People who snore heavily burn more calories than those who snore lightly, a new research shows. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, found that the more severe a patient’s snoring the more calories they regularly burned while resting. Those who had the most severe cases of sleep apnea and other breathing problems while sleeping burned around 2,000 calories a day. Those who tended to snore only lightly and less often burned an average of 1,626 calories a day resting, the research shows.

The study involved 212 patients, all of whom snored or had sleeping-related conditions, such as sleep apnea. Nervous system changes associated with the condition may be responsible, the researchers suggested. However, the researchers said it did not explain why being obese and having apnoea went hand in hand. Studies have shown that people with sleep apnea have a greater chance of being obese and obese patients have a greater chance of having sleep apnea.

On the other hand, heavy snoring may be a sign of a far more serious problem. Sleep apnoea affects the person’s sleep and makes him very sleepy during the day.

“First, sleep-disordered breathing often results in fatigue and other (changes) in daytime functioning that can limit physical activity,” said Eric J Kezirian, from the University of California, San Francisco, who led the study.

Sleep apnoea happens when the airways are partially or completely obstructed during sleep. It keeps the person from getting a good night rest and makes them sleepy during the day.

The findings were published in the journal Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.