About 37 million Americans snore. While it’s very common, snoring is a major deterrent to quality sleep. Knowing what causes it is one step towards getting better sleep at night.
Here are the most common causes of snoring:
1. Aging
As we get older, our throat muscles and tongue tend to relax more during sleep. This causes a vibration on the inhale which leads to snoring.
2. Being overweight
Your mouth’s anatomy can play a role in your snoring. If you’re overweight, you tend to have extra tissues at the back of your throat, which can narrow the airways.
3. Having too much alcohol
You may end up snoring if you consume too much alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol has a relaxing effect on the throat muscles and can decrease the natural defense against airway obstruction.
4. Sleeping on the back
Snoring is usually more frequent and louder when you sleep on your back. This has something to do with the gravity’s effect on the airway (it narrows it).
5. Having obstructive sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep. It is characterized by loud snoring followed by periods of silence when breathing stops or nearly stops.
6. Having nose and throat conditions
There are several nose and throat conditions that can cause you to snore. These include nasal polyps, a deviated septum, and enlarged tonsils.
Snoring can affect your or your partner’s quality of sleep and eventually, your quality of life. Seeing a specialist can help you find out what causes your snoring and what can be done to remedy it.
References:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/common-causes-snoring
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/snoring/symptoms-causes/syc-20377694