Long the material for jokes, snoring is generally accepted as common
and annoying in adults but as nothing to worry about. However,
snoring is no laughing matter. Frequent, loud snoring is often a
sign of sleep apnea and may increase your risk of developing cardiovascular
disease and diabetes. Snoring also may lead to daytime
sleepiness and impaired performance.
Snoring is caused by a narrowing or partial blockage of the airways
at the back of your mouth, throat, or nose. This obstruction results
in increased air turbulence when breathing in, causing the soft
tissues in your upper airways to vibrate. The end result is a noisy
snore that can disrupt the sleep of your bed partner. This narrowing
of the airways is typically caused by the soft palate, tongue, and
throat relaxing while you sleep, but allergies or sinus problems also
can contribute to a narrowing of the airways, as can being overweight
and having extra soft tissue around your upper airways.
The larger the tissues in your soft palate (the roof of your mouth in
the back of your throat), the more likely you are to snore while
sleeping. Alcohol or sedatives taken shortly before sleep also
promote snoring. These drugs cause greater relaxation of the tissues
Your Guide to Healthy Sleep
in your throat and mouth. Surveys
reveal that about one-half of all
adults snore, and 50 percent of
these adults do so loudly and
frequently. African Americans,
Asians, and Hispanics are more
likely to snore loudly and frequently
compared with Caucasians,
and snoring problems increase
with age.