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Snoring is a coarse sound caused by the vibrations in the soft palate and other tissue areas in the mouth, nose and throat.

Snoring is caused when breathing in, by the turbulence inside the airway. This turbulance is caused by a part blockage, which is located between the vocal chords and the tip of the nose.

The restriction usually only occurs during a person's sleep, although it can happen all the time and just becomes even worse when asleep. This is due to the muscle tone being lowered when we are asleep and there may be not enough muscle to stop the tissue in the airway from vibrating. Muscle tone keeps the airway healthy whilst we are awake, which is why we do not snore while we are awake.

Snoring develops in the nose, oropharynx or at the base of the tongue. The tongue can be a major problem for snorers, as it often gets in the way.
Unfortunately, snoring can not be stopped at will, nor can it be ‘cured.’ However, it can be controlled successfully.

As snoring is caused by a physical abnormality, it needs to be identified before is can be controlled. Although this may sound dificult, there is a control for all snorers. Snoring in most cases can be solved by finding the appropriate self help remedy.

Most snorers are lured into buying expensive products which claim to cure their problem, often having disappointing results. Many people then become fed up and stop searching for an effective treatment. This is a shame, as there is a good possibility that there is a product out there which may help them.

The following examples of causes of snoring may help you find the cause of your problem. Each cause should be considered as a process of elimination to indentify your individual cause, so that the appropriate remedy can be used.

Do you have:

- obstruction at the back of your tongue caused by a weak chin

- A double chin caused by fat deposits around your neck

- Deviated septum

- Small or collapsing nostrils

- Nasal congestion and catarrh

- Enlarged nasal turbinates or nasal polyps

- Large, soft palate or uvula.

Some people claim that snoring is the result of overindulgence of life’s pleasures. This may be true in some cases.

Overeating and lack of exercise can help to increase the fat around the throat. A collar size of 16.5 inches or more may lack the muscle tone which is required to sufficiently open the airway to allow normal breathing.

A narrow airway is more likely to vibrate. Those with a short, fat neck have an increased risk of snoring. Men tend to have more of a problem with this than women, as they tend to get fatter around their neck, whereas women put more weight on their thighs.

Also, the cross-sectional area of the upper airway in a woman is greater and the walls of the airway are often more rigid and less prone to yeild pressure. This results in a collapse of the airway, along with the resistence of muscle tone, whilst one is asleep, meaning that a woman is less likely to snore.

Snoring, or the sound of noisy breathing during sleep, can be caused by a number of health conditions. It may even be a symptom of a serious disorder called sleep apnoea.

Children and adults between the ages of 40 and 60 are most commonly affected by snoring, with it being thought to be more prevalent in males.

If medical examination rules out any underlying disease or health condition, the most common causes of snoring are:

- being overweight

- drinking alcohol

- smoking.

The characteristic sounds of snoring are made when the soft tissues at the back of the palate vibrate. Most people do not consider snoring to be a significant health problem, but the disturbance and loss of sleep caused by snoring can be distressing to those affected and to their partners.

Vibration of the soft palate may be caused by an obstruction or narrowing of the passage leading from the back of the nasal cavity to the throat – the nasopharynx.

This obstruction can occur for a number of reasons – the most common being when an individual is overweight. Those who sleep on their backs may also find that their snoring worsens, as the nasopharynx is more likely to become blocked or partially blocked when the body is in this position.

When the tissues of the soft palate become relaxed or swollen, this can also lead to snoring as they collapse into and narrow the nasopharynx passage. This tissue becomes relaxed as a result of drinking alcohol or taking sedatives and it becomes swollen as a result of a throat infection or irritation caused by tobacco smoke.

Of course the common cold has a part to play in snoring too. The common cold causes nasal congestion, which in turn blocks or partially blocks the nasal passageways, leading to very noisy breathing, particularly when the sufferer is asleep.

Occasionally, the wall of cartilage that is the physical structure separating the two nostrils – called the nasal septum – is slightly misshapen or off centre. This is called a deviated nasal septum. Such anatomical abnormalities obstruct the passage of air and often lead to snoring too. This is more commonly the cause of snoring in men than women, as it often occurs as the result of injury sustained in a contact sport and it is the male of the species who is more likely to participate in such sports.

Snoring in children usually occurs as a result of an infection in, and associated enlargement of, the tonsils – tonsillitis – or adenoids.

If snoring is thought to be caused by sleep apnoea, it is essential that medical advice is sought, otherwise there are a number of self help measures that may bring relief to sufferers (and their partners.)

By making it uncomfortable to sleep on their backs, those who snore can be encouraged to sleep on their sides or front. This can be achieved by sewing a small object into the back of their nightwear – a tennis ball is often suggested for this purpose.

As with most health conditions nowadays, the first thing to consider is whether any excess weight is being carried. If so, it will be helpful to lose the extra weight, as this will reduce the “flabbiness” of the soft palate and reduce the snoring. (There are, of course, numerous other health benefits too from losing excess weight.)

Please click on About Snoring for a longer description.