Snoring is a loud, hoarse, or harsh breathing sound that happens while you are asleep. Although snoring is common in adults, the reason for snoring is sometimes not known. The following are potential causes: sleeping pills, antihistamines, or alcohol at bedtime, nasal congestion from colds or allergies, enlarged adenoids or tonsils that block the airway, and being overweight which leads to excessive neck tissue that puts pressure on the airway.

Treatment of snoring may include: avoidance of alcohol or sedatives before sleep, weight loss, and/or taking an allergy medication prescribed by your physician.

Though mild snoring is not typically associated with serious health effects in adults, loud snoring can be associated with obstructive sleep apnea that can have adverse health effects.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition in which breathing stops for more than 10 seconds during sleep. Sleep apnea is a major, though often unrecognized, cause of daytime sleepiness. A sleeping person normally breathes continuously and uninterruptedly throughout the night. A person with sleep apnea, however, has frequent episodes (up to 400–500 per night) in which he or she stops breathing. This interruption of breathing is called "apnea." Breathing usually stops for about 30 seconds; then the person usually startles awake with a loud snort and begins to breathe again, gradually falling back to sleep.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea can affect people of any age and of either sex, but it is most common in middle-aged, somewhat overweight men, especially those who use alcohol. Severe obstructive sleep apnea may cause pulmonary hypertension, or increased pressure in lung arteries, eventually leading to heart failure. Other complications may include increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats, and disorders of immune function.

The primary method for diagnosing OSA at present is to have the patient undergo a sleep study, known as polysomnography.

Several treatment options exist for dealing with OSA. These include weight reduction, positional therapy, positive pressure therapy, surgical options, and oral appliances.

Insomnia

Insomnia is the inability to obtain an adequate amount or quality of sleep. The difficulty can be in falling asleep, remaining asleep, or both. People with insomnia do not feel refreshed when they wake up. Insomnia is a common symptom affecting millions of people that may be caused by many conditions, diseases, or circumstances. In both alternative and conventional medicine, treatment of insomnia includes alleviating or coping with any physical and emotional problems that contribute to the condition. Also effective is exploration of changes in lifestyle that will improve the situation.

Restless Legs Syndrome/Periodic Limb Movements

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move when at rest in an effort to relieve these feelings. RLS sensations are often described by people as burning, creeping, tugging, or like insects crawling inside the legs. The sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful. Treatment for restless legs syndrome is generally consists of making lifestyle changes and using medications to relieve some of the symptoms.