Why do people snore? Snoring is a common phenomenon, especially in men and in the obese. Snoring is nothing more than the sounds someone makes when there is upper airway obstruction during sleep.

When it is severe, it is called sleep apnea and is characterized by a stoppage of breathing or the flow of air during sleeping. Snoring is caused by what’s known as obstructive sleep apnea, where the palate and soft tissue of the upper air way close together during sleep and block the flow of air or cause the snoring sound.

The reasons why people snore is because the tissues of the upper airway resonate together and the airflow is interrupted during sleep so that noise occurs as the air passes through the closed off airway.

When it is severe, airflow is stopped altogether and the person quits breathing for up to several seconds. Then they wake themselves up and gasp, opening the airway for a few seconds in order to catch a breath. This cycle happens over and over during the night and the person doesn’t get a good night’s sleep and there is a low oxygen level to the brain during the night.

Why do people snore and what kinds of people are prone to snoring?

Snoring can be hereditary and be related to the shape and size of the uvula in the back of the throat and the positioning of the soft palate and other upper airway tissues. Snoring can be related to obesity.

Excess fat in the upper airway can worsen the narrowed upper airway and can contribute to snoring. Losing weight can reverse the symptoms and can reduce snoring in some individuals. Men seem to snore more than women, even those that aren’t obese. It may be related to the anatomy of their upper airway tissues.

Other reasons why people snore include being middle aged or older. As an individual ages, the throat narrows and the tone of the muscles in the throat decreases, leading to increased snoring or increased sleep apnea. Having a history of asthma, allergies or even a cold or sinus infection can contribute to snoring.

These conditions have a tendency to block the upper airway and make it difficult to breathe in. Your breathing becomes noisy as you try to breathe around these temporary obstructions. Those who are smokers or who are exposed to second hand smoke have a history of snoring more than others. It relaxes the throat muscles and can create congestion in the nose and lungs, leading to snoring.

Being a drinker, particularly before sleep, will increase the relaxation of the upper airway tissues and relaxes the tongue. Snoring is more likely in that situation. Finally, sleeping on one’s back causes the airways to collapse upon one another more easily and can cause snoring to get worse.

Rather than look at why do people snore, let’s look at the cures to snoring. One particular cure is surgical. The surgeon cuts out the uvula and some of the soft palate, allowing for an easier passage of the air through the upper airway. Surgery is reserved for the worst cases. There are also strips that one can put on one’s nose that will open the nasal passages when one sleeps. They are cheap and they work well in many cases.

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