The Many Causes of Snoring

Unfortunately there are numerous reasons why someone would snore and although it is very beneficial to try and pin down the root cause in some cases it will be difficult if there are several factors involved.  If the person is able to discover the reasons for the affliction then they will have a far greater chance of finding a possible treatment to ease the problem or even eradicate it completely.  The condition affects far more men than it does women although recently in the UK an elderly woman had her snoring recorded at 111 decibels, comparable to a jet landing at an airport runway. 

The actual physical cause of snoring is normally due to the soft palate which is an area on the roof of the mouth near the back of the throat sliding back and causing a partial obstruction to the airways.

The categories below can be the primary causes of snoring:

•        Alcohol Abuse

•        Certain Allergies

•        Small Nostrils

•        Overweight and Obesity

•        Sleeping in a certain position

•        Sleeping Pills

•        Enlarged Tonsils/Adenoids

•        Smoking

•        Relaxed Tongue

•        Suffering from Colds and Flu

•        Sleeping with your Mouth Open

•        A combination of the above

Being Overweight:

This is very likely to be the number one cause of snoring in most people.  When someone gains weight some extra fat is stored around the neck particularly for men and when the person lays down this extra fat compresses the neck making it more difficult for air to travel past the throat.  The extra fat will also make the muscles weaker and make them relax more when you fall asleep allowing the tongue and the soft palate to fall back towards the throat causing a partial obstruction.

A major problem for overweight people who snore is that they will not be getting sleep that is deep enough for the body to recuperate.  By having disturbed nights the body will release chemicals that will prepare it to be awake, this in turn will affect the metabolism and will make the person feel hungry and crave sugary foods for energy even if they have recently eaten.  As the metabolism is affected the body’s ability to burn off fat is greatly reduced which means a catch 22 situation can develop where the person will eat, sleep poorly and feel the need to eat more without the ability to burn off the calories.

Alcohol:

Alcohol is a very good muscle relaxant but because of this it can relax the muscles around the neck too much and promote snoring.  It is possible that it can also increase congestion in the nostrils which will also impede the air going past the throat.  If alcohol is drunk in large quantities then this could lead to a more serious problem called sleep apnea.  With sleep apnea the person will experience episodes of sleep without breathing for several seconds until the body takes control and forces the person to partially wake up and turn over.  This can be quite concerning for the partner that witnesses it but is normally uneventful for the person suffering the condition.

Other Causes

Enlarged Tonsils and Adenoids; A person with large tonsils and or large adenoids will be at a distinct disadvantage and will have a greater chance of snoring.  Mouthpieces may work best for these types of problems or possibly the option of surgery.

Smoking; Smoking can irritate to the nasal linings causing them to produce more mucus and create congestion.  It has also been known to inflame the back of the throat which will reduce the size of the airways.

Colds and Flu; For someone who has a cold or the flu then it is extremely likely they will be suffering from a sore throat and a blocked nose.  The chances of snoring will increase substantially during this period of illness; once the cold or flu has passed so should the snoring.

Allergies; There exists a fair number of allergens that can irritate the nose and throat such as pets, cigarette smoke, certain aerosols and dust mite droppings.  Those that suffer from rhinitis are also likely to be prone to snoring.  Many allergies can be relieved with over the counter treatments and is worth doing so if you snore particularly loudly.

Sleeping Position; The worst position is sleeping flat on your back where gravity will have an effect on allowing the base of the tongue to rest against the back of the throat causing a partial obstruction.  To stop sleeping on the back it needs to be uncomfortable for the person to do so, some have tried sewing a tennis ball on the back of their night wear to make it impossible to sleep on their back.

Sleeping pills; Basically has the same causes as alcohol, because sleeping pills relax the muscles it can relax the neck muscles too much causing the tongue and soft palate to become an obstruction to the airways.

Combination of the Above; If you are unlucky then you may be suffering from snoring due to a number of factors, you will have to isolate the causes and try to find remedies that can ease the problem of snoring.

Unfortunately for many people there could be several causes for them to snore and a number of contributing factors.  It is important to really narrow down and identify the causes if possible and then search for the treatments that will target the reason for snoring.  If in doubt seek advice from a doctor or a sleep specialist.