A Commonly Asked Question: Why Do People Snore?

Although many of us have said that we don’t snore, the only way to know this with absolute certainty is to ask someone. Unless we have a tape recorder and unless we ask someone whether we snore or not, there is no way to know for certain. Everyone has snored at one time or another, although for temporary reasons like a cold or extreme tiredness. Nearly fifty percent of all adults have snored from time to time and roughly thirty percent of people snore habitually.

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.  Snoring can occur merely because areas within the face aren’t developed properly.  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.  If we have excess tissue on the roof of our mouth, (called the palate) in the back of the throat or the back of the tongue, it can definitely cause a breathing problem.  If this region becomes overly relaxed due to increasing age, mild alcohol consumption or via taking a sleeping pill, this can cause the tongue and any excess skin to rest in the back of the throat.  Some of us battle with occasional insomnia and seek some temporary relief by having a glass of wine or a sleeping remedy.

Obesity is linked to many health concerns and is detrimental to one’s life in general.  Although studies have shown that being overweight is injurious to people’s overall health, someone who snores can just as likely be underweight or in the normal weight range.  If we have an excessive amount of tissue in the throat, it causes breathing to become more labored and the airway is constricted.

Snoring interrupts the sleeping patterns of the sufferer and it also disrupts the lives of loved ones who are attempting to get a restful night’s sleep.  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.  We may be able to help snoring to diminish the old-fashioned way, by simply rolling a person onto his or her side or we can awaken them at night.  For the sake of one’s sanity and ability to get some much needed rest, we need to consider all of the available options.