Snoring is annoying and often embarrassing, but it can also be a sign of a serious health problem. If you’re wondering why you or your partner snores at night, read on to learn the causes of this common condition.
People snore for several reasons, ranging from physical traits to lifestyle choices.
Common causes of snoring include:
- A narrowing of the airway causes snoring.
- Being overweight
- Use of alcohol or other sedatives
- Nasal or sinus problems
- Physical traits, such as a big nose or large tongue
- Lifestyle choices (e.g., smoking)
1. Narrow airways
Some folks are just built in a way that makes them prone to snoring, like having naturally narrower air passages. Genetics can play a role, or weight gain later in life that further constricts the airflow.
Overweight and obese individuals are much more likely to see logs, even without full-blown sleep apnea. All that extra tissue in the throat cuts down on breathing ease.
As we age, throat muscles also weaken and lose elasticity. There’s less structural support to keep airways open, especially in deeper REM sleep. No wonder Grandpa sounds like a chainsaw!
Kids aren’t immune, either. Growth spurts that rapidly change the height/weight ratio during adolescence can contribute to temporary snoring. Their body systems are in overdrive, trying to keep up.
While some anatomy makes you more susceptible, don’t fret – solutions exist! Lifestyle tweaks along with medical aids, can help overcome narrow passages and excess tissue. You CAN achieve silent nights, regardless of your build. Keep the faith!
2. Being overweight
Carrying some extra pounds? That may be amping up the volume on your snoring. Here’s why:
When you’re overweight, excess fatty tissue can accumulate in the throat. This narrows the airway, making it tougher for air to squeeze through as you breathe. It’s like trying to suck a thick milkshake through a skinny straw!
Plus, those with more weight are also at higher risk for sleep apnea, which triggers snoring too. Sleep apnea causes breathing to periodically stop at night when throat tissues obstruct the airway.
The good news is losing even a little bit of weight can start relieving the pressure and open up breathing room. Your doctor can provide guidance on sensible strategies. Think of it as a potential two-for-one – shedding pounds to simultaneously shed disruptive snoring!
3. Use of alcohol and sedatives
Alcohol and sedatives can also contribute to snoring. When you consume alcohol, you might experience throat swelling and blockage due to relaxed throat muscles. This can prevent the smooth passage of air through your nose and mouth, causing vibrations that make a snoring noise.
In addition to alcohol, many other common medications might cause you to snore when you use them at bedtime or before going to sleep. These medications include antihistamines (for allergies), pain relievers, sleeping pills, and cold remedies such as pseudoephedrine.*
4. Nasal and sinus problems
Snoring can also be caused by nasal and sinus problems. Nasal polyps are small growths in the nose that block airflow, while sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses that causes congestion and swelling. Allergies can also lead to snoring because they cause inflammation in your airways, making it harder for you to breathe normally and fall asleep at night. Another common problem that causes snoring is a deviated septum—an abnormality of your nasal septum (the partition between your nostrils).
This is usually caused by trauma or injury during birth, but you may also have it if you’ve been injured playing sports or in another way since childhood. Finally, if you have allergies or congestion that causes difficulty breathing through one side of your nose more often than not, you might notice some changes in how loud or quiet the sounds from this side are compared with those from the other side; because of this difference in sound volume levels on either side of each nostril’s opening points outwards rather than straight down vertically towards ground level like most people’s do when they usually talk (which means they’re not speaking directly into their microphone)
5. Physical traits, such as a big nose or large tongue
Besides extra weight, some of our physical traits can also set the stage for snoring. Things like the size of your tongue, the shape of your palate, or the proportions of your nose.
A big fleshy tongue or elongated soft palate can vibrate more intensely with airflow, creating louder snores. Large tonsils also narrow breathing space.
And nasal anatomy matters – a crooked septum or small nasal passage makes it harder to breathe through your nose. So your mouth breathes, and all that turbulence in the throat stirs up noise.
While you can’t change your basic build, don’t feel doomed to snore forever! There are fixes like mouthpieces to pull the tongue forward and procedures to remove obstructive tissues. You and your prominent features can sleep silently, after all!
6. Lifestyle choices like smoking
Many of our everyday habits, unfortunately, pave the way for snoring. Smoking cigarettes is a big one. Here’s how lighting up can lead to loud, disruptive snoring:
- Smoking causes inflammation in the throat and nasal tissues. This swelling narrows the airway and makes breathing noisier.
- Cigarette smoke also increases mucus production. Thick mucus in the throat and nose blocks airflow and rattles as you breathe.
- Smoking weakens and damages throat muscles over time. With weaker muscles, tissues are more prone to vibrate and collapse.
- Chemical irritation from smoking relaxes throat muscles. This allows extra vibration and collapse.
The more you smoke, the worse these effects become. Even just a few cigarettes a day intensifies snoring. Kicking the habit can go a long way toward quieter, healthier sleep. Breathe – and sleep – easy!
You can snore in any position, but you’re more likely to do so on your back.
Although snoring can occur in any position, you’re more likely to snore on your back. The narrowest part of the airway is at the back of your throat, so this is where most people’s snoring starts.
When you lay down flat on your back, gravity pulls your tongue downwards, causing it to fall back into the space that leads to your windpipe. This blocks off some of the air coming in through your nose and makes it difficult for you to breathe correctly (consequently making a lot of noise).
If you’ve been drinking or have taken sedatives such as alcohol or benzodiazepines (such as Valium), these substances can make breathing even harder by relaxing muscles in the throat and jaw that help keep those areas open for airflow.
What is the age snoring starts for most
We don’t know precisely why snoring occurs at night, but we do know that it’s a common problem for many people. Snoring is most often associated with middle-aged adults, though it can happen at any age.
The average age of snoring starts in men is around 45 years old, and in women is around 50 years old. Snoring becomes more likely as you get older because your airways narrow over time, and their cartilage change shape, resulting in less space for airflow through the nose and throat. This can make it difficult to breathe during sleep, which causes vibrations that sound like snoring when you inhale or exhale through your mouth or nose while asleep.
Conclusion
Snoring can be a symptom of a serious problem, but it’s also common for people to snore without any underlying health issues. If you’re worried about your snoring or that of someone else in your family, talk with your doctor about the best way to get help.
