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American Morning

Sleeping With Snorers Can be Hazardous to Your Health

Aired November 19, 2003 - 09:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Well you know the dangers of secondhand smoking. How about the risk of secondhand snoring? Sleeping with a snorer, turns out, can actually be hazardous to your health. And Sanjay Gupta's been looking into that. The good doctor's back with us. Give us the goods, Sanjay. Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

You know, it's no laughing matter, snoring. A lot of people do laugh about it. I don't because I don't snore. But it turns out that 27 percent of adults do and there's been a lot of research done on the snorers and why they might snore, looking at things like sleep apnea which can be a very serious condition.

But as you mention, Bill, what about those people who sleep next to snorers? That's exactly the subject of two major medical studies, actually. Some pretty interesting stuff here. Looking at the partners of snorers wake up almost as often as people with sleep disorders. Put that in a little bit of context. They wake up about 21 times an hour. You can imagine all the sort of things that might lead to.

This was the subject of a Mayo Clinic study actually looking at 54 couples over time, giving them quality of life questionnaires, evaluating them when they sleep next to a snorer. Some of the things that they found pretty fascinating actually.

Take a look at this. Actually, the partners sleeping next to snorers, again, more pain complaints, higher levels of fatigue and sleepiness, that's no big surprise there. Higher risk for hearing loss, as well. There are some loud snorers out there causing a higher risk for hearing loss.

We know, Bill, about the fatigue complaints. That's been out for quite some time. Some new information about the hearing loss, and about the pain complaints, as well -- Bill.

HEMMER: You mention hearing loss. Sounds significant, and serious. How loud does it get?

GUPTA: This was one of the most interesting parts of the study for me because I actually broke it down to find out how loud snoring can actually be sometimes. And they actually broke it down by the decibels, comparing snoring to various other things.

Take a look at the list here. Sort of interesting. Some snorers as loud as 90 to 100 decibels. That's compared to a passing truck outside. About 70 to 100 decibels, screaming child, 90 to 110. Jack hammer, motorcycle, about 100. So pretty loud snoring.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: ... give a big nudge and kick them out of bed, right? That's how you remedy this whole deal, right?

GUPTA: It's sort of interesting. They wanted to get a little bit intellectual about how you can actually deal with this problem. Because it can be a serious problem. Ear plugs will only do so much. Certainly you can sleep in the other room for awhile, as well. But how long do you want to do that for, as well?

The best approach is to go back and target the snorer him or herself. By the way, men snore twice as often as women. I was surprised by that, as well. But there are some things to do. Again this can be significant of an underlying problem.

Take a look at the list of things about people who snore and the sorts of things you can. Obesity being important. Allergies sometimes crop up and can cause snoring in a seasonal sort of fashion. People who drink right before they go to bed, as well. And smokers, all those people going to be more likely to snore.

Listen, for those sleeping next to snorers it can be a significant problem if your partner is snoring. If it's significant in one of these underlying things, go ahead and target that and see if you can do something about it.

HEMMER: So you're not a snorer? One of the sexiest men in America is not a snorer. Cat's out of the bag.

GUPTA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) vacation before this came out.

HEMMER: Yes, were you? Viewers don't know what we're talking about. "People" magazine listing the good doctor as one of the sexiest guys in America.

GUPTA: And on a serious news show, that's what we're talking about this morning.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Don't try to deflect it, Sanjay. it won't work.

HEMMER: Real news makes the difference. Congratulations. That's what she said.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 19, 2003 - 09:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Well you know the dangers of secondhand smoking. How about the risk of secondhand snoring? Sleeping with a snorer, turns out, can actually be hazardous to your health. And Sanjay Gupta's been looking into that. The good doctor's back with us. Give us the goods, Sanjay. Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

You know, it's no laughing matter, snoring. A lot of people do laugh about it. I don't because I don't snore. But it turns out that 27 percent of adults do and there's been a lot of research done on the snorers and why they might snore, looking at things like sleep apnea which can be a very serious condition.

But as you mention, Bill, what about those people who sleep next to snorers? That's exactly the subject of two major medical studies, actually. Some pretty interesting stuff here. Looking at the partners of snorers wake up almost as often as people with sleep disorders. Put that in a little bit of context. They wake up about 21 times an hour. You can imagine all the sort of things that might lead to.

This was the subject of a Mayo Clinic study actually looking at 54 couples over time, giving them quality of life questionnaires, evaluating them when they sleep next to a snorer. Some of the things that they found pretty fascinating actually.

Take a look at this. Actually, the partners sleeping next to snorers, again, more pain complaints, higher levels of fatigue and sleepiness, that's no big surprise there. Higher risk for hearing loss, as well. There are some loud snorers out there causing a higher risk for hearing loss.

We know, Bill, about the fatigue complaints. That's been out for quite some time. Some new information about the hearing loss, and about the pain complaints, as well -- Bill.

HEMMER: You mention hearing loss. Sounds significant, and serious. How loud does it get?

GUPTA: This was one of the most interesting parts of the study for me because I actually broke it down to find out how loud snoring can actually be sometimes. And they actually broke it down by the decibels, comparing snoring to various other things.

Take a look at the list here. Sort of interesting. Some snorers as loud as 90 to 100 decibels. That's compared to a passing truck outside. About 70 to 100 decibels, screaming child, 90 to 110. Jack hammer, motorcycle, about 100. So pretty loud snoring.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: ... give a big nudge and kick them out of bed, right? That's how you remedy this whole deal, right?

GUPTA: It's sort of interesting. They wanted to get a little bit intellectual about how you can actually deal with this problem. Because it can be a serious problem. Ear plugs will only do so much. Certainly you can sleep in the other room for awhile, as well. But how long do you want to do that for, as well?

The best approach is to go back and target the snorer him or herself. By the way, men snore twice as often as women. I was surprised by that, as well. But there are some things to do. Again this can be significant of an underlying problem.

Take a look at the list of things about people who snore and the sorts of things you can. Obesity being important. Allergies sometimes crop up and can cause snoring in a seasonal sort of fashion. People who drink right before they go to bed, as well. And smokers, all those people going to be more likely to snore.

Listen, for those sleeping next to snorers it can be a significant problem if your partner is snoring. If it's significant in one of these underlying things, go ahead and target that and see if you can do something about it.

HEMMER: So you're not a snorer? One of the sexiest men in America is not a snorer. Cat's out of the bag.

GUPTA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) vacation before this came out.

HEMMER: Yes, were you? Viewers don't know what we're talking about. "People" magazine listing the good doctor as one of the sexiest guys in America.

GUPTA: And on a serious news show, that's what we're talking about this morning.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Don't try to deflect it, Sanjay. it won't work.

HEMMER: Real news makes the difference. Congratulations. That's what she said.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com