Snoring in infancy linked to impaired cognitive development

Two studies from Australia associate snoring in the first year of life to impaired cognitive development. Researchers suggest that lower cognitive development could become worse in these infants with age.

In the first study, 16 infants who started snoring shortly after birth were compared with 88 babies who did not snore. Infants were determined to be snorers if their snoring occurred three or more nights a week. Snoring because of a cold did not count. The results found that cognitive development was reduced in frequent snorers from the first month of life to six months.

The second study looked at 13 infants who snored frequently from the first month of birth to 12 months. These babies had significantly lower cognitive scores when compared with 78 infants who did not snore frequently.

Both studies were conducted through the University of Adelaide and University of Australia in South Australia. The research was published in the December edition of the journal Sleep Medicine.

Learn the facts about young children and sleep and about snoring. Additional stories about children and snoring are available on the Sleep Education blog.

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Loud Snoring and Insomnia Symptoms May Lead to Metabolic Syndrome

The development of obesity-related risk factors starts with a series of common sleep problems, a new study reports. People who snore loudly or have two common insomnia symptoms – difficulty falling asleep and unrefreshing sleep - have an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. People with metabolic syndrome must have at least three out of the five following risk factors: excess abdominal fat, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar.

Findings show people who snore have double the risk of developing metabolic syndrome doubles. Specifically, loud snoring predicts the development of high blood sugar and low HDL cholesterol.

The risk also increases by 80 percent in adults who have difficulty falling asleep and by 70 percent for people who don’t feel refreshed after waking. However, neither risk was tied to a specific risk factor.

Two other common insomnia symptoms - difficulty staying asleep and frequent waking - did not predict the development of metabolic syndrome.

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My Child Snores, is it Sleep Apnea?

Snoring is especially prevalent in adults and a surprising number of their children also “saw logs.” Sleepeducation.com reports between 10 and 20 percent of American children snore. Children in China have similar snoring rates, a study included in the September issue of the journal Chest reports.

A survey of more than 6,000 school-aged kids found approximately 1 in 10 Chinese children snore habitually. Results show kids who snore have a parent who snores. Male gender and obesity also promote snoring. Kids with allergies or a history of upper respiratory infections tend to snore loudly.

A history of loud snoring can be a red flag for childhood OSA. Obstructive sleep apnea is also a problem for about 2 percent of healthy young children. One way to tell if your child has OSA is to if the child also appears to be working hard to breathe while asleep.

One of the main indicators of sleep apnea in teenagers or adults – daytime fatigue – is not always present for kids. Unlike older patients, children with OSA often do not wake up during breathing pauses leading to more normal sleeping patterns.

The primary treatment for children who snore or have OSA is different compared to adults. Children often have their tonsils and adenoids removed to increase the size of the airway. Most often children are able to breathe normally after this procedure.

When an adenotonsillectomy doesn’t solve sleep apnea many children choose child-sized CPAP masks to keep the airway open. Oral appliances and weight loss are two other options for children with sleep apnea.

If your child snores, find out if its sleep apnea by scheduling an appointment for an overnight sleep study at an AASM accredited sleep center.

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Author and human guinea pig A.J. Jacobs tries snoring solutions

Author A.J. Jacobs has a snoring problem. His wife kicked him out of the bedroom because he was “as loud as an outboard motor, the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport, and a stadium full of Justin Bieber fans.”

In his new article “The End of Snoring,” published in the latest issue of parade magazine, Jacobs enlisted AASM member Dr. Steven Park to help him on his quest to gain re-entry to his bedroom.

If you've read anything by A.J. Jacobs, you'll know he tries to take on the role of human guinea pig. Like in his New York Times bestselling book “The Year of Living Biblically,” he made lifestyle changes for his story. On the advice of Dr. Park, he tries a slew of snoring solutions, from making lifestyle changes to visiting a sleep center.

Some of his attempts are comically unconventional. After reading a study about using an Australian aboriginal didgeridoo to treat sleep apnea, he orders one online.

It took Jacobs an entire day to learn how to use the four-foot long wind musical instrument. He never figured out if it worked, but he did note it kept the neighbors from snoring.

He tried tongue and throat exercises he found on the internet. The only effect there was a quip from his wife.

With mixed success using various at-home remedies, he booked a visit to a sleep center, where he learned he had a mild form of sleep apnea. Dr. Park said Jacobs woke up 185 times in his sleep study, the primary reason why patients with sleep apnea don’t get restful sleep.

Jacobs tried an oral appliance and CPAP therapy. Both worked, significantly cutting down his snoring. Jacobs reported trouble getting comfortable with both treatments, especially CPAP.

That’s a common issue reported by new CPAP users. On the CPAP Central section of our website you can find tips on how to make this effective therapy a better experience.

In the end, Jacobs settled for a mix of remedies, not entirely cutting out his snoring. The AASM recommends anyone with more advanced cases of sleep apnea continue their treatment. Sleep apnea can lead to deadly complications.

His wife eventually allowed him back in the bedroom, but surely she’s learning what its like to be one of the many “Real Wives of Sleep Apnea.”

Learn on sleepeducation.com what you can do to stop snoring

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Dr. Oz: Snoring Solutions for Women

Recently Dr. Oz responded to a question about excessive snoring that was posed by Joyce, a member of his audience.

But Joyce wasn’t concerned about her husband’s snoring. She is the one who snores.

“Why am I snoring so much,” Joyce asked. “What is the problem?”



Dr. Oz recommended weight loss as one way to reduce her snoring. He also said that avoiding alcohol can help.

But he surprised Joyce with his final advice. He suggested that she take singing lessons.

“You learn to control the muscles in the upper throat – the same muscles that collapse (and cause snoring),” he explained. “It’s like weightlifting your muscles.”

Last year the Sleep Education blog reported that there are a variety of treatment options for snoring. But snoring is also a common sign of obstructive sleep apnea.

Most often this kind of snoring is loud and frequent. It tends to be followed by silent pauses in breathing. These pauses may end with a loud choking or snorting sound.

Joyce’s own description of her snoring suggests that she might have OSA.

“Snoring enough to disturb the entire family,” she said. “And if I even snore a little louder, I might disturb the entire neighborhood.”

Sleep apnea is a serious health problem that requires medical attention. CPAP and oral appliances are the two most common treatments. Another option is surgery, which is a common solution for children with sleep apnea.

You might be able to reduce the severity of sleep apnea by following Dr. Oz’s advice to strengthen the throat muscles. Studies suggest that it might help to play a wind instrument or use tongue and throat exercises.

But these methods are unlikely to cure sleep apnea. You should contact an AASM-accredited sleep center for help if you or a loved one snores loudly.

Read more about sleep apnea in women. Learn how women may be surprised by sleep apnea. Read about the signs of OSA in women.

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Ear Tubes, Snoring & Sleep Apnea in Children

A recent study examined the risk of sleep-disordered breathing in children who had ear tubes inserted.

The study from Israel involved 352 children with ear tubes. Another 105 children were included as controls. Parents were interviewed by phone.

Results show that sleep-disordered breathing was common in children who had ear tubes inserted. Twenty-two percent of parents reported that their child snores.

Tonsils had been removed from 18 percent of children with ear tubes. This surgery is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in children. Thirty-four percent of children snored or had their tonsils removed after the ear tubes were inserted.

Children with ear tubes were four times more likely than controls to have future tonsil removal. Their risk for snoring was three times higher.

The authors reported that sleep-disordered breathing shares common mechanisms with Eustachian tube dysfunction. This tube extends from the middle ear to the throat.

They concluded that children who need ear tubes inserted are at risk for sleep-disordered breathing. Doctors should regularly check these children for symptoms of sleep apnea. This will allow for early detection and treatment.

MedlinePlus reports that ear tube insertion helps relieve fluid buildup behind a child’s eardrum. The tubes allow the fluid to drain so that the ears can function normally. Another name for the procedure is “tympanostomy tube insertion.”

It may be recommended when excess fluid in the ear does not go away after four months or longer. Tubes also may be inserted if an ear infection does not go away or if a child has many ear infections.

The AASM reports that about two percent of healthy young children have OSA. It occurs when soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway during sleep.

Most children with OSA have a history of loud snoring. This may include obvious pauses in breathing and gasps for breath. Parents often notice that the child seems to be working hard to breathe during sleep.

Read more about obstructive sleep apnea in children. Get help at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

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Urine Test May Detect Sleep Apnea in Children

A new study shows that obstructive sleep apnea in children is associated with alterations in urinary concentrations of specific protein clusters.

The study evaluated morning urine proteins. It involved 60 children with OSA. They were compared with 30 children who have primary snoring and 30 controls.

The researchers found that the urine concentrations of 16 proteins were altered in children with OSA. Further analysis identified four proteins that have “favorable predictive properties.”

Using cutoff points for these biomarkers they correctly identified 95 percent of the children with OSA. This approach also produced no false-positive results.

"It was rather unexpected that the urine would provide us with the ability to identify OSA," lead author Dr. David Gozal said in a press release. “"These findings open up the possibility of developing a relatively simple urine test that could detect OSA in snoring children.”

Gozal would like to develop a color-based test that could be done in a doctor’s office or by the parents. But first the results need to be confirmed in a larger sample of children from around the country.

About two percent of young children have sleep apnea. In June the Sleep Education Blog reported that the causes of sleep apnea in children are complex.

Sleep apnea often occurs when a child has large tonsils and adenoids. But weight and nasal problems also can play a role.

Most children with sleep apnea have a history of snoring. It tends to be loud and may include obvious pauses in breathing and gasps for breath.

In October the Sleep Education Blog reported that sleep apnea affects heart rate and blood pressure in children. Another study found a high “sibling risk” of OSA in both boys and girls.

Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea in children. Get help at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

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