Khaberni - A prominent doctor has revealed the reason why people who snore do not wake up despite the high noise they emit during sleep, which is a phenomenon that causes discomfort to their partners and affects the quality of sleep.
Dr. Manish Shah, a dentist from the Sydney Center for Temporomandibular Joint and Sleep Disorders, confirms that snoring — whether loud or moderate — negatively impacts the sleep of those sharing the room with the snorer.
Shah says: "Those who sleep next to a snoring person often struggle to sleep, as the recurring snoring becomes a source of annoyance and anxiety, especially when it occurs every night, leading many to wonder how the snorer continues to sleep without waking up."
He explains that people who snore hear the sounds they make, but their brains filter them out as low-importance noise, due to the nervous system getting used to them over time.
He adds: "The brain prioritizes rest, and therefore does not stimulate the body to wake up because of the snoring sound, even if it is loud," noting that this process is known as "habituation," and it prevents waking up due to familiar sounds.
In contrast, Shah points out that unfamiliar sounds — like a sudden bang in the kitchen or an unusual movement nearby — are considered high-priority signals, which prompt the brain to activate the defense mechanism and wake up immediately.
This explains why a person may wake up to slight and unexpected sounds, while not being affected by their loud snoring.
Although the snorer seems to sleep uninterrupted, they may wake up for just a few seconds and then quickly return to sleep, without remembering it when they wake up in the morning.
The impact of snoring is not only limited to nighttime annoyance, but in some cases, it may be an indicator of a serious health issue. Dr. Shah mentions that chronic snoring due to airway obstruction behind the mouth could be a symptom of sleep apnea.
This condition causes breathing to stop for periods ranging from 10 to 30 seconds, which leads to heart strain and increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.
Shah concludes by emphasizing that occasional snoring is common and usually not a cause for concern, but recurrent snoring that affects sleep quality and causes daytime drowsiness warrants a doctor’s review.
