Chronic snoring occurs at night regardless of the sleeper’s position. Many times, chronic snoring is so severe, it disrupts the sleep patterns of everyone in the household. Severe snoring is both relentless and loud. For those who sleep next to someone who snores, it can be quite disturbing.

Snoring is a sleep disorder caused when the muscles and soft tissue in the throat and mouth relax, making the airway smaller, resulting in vibrations during breathing. Snoring can be more than just loud noises and bothersome to others. It can be serious enough to cause a stroke. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than half of all strokes in the US are caused by plaque buildup in the carotid arteries, known as atherosclerosis.

Snoring causes vibrations, which can damage the cells in artery walls. This triggers the early formation of atherosclerosis, which sets the stage for the buildup of plaque within the artery. A stroke occurs when the artery is blocked by a blood clot which is formed from the buildup of plaque or when a piece of plaque breaks loose and becomes wedged in your brain.