Snoring vs Sleep Apnea and Overnight Oxygen

Most people snore sometimes. Snoring is also a common sign of obstructive sleep apnea. From the outside the two sound alike, and the person doing it is asleep.

An overnight oximeter can't tell you which one you have. It can show you what your oxygen and pulse did, which is something to take to a doctor.

What's the difference?

• Snoring is a sound. Air is getting through a narrowed airway and making soft tissue vibrate.
• Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing problem. The airway narrows or closes, so airflow drops or stops for seconds at a time, over and over.

Does loud snoring mean apnea?

No. You can snore loudly with a flat oxygen line all night. You can also have a lot of oxygen dips on a quiet night.

So going by ear doesn't tell you what your oxygen did. And an oximeter doesn't record sound. If the noise is what you want to track, see snoring apps vs oximeters.

What can you look for in a recording?

Three things, on more than one night:

• Repeated dips. Oxygen dropping a few points and recovering, again and again. Here's what counts as a dip.
• A pulse that rises and falls with them. This is called CVHR. See overnight heart rate.
• Bunching. Dips that cluster in one part of the night.

One rough night after a late drink doesn't tell you much. Record several ordinary nights first.

If you see all three on several nights, show the recordings to a doctor.

What can't an oximeter tell you?

• Whether you have sleep apnea. That takes a sleep study, which measures airflow, breathing effort and more.
• Which type. Obstructive and central apnea have different causes, and a finger sensor can't tell them apart.
• Whether you snored. It reads oxygen and pulse, not sound.

What can you try in the meantime?

You can check whether your own habits change the picture:

• Tag the nights you slept on your back and compare them with side-sleeping nights.
• Compare nights with and without a late drink.

Got a recording already? Load it into the free session viewer.

No device yet? The sleep apnea risk check takes about a minute and asks about symptoms and risk factors. It helps you decide whether to talk to a doctor.

Already on CPAP? See tracking your oxygen alongside CPAP.

When should you see a doctor?

Don't wait for a recording if:

• Someone has heard you stop breathing, gasp or choke in your sleep.
• You're exhausted during the day or you fall asleep without meaning to.
• You wake with headaches.

Sleep apnea that's left alone carries real health risks, so get it checked. If you have recordings, bring them. Here's how to share them with your doctor.

Not a medical device. Does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition. Discuss results and changes with a clinician.