Snoring Burns Calories and is Good for Your Health

Snoring has long been held as a health risk for high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. However, recent studies indicate that snoring may increase calorie expenditure and pose no increased health risk to sufferers. While these findings are intriguing, more studies must be done to clarify the role of snoring and sleep apnea in health.

A new study from the University of California shows that heavy snoring burns calories, with sufferers continuing to burn more calories even when awake. Those scoring highest for conditions of sleep apnea and breathing disruptions during sleep also had the highest resting energy expenditure.

However, researchers point out that this study did not examine the correlation between sleep disorders and calorie intake or physical activity during the day. For clear conclusions to be drawn regarding the effects of sleep disorders on total calorie expenditure, more studies are needed.

Another study in Israel involving 600 elderly patients suggests that snoring is not actually a health risk at all. This study showed the risk of early death in those with moderate sleep apnea was actually only half that of people with no such history. A possible explanation of these may be that the continual pauses in breathing during sleep actually work to strengthen the heart, making it easier for the body to handle a heart attack or stroke.

Furthermore, the study found that even in a group suffering from severe sleep disordered breathing, the risk of death was no higher than in the control group. Thus, snoring appears to be of no additional risk and may even be beneficial in moderation.

Snoring and sleep apnea affect millions of people worldwide and have often been associated with a higher risk of death from heart attack, stroke and other diseases. However, the results of these 2 recent studies indicate that these conditions may not be as negative a factor in health as previously thought. Additional studies will provide more insight into how sleep disorders affect the overall health of individuals, though doctors still recommend that patients seek treatment for such conditions.

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