Why Do People Snore? The Reasons Are More Common Than We Think

Like many people, we refuse to believe that we snore because it seems a little less than civilized and it’s not a pretty thing.  It’s not surprising that most people have snored at sometime in their lives.  Everyone has snored at one time or another, although for temporary reasons like a cold or extreme tiredness.  Nearly half of the adult population seldom snores and thirty percent snore chronically.

The sound we hear when someone snores is caused by air within the lungs having to force itself through narrow openings between the throat, uvula and palate.  It has many causes, but the most common reason for this is facial structure abnormalities or an obstruction and when we get older, the muscle tone within the mouth changes, which causes the skin to partly obstruct the back of throat.  For example, many of us have our tonsils removed because they are too large and take up too much space at the back of the throat and it makes breathing difficult.  While we are asleep, the body is relaxed and at rest, which also includes the mouth.  Taking occasional sleeping pills or drinking alcoholic beverages relaxes the throat quite a bit, which is enough to cause snoring.  Some of us battle with occasional insomnia and seek some temporary relief by having a glass of wine or a sleeping remedy.

While suffering with obesity has become an epidemic and isn’t good for people’s health, this isn’t an implication that snoring is solely caused by weight.  Those who are underweight or weigh the normal amount within the specified height and age range can also snore heavily.  If we have an excessive amount of tissue in the throat, it causes breathing to become more labored and the airway is constricted.

Since we have discussed the reasons why snoring occurs and what happens when someone snores, it’s crucial for many of us with a progressive snoring problem to seek a doctor’s treatment.  The question of “Why do people snore?” is a good one to ask if we’re curious, but it’s far more important to wonder when snoring should be treated.  This is disruptive, especially for married individuals whose only solace is to sleep in a separate room or within another section of the house when snoring is loud.  Handling this problem can be as simple as turning one over on their side to sleep, or electing to have minor surgery, but either way it’s important to see the doctor.