What Causes Snoring?

Although you can snore at any age, people over 35 are more likely to be snorers. That’s because the older you get, the more your muscle tone decreases all over your body – including your throat. You might not have the muscle tone needed to keep your upper airway open during the night.

If you’ve put on weight – even just a few extra pounds – it could be impacting how much you snore. You gain weight all over your body, including around the neck and throat. This pressure on your airway can make it harder for you to breathe, leading to snoring.

You may have a naturally narrow upper airway, which could cause the soft tissue at the back of your throat to vibrate. If you also have a larger-than-average-sized tongue, it’s possible that this could partially or fully block the upper airway. Narrow nasal passages could have a similar effect on snoring as nasal congestion, causing you to breathe through your mouth, which can lead to snoring.

Some types of medications (such as sedatives) can relax the soft tissue at the back of your throat, increasing your risk of snoring. You might find that you don’t have the muscle tone needed to keep your upper airway open during the night.

When nasal tissue swells during a cold (or allergic reaction), the airflow through the nose becomes restricted. This congestion narrows your airway, forcing the air you breathe to travel faster and further dehydrate the tissue. This may force you to breathe through your mouth – and this can lead to snoring.

Alcohol can relax the soft tissue at the back of the throat and increase your risk of snoring. This relaxation means that you might not have the muscle tone needed to keep your upper airway open enough during the night. Alcohol also has a dehydrating effect on airway tissue.

Just like allergies, smoking irritates the tissues in your throat and nose. This swelling can reduce the size of your airway, causing you to snore.

Your sleep position can affect how much you snore. Lying flat on your back can cause your tongue to fall towards the back of your throat, increasing your chances of snoring.

Snoring in pregnancy is fairly common, especially in the third trimester. While you’re pregnant, the amount of blood in your body increases, causing your blood vessels to expand. This can lead to swollen nasal passages, forcing you to breathe through your mouth and resulting in snoring. Weight gain might also settle around the neck, and this affects your ability to breathe freely.