Is Snoring Genetic?
|3rd October 2020
If you have ever shared a room with someone, you might notice that some people sleep like a log, without a sound, while others snore away through the night. It appears that some people naturally struggle with snoring while others don’t. This begs the question – is snoring genetic?
The answer is yes – to a certain extent. Let’s look at a landmark study that has tried to identify the link between snoring and genes.
Research published in the journal Chest in 1995 looked at whether a link existed between self-reported snoring and family history of snoring. It also looked at any association between snoring and several genetic markers.
For this study, more than 3000 men were asked questions about their snoring habits. They were considered habitual snorers if they reported that they snored often or always, while those who reported that they seldom or never snored were considered non-snorers. Those who required their own bedrooms due to loud snoring were considered severe habitual snorers.
As for the genetic markers tested, four major blood groups were determined: ABO, Rhesus, MNS, and Lewis. Saliva samples were taken to determine their ABH secretor status (the secretion of ABO blood group antigens into bodily fluids). In other words, certain genetic markers were cross-referenced with the snoring questionnaire to see if there was any association between the two.
The results were clear: there was a relationship between habitual snoring and family history of snoring among grandparents, parents, siblings, and children. The one genetic factor that strongly separated those who have their own room due to snoring compared to those who don’t is the Lewis blood group phenotype.
This landmark study shows that there is indeed a strong genetic component to snoring. It concludes, “There was an overall strong association between habitual snoring and family history of snoring… The results of this study indicate that snoring, to some extent, is hereditary.”
However, there are also numerous environmental factors that also influence snoring, such as body weight, stress levels, alcohol consumption, and smoking. A genetic predisposition to snoring does not necessarily mean that you will have a problem with it; there are ways to alleviate snoring and ensure that you have better sleep.
eXciteOSA is a device that has been clinically proven to significantly reduce snoring if you use it once a day, for just 20 minutes during the daytime for 6 weeks. If you experience snoring problems, try one today – after all, nothing beats having a good night’s sleep to prepare you for the challenges of the day.
References
- Jennum. P. et. al (1995) Snoring, Family History, and Genetic Markers in Men: The Copenhagen Male Study. Chest Volume 107, Issue 5, May 1995, Pages 1289-1293.
Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012369216381946