A 31-year-old man visiting Florida for Spring Break fell from a second story balcony after his snoring prompted roommates to send him outside to sleep. Although it is not believed his injuries are serious, this is a reminder of the many ways that snoring can be hazardous to your health.
Age, Alcohol and Snoring
But we do know that the man had been drinking (Spring Break, duh), which can lead to worse snoring. Alcohol causes relaxation of the muscles and other tissues of the airway, which causes them to narrow the airway muscles more than usual and can lead to worse snoring and sleep apnea.
And the man’s snoring must have been pretty bad, too, for his (likely also drunk) roommates to send him to the balcony to sleep. Later, though, the man was found unconscious on the pavement outside the hotel.
People in a ground-level room nearby report they heard him snoring until he awoke and began moving around. They report he began to micturate off the balcony before he fell, hitting the pavement facedown. He lost consciousness and began to bleed.
He awoke when officers arrived on the scene, but they didn’t want to let him move for fear he had suffered brain or spinal injuries.
We don’t know the actual extent of his injuries or whether he is still hospitalized.
Snoring Can Make People Want to Throw You Off Balcony
Obviously, this man’s friends didn’t throw him off the balcony, nor did they likely wish any harm to him when they sent him outside, but the feeling of wanting to injure someone who is snoring is actually common. When someone is interfering with your ability to sleep, you can get irrational. Unable to sleep, people might call 911 or even stab the snorer.
This is another reason not to underestimate the importance of snoring. If you are a snorer, don’t wait for things to come to a head before seeking treatment. Instead, please call (402) 493-4175 to talk to an Omaha sleep dentist at the Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center to learn more about snoring treatment.
