What is the term for groaning during exhalation while asleep?

The term that refers to groaning during exhalation while asleep is catathrenia. This phenomenon is characterized by involuntary sounds made during exhalation, which typically occur during sleep and can be mistaken for snoring. Catathrenia is distinct from other sleep-related disorders because it specifically emphasizes the groaning or moaning sound produced during the breath out, unlike bruxism, which involves teeth grinding or clenching during sleep, or apnea, which refers to pauses in breathing. Snoring, while also an auditory phenomenon during sleep, is produced by vibrations of the tissues in the throat rather than the groaning action associated with catathrenia. Understanding the specifics of each term helps clarify the unique characteristics of the sleep disorders they denote.