Why Do People Snore

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Dear Fellow Insomniacs!
Nathan here, it's a comedy classic to hear someone snore in a movie or cartoon, but dealing with it each night in your own bed is no laughing matter...
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Have you ever been awakened by loud snoring? The other night, I lay in bed wondering how long it would take until I could fall back to sleep. Then I started asking myself, “Why do people snore?

The truly disturbing fact is that most people don’t know how serious their snoring problem may be. There are many health problems associated with snoring. Some of these may include:

• sleep deprivation

• drowsiness

• irritability

• lack of focus

However when you dig deeper, it turns out that loud snoring is also associated with more serious problems like heart attack and stroke. It turns out that untreated sleep apnea can be as dangerous to your heart as diabetes, obesity, and smoking. 1

What Causes Snoring?

Around 30% of people snore. Researchers aren’t sure what the exact number is because of unreported cases where people go untreated. It doesn’t matter whether it is you or your partner, if one of you is

snoring, both of you are suffering.

The actual snoring sound is caused by a vibration as air passes the soft palate. (This is near the back part of the roof your mouth). If this area collapses, the airflow is blocked and snoring occurs.

So why do people snore? There are a number of reasons.

Throat weakness

Throat weakness can cause the throat to close up during sleep.

Obesity

Fat collecting in around the throat can lead to an obstruction which causes the snoring.

Allergies / nasal blockage

This is a common problem that I personally suffer from because of my allergies that leads to the obstruction of the nasal passageway. It is common for people that suffer from seasonal allergies to snore occasionally.

Alcohol and Drugs

Drinking alcohol is a factor with snoring. Alcohol and other types of relaxants can relax the throat muscles and cause them to close up.

Stress

For those of us that are frequently stressed (who isn’t these days), snoring can be caused by an incorrectly positioned jaw. Stress causes muscle tension that keeps the jaw in the incorrect position.

Age

Age can be a factor. As we get older, our throat decreases in size.

Tonsils

Enlarged tissues can be a cause. Enlarged tonsils are a common problem in this area.

Original Article Here

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Nathan says: well worth a trip to the doctor if snoring is a problem for you or your partner!

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