While the night is meant to be a restful time when people settle down to sleep, this is not always so. Often, it is sleeping people themselves disturb the peace of the night, as they snore. This article will discuss the causes of snoring.
When you are watching a cartoon and see a "punching bag" like structure at the back of the mouth rattling when a character yells, what you are seeing is a dramatization of the uvula. This is part of an arch of soft tissue at the back of the throat called the soft palate, which is the cause of snoring. Though the soft palate does not behave in real life as it does in cartoons, under certain conditions it can act like the reed of a clarinet or an oboe, which causes people to snore.
Why do people snore when they sleep? Those who breathe through their mouth when they sleep are often prone to snoring because this posture causes the tongue to fall back into the throat, bringing the uvula in contact with the back of the throat. This relaxing of tissues creates conditions which can lead to vibration of the soft palate, which leads to the grating sound called snoring.
It is even possible for a person to snore who breathes through the nose during sleep because the nasal passages are narrower than we are aware of. If blood vessels in the nasal valves at the back of the nostrils swell with fluids, the valves will constrict; the reclined position of the head while sleeping can cause a buildup of fluid in these tissues. Additionally, these valves alternate being closed on one side and open on the other when a person sleeps.
Some common causes of snoring are:
- Being overweight
- Sleeping on your back, since it causes the tongue to fall back into the throat
- Sleeping on a very large pillow, since it can constrict the throat by pushing the head forward
- Smoking, as it can constrict the nasal passages and cause irritation
- Drinking alcohol, which causes bodily tissues to relax
- Eating a large meal before getting into bed
- Taking any medicine which can irritate the nasal passages
- Being pregnant
- Sleeping with some kind of impediment to breathing around the neck
Men are more prone to snoring than women because men are likely to have more bulk around the nose and throat than women, and are more likely to engage in activities which make snoring more likely. Older people are more likely to snore than young people because people lose muscle tone as they age.
While many cases of snoring are mere nuisances, there are cases in which snoring can be a sign of a serious medical condition, such as obstructive sleep apnea or upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), which is a step between ordinary snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. A person with this condition may test negative for a sleep apnea, but may suffer from some of the symptoms of sleep apnea such as drowsiness.
While nobody chooses to snore, all too often one cannot do anything about their annoying habit. While this article may give you an idea of what may account for this problem, it is no substitute for a doctor. If you snore, it may be helpful to know that you certainly are not alone!
