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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration showing how narrowed airway contributes to snoring Snoring

There are a variety of factors that can lead to snoring, such as the anatomy of your mouth and sinuses, alcohol consumption, allergies, a cold, and your weight.

When you doze off and progress from a light sleep to a deep sleep, the muscles in the roof of your mouth (soft palate), tongue and throat relax. The tissues in your throat can relax enough that they vibrate and may partially obstruct your airway. And, the more narrowed your airway, the more forceful the airflow becomes. This causes tissue vibration to increase, which makes your snoring grows louder.

The following conditions can affect the airway and cause snoring:

  • Your mouth anatomy. Having a low, thick soft palate or enlarged tonsils or tissues in the back of your throat (adenoids) can narrow your airway. Likewise, if the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate (uvula) is elongated, airflow can be obstructed and vibration increased.
  • Being overweight. Extra weight can build up in your throat and contribute to narrowing of your airway.
  • Alcohol consumption. Snoring can also be brought on by consuming too much alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol relaxes throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction.
  • Nasal problems. Chronic nasal congestion or a crooked partition between your nostrils (deviated nasal septum) may contribute to your snoring.
  • Sleep apnea. Snoring may also be associated with obstructive sleep apnea. In this serious condition, your throat tissues obstruct your airway, preventing you from breathing. Sleep apnea is often characterized by loud snoring followed by periods of silence when breathing stops or nearly stops. Sometimes, complete obstruction doesn't occur, but rather, while still snoring, the airway becomes so small that the airflow is inadequate for your needs. Eventually, the lack of oxygen and an increase in carbon dioxide signal you to wake up, forcing your airway open with a loud snort or gasping sound. This pattern may be repeated many times during the night. To be diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, these periods when breathing slows or stops must occur at least five times an hour.
Risk factors Symptoms
References
  1. Snoring. American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/snoring.cfm. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  2. Troell RJ, et al. Sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing. Classification of sleep disorders. In: Cummings CW, et al. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/194312835-3/0/1263/677.html?tocnode=49544117&fromURL=677.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01985-4..50078-2_2965. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  3. Snoring and sleep apnea. American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. http://www.aaoms.org/sleep_apnea.php. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  4. Beninati W. Overview of snoring in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 6, 2010.
  5. Sterni LM, et al. Obstructive sleep apnea in children. In: Cummings CW, et al. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/194312835-3/0/1263/1656.html?tocnode=49548178&fromURL=1656.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01985-4..50186-6_7026. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  6. Basner RC. Continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356:1751.
  7. Oral cavity and pharynx. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/194312835-3/981212438/1481/284.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2467-5..50027-0--cesec128_1281. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  8. Beninati W. Treatment of adults with snoring. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 6, 2010.
  9. Panossian LA, et al. Review of sleep disorders. Medical Clinics of North America. 2009;93:407
  10. MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane). Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  11. Puhan MA, et al. Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: Randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal. 2006;332:1.
  12. Ernst AOE. Can singing exercises reduce snoring? A pilot study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2000;8:151.
DS00297 May 25, 2010

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