What Causes Snoring.

Snoring is produced during sleep due to some obstruction in the airway and this obstructs movement of air to the lungs either through the mouth and nose. Snoring is a result of the vibrations produced by relaxed soft structures in the throat usually the uvula and the soft palate.

Just as when you speak, your vocal cords vibrate to produce sound, similarly the soft tissues in the throat vibrate during sleep to produce the snoring sound when you breathe.

The cause of snoring is an obstructed airway which becomes narrow and the air being forced through the narrow passage causes vibrations of the relaxed soft tissues in the throat causing the snoring sound. This happens when you progress from light sleep to deep sleep which causes the soft tissues to relax and more prone to vibrations.

Cause of Snoring|Why You Snore.

Certain factors increase your snoring risks and are considered the main reasons for snoring. If you can eliminate these factors and take remedial measures, there will be a significant control of your snoring.

• Age. As your age advances, the muscle tone of the throat muscles decreases, causing them to relax and bulge into the airway  causing obstruction of airflow when you breathe. Throat exercises will help.
• Gender. What causes snoring in men more than women is because in general, men have a narrower airway. They also smoke and drink statistically more than women.
• Nasal problems such as a blocked nose due to sinusitis, or a nasal polyp or swollen turbinates or a deviated nasal septum which can block your breathing creating a vacuum of sort in the throat causing you to snore.
• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids obstruct airflow which causes snoring.
• Being obese or overweight causes extra fat tissue to be deposited in the throat which compresses on the airway and also a lower muscle tone (found in obese people) contributes to snoring.
• Alcohol and certain medications such as narcotic pain killers cause relaxation of the throat muscles leading to snoring.
• Smoking causes inflammation and swelling of the soft tissues of the throat and bronchi in the lungs leading to obstruction of the airway.
• Sleeping Posture. Sleeping on your back can cause the tongue to fall back causing obstruction of the airway.
• A long uvula or soft palate is the commonest cause of snoring as this extra tissue juts into the airway causing its obstruction.
• Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition when your loud snoring is accompanied by periods of apnea (cessation of breathing) of about 10 to 20 seconds. Sleep apnea requires medical evaluation and treatment.

Previous : An introduction to snoring.

Next:  Complications of snoring.

Related posts:

1. Apnea and Sleep Apnea – A Dangerous Sleep Disorder.
2. Snoring – An Introduction.
3. UPPP – Sleep Apnea Surgery.
4. Surgery Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
5. Snoring Cures, Remedies and Treatments To Stop Your Snoring.
6. How You Can Stop Your Snoring – 13 Useful Tips.
7. How Do You Get Sleep Apnea.
8. Sleep Apnea Treatment and Cure.