What Causes Snoring?

When you sleep, is your roommate aggravated with the hoarse and rough nasal voice you fill the whole room with?

Are you aware that in the U.S., snoring could be a factor in divorce cases? Would you let these nasal vibrations affect your life forever? For that matter, have you ever wondered what causes snoring? Prevent this from happening and know what snoring means and the root of its sounds.

Scientifically, snoring refers to the vibration of all the tissues in the back of your throat and nose. It means that when you are asleep and you are breathing through the mouth, you become short of breathe and the soft palate reacts to this.

There are two kinds of snoring – mild and severe. Mild snoring happens to anyone and could be prevented by simply turning into another sleeping position. Severe snoring is a result of your body’s condition, the lifestyle you have and inborn factors.

The two main causes of air blockage could be either from the nose or the throat. Basically, there are three factors that could determine the reasons of snoring – physical factors, lifestyle and natural causes.

So Tell Me, What Causes Snoring?

1) Physical factors. Snoring occurs when the passage of breathing is blocked. Here are the causes of this blockage:

* Nasal deformities. Deviated septum is the most common type of nasal deformity. Your nose has two sides. The septum is the thin structure that separates the two. If your septum is not in the middle of the nose, it means it is deviated and this causes obstruction of breathing.

* Allergies. Seasonal allergies that may result to cold or sinuses and people with asthma could plug your nose and cause inhalation difficulties.

* Enlarged tonsils. The tonsils' main purpose is to trap the dangerous bacteria from coming into the body. Because of these germs, it is usually swollen. A swollen or enlarged tonsil causes difficulty from breathing.

* Tumors. If you have any kind of cysts or tumors, your breathing automatically becomes a problem and this triggers the snores.

2) Lifestyle. The manner of your living could be a cause for your snoring.

* Alcohol and drugs. When you drink alcohol or other sedatives, the throat’s muscles becomes relaxed. Because of this, the tongue could pull back and block your airways.

* Weight problems. When you are overweight, the fatty tissue that surrounds your neck makes the throat smaller. This causes your air passages to be constricted.

* Smoking. If you have a history of smoking, it could cause your tonsils to enlarge.

* Sleeping position. When you sleep on your back, you are likely to snore. The angle of your neck is increased by the pillow. So when you have soft pillows, this may contribute to snoring.

* Fitness. Having poor muscles and slack muscle tones is another factor that causes snores when sleeping.

3) Natural causes. These are the reasons that cannot be changed. You were born with these factors.

* Heredity. Inheriting narrow throats and deformed noses could make your air passages clogged.

* Sex. Being a guy is a disadvantage when it comes to snoring. Since men were born with a narrow air passage, they are more likely to snore than women.

* Age. Either male or female, when you become older, the throat becomes more constricted and the muscles in the throat shrink.

Having problems with snoring cannot be dealt alone because you are not aware that this happens when you sleep. Ask your housemate or roommate if they hear these noises. And if they do, check with your doctor to know what causes snoring for your particular case and what you need to do to put a stop to the snores immediately.