What Causes Snoring?

Some people snore without even being aware that they are doing it while others know that they snore but aren’t sure what causes it or how to stop it. Since it occurs when you are sleeping, unless you have a partner who is disturbed by your snoring you might not find it annoying or feel the need to do anything about it.

Snoring is generally caused by a weakness in the soft tissues inside your throat that results in an obstruction to air passages thereby causing the mouth to vibrate and produce sounds that can be almost inaudible or very loud.

Gaining weight can increase the chances of snoring as fat gathers around the throat and frequently women who have never snored before will do so during pregnancy, particularly in the later stages. When you are reclining the tongue can block the throat passage too and any tension in those muscles around the jaw can cause restrictions to the air passages.

If you have a cold or allergies, these can also affect or enhance snoring. Or if you drink too much coffee before retiring the blood vessels in the throat might enlarge thereby causing difficulty in breathing and ending in snoring. If you have a long neck or if you are lying on your back while sleeping, these can cause snoring as well and can be remedied by turning on your side or raising your head to minimize your tongue sliding backward into the air passage.

Some people have a deviation in the cartilage in their nostrils that can also cause snoring. Still others can snore because their tonsils are enlarged. Surgery can generally alleviate or minimize the amount of snoring for some people as well as some dental or jaw appliances can be tried. A good diet and regular exercise will also help but you should seek medical help because the condition can worsen to sleep apnea if not treated.