Causes of Snoring: Know Why You Snore

At this point in time, there are many known causes of snoring. But the thing is, all these known reasons for snoring all boils down to one. People snore because there is an obstruction of the breathing passage. There are many different kinds of blockages in the breathing passages but some of these are the causes of snoring. A few cases may be the tongues falling into the throat or throat weaknesses that may cause the throat to close up during sleep. Allergies and even a dispositional jaw that is caused by tension in the muscles may also be a reason for snoring. The fat that gathers in and around the throat also causes snoring.

There are many known causes of snoring. Snoring could be inherited. For some instances, a person may inherit a narrow throat. The narrow throat may be a future cause of snoring to the person.

Overweight people snore a lot. This is because of the excess weight and fatty tissue in the neck. This excess fat may cause the throat to become smaller. A small or narrow throat may prevent the air from passing; thus causing the person to snore. The throat tissues become less firm and are more likely to vibrate when the person breathes while sleeping.

Age is also a determinant of snoring. As a person gets older, his throat tends to narrow down. The muscle tone in the throat decreases and this may cause snoring. Once you get older, your throat muscles become weaker than they were before when you were young. Weakening throat muscles may cause the surrounding tissues to sag causing vibrations when breathing.

Males are more likely to snore more than women. It is because males tend to have a narrower air passage than women.

Smoking could also be a vital ingredient in snoring.

Certain illnesses like asthma, colds, allergies and sinus infections could block the nasal airways. Nasal blockage could cause difficulties in breathing. Blocked nasal airways force the person to breathe through his mouth. The slack tissue located in the mouth creates the sound when breathing.

Alcohol and other forms of drugs could also contribute to snoring of a person. Alcohol and drugs provides relaxation in sleep. These elements could affect the central nervous system. The effect is over relaxation of the muscles. And this includes the throat muscles.
Nasal deformities like a low-set, thick soft palate or engorged tonsils also cause a person to snore. The adenoids or the springy tissue between the back of the nose and throat can narrow down the airway. Having a longer-than-normal uvula could also be a factor. The triangular portion of skin that falls from your soft palate could limit airflow and increase vibrations as you breathe.

Even sleeping on your back could cause a person to snore. Some people however only snore while lying on this position. Changing the position of sleeping could solve the problem

Extremely soft pillows may also be a cause of snoring. A pillow can increase the angle of the neck while sleeping. The increase in angle of the neck can be a barrier in the airway; thus causing a person to snore.

It is very rare that snoring could lead to a more serious health problem. However, if you tend to snore loudly and with sporadic gaps in breathing, and customarily wakes up at night, this may be a sign that you are suffering from sleep apnea.

As you can see, there are quite a few causes of snoring, but luckily there are plenty of solutions to also be found.