If you or your sleeping partner snores, you may think of snoring as merely an irritant. But, snoring can have serious social and health consequences. So, there is every reason why one should attempt to stop snoring.

Snoring can cause severe problems in relationships because of the disrupted sleep of the sleeping partner. Research shows that sleep partners of people who snore heavily are wakened over 20 times per hour, which severely cuts into the quality and quantity of their sleep.

Many partners of those who snore decide to sleep in separate rooms, and relationships become strained. The resulting lack of bedtime chatting and physical intimacy can lead to the end of a relationship. Snoring leads to no one wanting to sleep with the person who snores, and in turn the he or she can become isolated. The social ramifications are enough for snorers to search for ways to stop.

In addition to problems stemming from sleep deprivation, snoring can cause more serious health effects. Snoring is often a symptom of obstructive Sleep Apnea, a sleep disorder that is potentially life-threatening. As you get older, and put on weight and lose muscle tone, your snoring can lead to periods of not breathing at night, which is sleep apnea.

Apnea sufferers are often diagnosed as depressed, when really they are simply exhausted and cannot function properly. Sleep apnea raises your blood pressure, reduces the flow of oxygen to your brain and can lead to stroke, heart attack and death. Research also shows that snoring is not only a symptom of apnea, but can actually cause it.

Other studies indicate that snoring may also lead to diabetes. The theory is that snoring reduces your intake of oxygen, triggering your body to produce more catecholamines, which in turn may lead to insulin resistance, a known precursor of diabetes. The evidence is piling up that even those who snore, but are not bothersome to others should be treated.