What Causes Snoring?
Plenty of people snore when they sleep. However, snoring can be a problem if it causes you to wake or is so loud that your partner or family members cannot get a good night's rest because of the noise. Snoring is often caused by underlying problems, and when you fix those problems, your sleep quality improves and you snore less severely or not at all. Here are some common causes of snoring and what you can do about them.
Weight
People who are overweight are more likely to snore. Snoring is caused when the airway is not fully clear. If you have more flesh and tissue around the throat area, this can cause obstruction which vibrates during the heavy breathing of deep sleep, resulting in the snoring sound. Even people who aren't severely overweight can have this trouble -- reduced physical fitness and slight weight gain can be enough to lead to snoring at night.
Sleep Position
D you sleep on your back? People who sleep on their back are more likely to have relaxed muscle tissue that partially blocks the air flow at the back of the throat. Try learning to sleep on your side. If side sleeping is tough, you might get a wedge to put under your back to slightly elevate your sleeping position so that you aren't flat on your back.
Age
Muscle tone decreases with age, and the airway can narrow slightly as people get older. The combination means that you might now snore even though you didn't when you were younger. Also, older people who need specific medications may also have trouble with snoring. Muscle relaxants can cause snoring at night; your sleep apnea doctors might instruct you to change your sleep position to help avoid sleeping problems if you are on a medication that relaxes your muscles.
​Substance Use
Smoking and drinking alcohol can also cause snoring. Smoking damages the airway, so the extra strain can cause partial obstruction or scar tissue. Smoking is also a method of relaxing the muscles. Alcohol also slows your body's natural responses. To avoid snoring, try having a drink earlier in the evening, several hours before going to sleep. Try to quit smoking to help improve your sleep quality.
Sleep Apnea
Some people develop or are born with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea affects your breathing patterns when you sleep, and you often wake from not having enough oxygen. You can wake every few minutes, resulting in extreme tiredness. Snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea. You can do a sleep study to know if you have this condition. It can be treated so that you don't experience sleep disturbances.
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