Snoring Causes - Snoring

Muscle tone of the tongue

During sleep the muscle tone in your tongue and soft palate tends to decrease. They become more relaxed and can collapse together. This contributes to snoring. Other soft tissues, such as tonsils and tongue, can produce sounds that add to or change the quality of the snoring. The position of the sleeper affects the amount of snoring. Lying on your back allows your tongue to fall back toward your throat and block your airway; so you are more likely to snore when you are lying on your back.

Blockage of airway

Anything that obstructs your airway will also contribute to snoring. For example, you are more likely to snore if you have large adenoids or a large tongue or if your nasal passages are swollen from a cold or allergies. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the primary cause of snoring in children.

Age and other factors

Age is also a factor. Older people tend to snore more because muscle tone tends to decrease with age. Other factors also aggravate snoring; alcoholic beverages, certain medications, and sheer physical exhaustion may be associated with heavy snoring.