Snoring metrics

[chd3143]

Now that I'm using SleepyHead, I'm trying to pay attention to red flag events. Its seems that my obstructions and hypopnea is mostly under control -- maybe one per night. But, I still seem to be registering a lot of snores -- at least the software is flagging it. It's always between 5 and 9 (not sure what that measurement means). Curious if this is something that is pressure related or just structural ...

[robysue]

Snoring data on the PR machines is not very well understood in terms of what the actual numbers mean. Basic idea is "larger numbers" indicate "more snoring."

So part of the answer to your question depends on what kind of a System One you are using (fixed or auto mode?) and which Sleepy Head Snoring numbers you are talking about.

For an extensive look at the snoring data from PR machines as presented in SleepyHead, I'd suggest reading through 10. Snoring Data in my SleepyHead users guide.

[chd3143]

Ah ... yes, I stay on fixed pressure. I see the total number of snoring events, but I was curious about -- a) what's too many and b) does it really matter as long as the apnea and hypopnea events are mainly under control

[zonk]

I don,t think does matter as long as you,re getting good sleep and feeling better but mentioned to your sleep doc if you,re concerned
A bit more pressure might get rid of the snoring but that might cause clear airways events ... or might not, its a fine balancing act

From PRS1 provider manual: Event Definitions - Snore Detection
Vibratory snore is detected when a specific frequency is detected during the inspiratory portion of the patient’s breath.
Vibratory snore is disabled at pressures greater than 16 cm H2O.

[robysue]

Ah ... yes, I stay on fixed pressure. I see the total number of snoring events, but I was curious about -- a) what's too many and b) does it really matter as long as the apnea and hypopnea events are mainly under control

Well, technically speaking: Snoring is considered a precursor event to obstructive events. In other words, if there's snoring going on, the airway is considered at risk of collapsing.

If there's a whole lot of snoring going on night after night, then a sleep doc might be concerned. And if there's a whole lot of snoring going on, there's also a chance for snoring-related arousals, which can be disruptive to sleep.

But I am not sure what numbers you're talking about when you say:

[the snore numbers are] always between 5 and 9 (not sure what that measurement means).

The snore data appears in several places on the Daily Data page in SleepyHead:


So which of these black ovals contains the number(s) you're talking about?

[chd3143]

So this would be a typical night -- sometimes a hypopnea or OA will appear, but it's usually pretty clean except for the snoring. Here's a screen shot. Seems like the events are heaviest in the beginning of a cycle (this night I got up for a while to help one of my kids with a nightmare). It's not letting me post images for some reason, so I'll attach.

[robysue]

I occasionally get some snoring that looks like that. Mainly during my allergy seasons. I'd say that if you're feeling really well, it's not a huge issue. But if you're not feeling as well as you think you should, it may be worth reporting the problem to your sleep doc.

By the way, the Vibratory Snore = 8.81 on this SleepyHead image means that:

• (Number of VS2 snores recorded during the run time)/(run time) = 8.81

Since the run time was 4:59:38, which is close enough to 5:00:00 for approximation purposes, we know that there were about 44 = 5*8.81 VS2 snore flags in the data. The size of the "VS2" snore tags are what is graphed in the Snore graph. I can tell you that I see numbers in the "20" range on that graph occasionally, but not night after night. It's not clear at all what the "size" of a VS2 snore means, and that's why SH says the units on the Snore graph are unknown. But these "size" numbers are somehow important enough for Encore to use them in its computation of the Encore VS Index.

So you look at this night in Encore, the Encore VS Index (VSI) is going to be a lot higher than the SH VSI = 8.81 because Encore computes its VSI in a totally different and mathematically weird way: It sums all the "size" numbers for the snores and divides that total by the run time. There's no written justification for why (or how) Encore computes its VSI, so its not at all clear what the Encore VSI means. I'm just giving you a heads up because a sleep doc looking at your Encore VSI numbers is going to see some pretty large VSI snore numbers and may conclude that you're still snoring (loudly) all night every night, even though that's not really what this data seems to indicate.