Sources of Snoring

   

All of us snore to one degree or another, but sometimes snoring is the most severe deterrent to a quality sleep. Even when sleeping alone, it can leave you tired and poorly functioning when you wake up. What causes snoring?

   

You may have noticed how snoring occurs more when you or your partner is sleeping on the back rather than the side or front. This “side dependent” snoring is easily cured by training yourself to sleep on your side or stomach.

   

Alcohol is often used before bed to help with falling asleep. Since it is a muscle relaxant, however, it causes the areas around your throat and airway to ease up, resulting in vibration with each breath. For this same reason, taking another type of muscle relaxant may contribute to snoring. 

   

Aging introduces snoring to sleepers who may have previously not snored. Older sleepers often find it takes longer to fall asleep, and their sleep not being as restorative as it once had been. Throat muscles and the tongue during sleep tend to relax more with age, leading to a vibration on the inhale breath that causes snoring. 

   

The most common snorers are overweight men. Excessive stores of fat means poor muscle tone and extra tissue around the neck and throat, which are two areas that cause snoring. This is one of many reasons why exercise and proper diet are important habits for good sleep.