Snoring is a term used to describe the sound made by some people when sleeping. It all stems from the vibration of structures inside the neck and nose, most commonly the soft palate (back of the roof of the mouth).

Snoring happens in certain people because the muscles in their bodies relax during sleep, allowing these structures to vibrate when air passes through them. These muscles are active when people are awake, and the structures are less prone to shake during breathing. People who snore are usually unaware of it unless told by others who hear it.

Causes of Snoring

• Soft palate: Everyone has a soft palate, not everyone snores. The soft palate is the primary source of the noise in snoring, the movement of air through the soft palate is an important aspect of snoring.
• Uvula: The uvula is a spherical structure that hangs down in the back of the throat. Extremely long or thicker uvula might cause or contribute to the condition.
• Sides of throat (Lateral wall)
• Tonsils
• Epiglottis (structure in neck that prevents food and liquid from going into the lung)

What are risk factors for snoring?

• Overweight or obese: Increase fat can narrow passage of breathing leading to turbulent flow of air.
• Male Gender (but snoring is common in females too especially after menopause)
• Pregnancy: In pregnancy there is weight gain and fluid retention that occurs in whole body
• Natural ageing process
• Alcohol use before bedtime
• Smoking can irritate structures in throat and nose
• Body position during sleep
• Dehydration can cause thickening of mucus in the throat and can lead to snoring.
• Other pathologies like acute or chronic throat or nose infection, swelling of structure in throat or tumors (rare).
• Medications: sedatives or sleeping pills

What can you do?

Most important thing is to identify cause of snoring and presence of risk factors. It is better done by a physician.

1. Body positions

• Some body position can cause snoring, and some may decrease it. Sometimes when you sleep on your back or use a big pillow in the same position, your tongue or muscles of throat may slightly displace towards the back leading to obstruction of airflow. If you sleep on your side, snoring is still possible but in some people it may decrease.
• Use adequate pillow for sleeping (different for lying over back and lying by your side). Your spine should be straight.

2. Weight Reduction

• If you are overweight or obese, weight reduction must be done to decrease snoring. It can be done by exercises or diet modification. Both must be done after consultation with your doctor.

3. Avoid Alcohol before bed time

4. Avoid smoking

5. Adequate hydration (Water/Fluids)

6. Using snoring mouthpieces and snoring devices.

• Mandibular repositioning mouthpieces are devices that cover the upper and lower teeth and keep the jaw in position so that it does not block the upper airway.
• The Tongue retaining devices are mouthpieces that keep the tongue forward to prevent it from obstructing the upper airway.
• These devices should not be used without your doctor’s consultation.

7. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): A CPAP machine works by delivering consistent and stable air pressure through a hose linked to a mask or nose piece while you sleep. It is mainly used in Obstructive Sleep Apnea. (Should not be used without your doctor consultation)

8. Orofacial Rehabilitation: Kids and adults with snoring may benefit from orofacial rehabilitation, which targets the mouth and facial muscles. This therapy aids in the improvement of tongue alignment as well as the strengthening of muscles that regulate the lips, tongue, soft palate, lateral pharyngeal wall, and face.

9. Surgery is done in only those cases in which anatomical structures are the main cause of snoring and not responding to conservative management.

Complications of Snoring

• Decrease in quality of your and your partner’s sleep.
• It can cause strain in relationships.
• It can lead to obstructive sleep apnea.
• Increased risk of metabolic syndrome, Diabetes, CVS diseases like Hypertension, Arrhythmias& death.

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