Snoring is very common, and all ages and both sexes are affected, but there are some things that make you more likely to snore.
What makes the noise?
The only floppy segment of the airway is the pharynx (the space between the back of the nose and the entrance to the windpipe.) It is here that the airway collapses and vibrates when snoring happens. The noise is generated by the soft palate at the level of the roof of the mouth, or by the back of the tongue or both.
Why do some people snore when others don't.
Because the airway is narrowed either by tissue blocking it, such as
a blocked nose making it harder to breathe
big tonsils and adenoids in children
a thick neck is pressing on the airway
Because the tongue drops backwards when you lie on your back.
Because the airway is very floppy, it tends to collapse and vibrate.
Factors that reduce the tone of the muscles of the pharynx make snoring worse
increasing age, excess tiredness, sedative medications, alcohol
Who snores?
Men snore 3 times more than women. They tend to have fatter necks and there may be a hormonal effect too.
People who are overweight snore 3 times more often than those who are of normal weight for their height.
Snoring tends to increase with age.
Alcohol is a major contributor to snoring. Even a small amount will tend to make the snoring worse.
What should you do if you have a snoring problem?
Remember you are not alone! There are millions with the same problem, and to many, snoring is irritating but it can be helped by sensible alteration in your lifestyle.
If you are overweight, getting down to a sensible weight is very likely to help, and may make the problem tolerable. If you do lose the weight, and the snoring is better, this is an excellent reason for staying thinner.
If you drink alcohol, even in small quantities, try stopping. This is very likely to improve matters. It may help to control your weight too.
If you take no exercise, your muscles lack tone, and so start to exercise sensibly and tone yourself up a bit. Again this will help with your weight if it is a problem.
Avoid getting overtired and unless essential, avoid any sedatives near bed-time.
If your snoring is worse when lying on your back, try to sleep on your side. Sometimes tipping the head of the bed up helps too.
If your partner can't go to sleep because of the snoring, let her or him go to bed and to sleep first. Tennis balls attached to the pyjamas on the back have occasionally been recommended.
Remember that one person's snoring may not have got worse; it may be that the other person has become a lighter sleeper. We tend to sleep less deeply and for shorter periods, as we get older.
So what can be done for you?
If you are overweight, the first thing any doctor is going to tell you is that you should lose it.
If you drink alcohol significantly, the second thing any doctor is going to tell you is that you should try stopping it.
Do you have a blocked nose? If you have significant nasal blockage, clearing it will help about half of sufferers. This may mean the use of a nasal spray or having an operation. A trial of a simple nasal decongestant may indicate whether or not nasal surgery will help.
If you are a heavy snorer and none of the simpler measures can help you, surgery to your palate can cure a proportion of patients. This surgery is not to be undertaken lightly because:
It does not always work
It is may be very painful for approximately 2 weeks after the operation
It can have complications
If you put on additional weight following surgery, the snoring can return.
