Dissociation between objectively quantified snoring and sleep quality

The impact of simple snoring on sleep structure and sleepiness has not been well described. In several studies, self-reported snoring was associated with increased daytime sleepiness. However, most studies did not distinguish patients with simple snoring from those with coexisting obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) using objective measures. We therefore evaluated the relationship between objectively measured snoring and both sleep structure and daytime sleepiness in patients with no or mild OSA. Subjects referred for suspected sleep disorders underwent polysomnography (PSG) during which breath sounds were recorded by a microphone. Those with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) 0.13). There was no correlation between SI and any of these variables (p > 0.29). In contrast, the AHI was significantly related to frequency of arousals (r = 0.23, p = 0.048). These findings suggest that simple snoring assessed objectively is not related to indices of sleep structure or subjective sleepiness.