something that you should not ignore. The general rule is that you should see a doctor once snoring affects your sleep quality and causes daytime sleepiness.
‘It might seem trivial, but snoring can affect relationships, especially when it impacts your partner’s well-being.’
