Causes of snoring
Why do YOU snore?
Habitual snoring is a very common problem, affecting 30% of all men and 10% of all women. By the age of 60, this rises to 50% of men and 30% of women.
However, there are many different causes.
Many snorers may think they’ve tried everything… but they’ve actually been trying the wrong things.
For example, an over-the-counter remedy that addresses a blocked nose – such as nasal strips or sprays – will not work if the cause of snoring is not nasal congestion.
It is therefore vital to discover the precise cause to successfully treat the problem.
Stop Snoring Surgery can help you find the reason you snore and recommend suitable treatment.
To book a free consultation, please visit our Contact page.
For more information, visit our Snoring treatments page.
Physical factors
Snoring occurs when air movement in the throat is obstructed during sleep; and breathing causes parts of the throat to vibrate noisily.
This obstruction can be caused by a variety of anatomical features.
These can include:
- Large tonsils
- Large tongue
- Weak lower jaw
- Narrow throat
- Narrow voice box inlet
- Excessive tissue bulk at the back of the throat
- Long palate
- Floppy uvula
- Enlarged uvula
- Throat muscles relaxing too much (known as 'collapse')
Another common physical cause of snoring is a blocked nose, which is explained in more detail below.
Stop Snoring Surgery can help you find out whether one of these features is the cause of your snoring.
To book a free consultation, please visit our Contact page.
Lifestyle factors
A person’s lifestyle and habits can also have an impact on their potential to snore.
Sleeping habits
If a person sleeps on their back, their tongue or throat tissues can fall back, restricting air movement.
Sleeping with an open mouth, or breathing more through the mouth than the nose, can also affect airflow.
It is therefore recommended for a snorer to learn to sleep differently.
Weight
Being overweight is commonly associated with snoring.
For example, an excess of fatty tissue can restrict air movement.
If you snore and are overweight, you may therefore find that losing weight solves the problem.
Alcohol / Smoking / Medication
Alcohol and smoking can excessively relax a person’s muscles, including those in the throat – thereby increasing the risk of obstruction and vibration.
Some medications can have the same effect – e.g. painkillers, sedatives, cold remedies, etc.
Smoking can also cause nasal congestion, which creates a different kind of obstruction but has the same effect.
Stop Snoring Surgery can help you find out whether one or more of these issues is the cause of your snoring.
To book a free consultation, please visit our Contact page.
Blocked nose
Nasal congestion can be a cause of snoring; and is also an uncomfortable problem of its own.
As well as snoring, the effects can include:
- Headache
- Impaired sense of smell
- Dry mouth
- Recurrent sinusitis
Common factors:
- Infection
- Air pollution
- Smoking
- Virus (e.g. cold or flu)
- Allergies (e.g. hayfever)
Common physical factors:
- Deviated septum (when the cartilage in the centre of the nose is displaced)
- Enlarged turbinates (when the projections of soft tissue which line the nose become inflamed)
Effect on the breathing cycle
A person’s natural reaction to nasal congestion is to breathe through the mouth, which affects the body’s delicate balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The body tries to rectify this balance and causes the nasal passages to become even more constricted, making the situation worse.
The resulting nasal cycle means that one side of the nose will be open, while the other is relatively blocked, varying through day and night.
Stop Snoring Surgery can help you find out how best to treat your blocked nose.
To book a free consultation, please visit our Contact page.
Sleep apnoea
Snoring can also be an indication of sleep apnoea, which is a potentially life-threatening condition and must be addressed.
For more information, visit our Sleep apnoea page.
Treatment
The cause of a person’s snoring will determine which treatment is most appropriate.
Stop Snoring Surgery can help you discover your personal reason for snoring.
For more information, visit our Snoring treatments page.
To book a free consultation, please visit our Contact page.