Snoring occurs when the soft tissues at the back of your throat become too relaxed and vibrate. The vibrations caused by your breathing results in the snoring sound.
There are several other factors that could contribute to your snoring and compel you to seek sleep apnoea treatment:
- A Narrow Airway – This can result from your natural build
- Weight Gain or a Large Neck – This puts pressure on your airway passage
- Alcohol Use – Drinking alcohol relaxes the soft tissues in your airway
- Age – Muscle tone decreases as you get older
- Sleep Posture – Sleeping on your back encourages the muscles at the back of your throat to relax
Snoring could also be a symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) -a very serious sleep disordered breathing condition which occurs due to the narrowing or total closure of the airway.
When your airway is narrow, you or your partner may notice that you snore.
Snoring is often no greater problem than the noise itself. However, loud snoring may be a sign of a more serious problem – Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.