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Snoring
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
Snoring occurs when the flow of air from the mouth or nose to your lungs makes the tissues of the airway vibrate. This usually is caused by a blockage (obstruction) or narrowing in the nose, mouth, or throat (airway).
When you inhale during sleep, air enters the mouth or nose and
passes across the
soft palate 
(the back of the roof of the mouth) on its way to the lungs. The
back of the mouth—where the tongue and upper throat meet the soft palate and
uvula—is collapsible. If this area collapses, the
airway becomes narrow or blocked. The narrowed or blocked passage disturbs the
airflow, which causes the soft palate and uvula to vibrate and knock against
the back of the throat, causing snoring. The tonsils and adenoids may also
vibrate. The narrower the airway is, the more the tissue vibrates, and the
louder the snoring is.
See pictures of the
tonsils, adenoids, and uvula and the
soft palate .
You do not snore when you are awake because the muscles of the throat hold the tissues in the back of the mouth in place. When you sleep, the muscles relax, allowing the tissues to collapse.
Snoring can be so loud that it keeps your bed partner awake. You may also have a less restful sleep. Sleep quality may decrease as the loudness of the snoring increases. And snoring can result in daytime sleepiness.
Snoring that affects how well you sleep may increase your risk of high blood pressure.1, 2
Snoring may progress to upper respiratory resistance syndrome or sleep apnea, a serious condition. For more information, see the topic Sleep Apnea.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: January 29, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Jan Ulfberg - Sleep Medicine | |
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