Is Air Quality Related to Snoring and Sleep Apnea?

Fact: If you snore, you’re not getting good sleep. If you have sleep apnea, you’re not getting good sleep. Also fact: The air quality in your home might be making your snoring and sleep apnea worse. If you want to get some real shut-eye, then addressing the airborne contaminants you can’t even see is a non-negotiable. Keep reading to learn how to do that.

What Causes These Sleep Disturbances?

A lot of people think that snoring and sleep apnea are the same thing. The two can go hand in hand, and snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea. However, there are still a couple of distinctions.

What’s happening when you snore? Snoring occurs when the muscles of the throat become so relaxed that they block the airway. This makes the soft tissues vibrate when you breathe, and that’s ultimately what produces the sound of snoring.

So, it’s the anatomy of the mouth that leads to snoring, although there are other causes, including your weight, allergies, alcohol consumption, and if you’re sick/congested.

However, in sleep apnea, the airway becomes closed off, interrupts your breathing, and actually deprives you of oxygen. This goes on until you wake up and go back to breathing normally.

That’s why many people with sleep apnea wake up “choking.” 

Snoring and sleep apnea have at least one thing in common: They negatively affect both your sleep duration and sleep quality, leaving you feeling groggy and exhausted the following day.

There might be a clear cause for your sleep disturbance. For instance, if you had one too many beers and snored more than ever that night, the two could very well be related. However, there’s another cause of sleep disturbances that most of us don’t see, smell, hear, or otherwise sense: air pollution.

The Link Between Air Pollution and Sleep Disturbances

While more research is needed, science has found a connection between air pollutants, especially NO2 and PM2.5, and the risk and severity of obstructive sleep apnea. Even short-term exposure can worsen the severity of obstructive sleep apnea, and the effects of air pollution exposure while you sleep can last for several days after.

It’s a similar story for snoring. Research has found that snoring is more prevalent for individuals living in homes with excessive dampness and air pollution—even after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, and education level.

The Indirect Relationship

While air contamination can have an immediate impact on sleep quality and duration, there are other connections to consider, too. For instance, if there are airborne pollutants in your home—like animal fur or dander—those could trigger allergies or worsen the symptoms of respiratory ailments like asthma and bronchitis. The insides of your airway can become irritated and inflamed.

This, in turn, could disturb your sleep.

So, there are several ways that air pollution can make it harder to get your beauty sleep. If you make smart lifestyle choices—like avoiding alcohol consumption and maintaining a healthy weight—but you’re not addressing air pollutants at home, your shut-eye might still be suffering for it.

How to Improve Air Quality for Better Sleep

There are many things you can do to eliminate airborne contaminants inside your home so you can sleep better. Some require simple lifestyle changes, while others leverage the latest technology.

First, evaluate what might be contaminating the air you breathe. Sources of pollution may include:

• Pets.

• Dust.

• Mold.

• Wildfires.

• Construction.

• Livestock.

• Smoking. 

• Cooking.

Based on the specific contaminants in your home, you can come up with a plan of attack. For example, if you have pets that shed, keep them off the furniture. Vacuum regularly, including curtains and upholstery. Have a designated area where you clean and de-shed them, and vacuum immediately after.

If you notice mold in your home, then look for sources of excess moisture. For instance, after bathing, you may need to crack a window or door to allow better air circulation. Find the source! And if the mold growth is significant, contact a professional to have it removed.

Keeping a tidy home is a great start, but what happens when air pollution is no longer under your control? That’s where technology steps in.

HEPA 13 Filtration for Air Purification

An air purifier is a hands-free way to detect and remove contaminants from your home, but how it’s made matters. Think of it like this: A filter that eliminates large particles like hair might not be suitable for much smaller particles. A filter designed for solids might not catch gases. 

This is why multiple layers of defense are a must.

The Sans air purifier includes:

• A pre-filter for larger particles, like hair and dust.

• One full pound of activated carbon, which is three times more than other purifiers use, to absorb chemicals, odors, gases, and VOCs.

• A medical-grade HEPA 13 filter.

• UV-C to neutralize pathogens like viruses, mold, and bacteria. Our UV-C light is CARB-certified to be ozone-free.

It detects contamination in real time and runs as needed, always giving you in-the-moment insights into your indoor air quality. There’s a monitor specific to VOCs, in addition to PM2.5 and PM10.

Due to its design, Sans is capable of removing 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns in diameter. For a smaller living space, like an apartment or dormitory, try the Sans Mini.

Air Purification for a More Restful Night

Good air quality is important for better sleep, and better sleep is crucial to your overall health. Don’t sleep on air purification. (Get it? Sleep on?) Entrust your health with a HEPA 13 air purifier.