Why We Snore While Sleeping?!

The top 26 causes for snoring while you sleep.

1. Obesity or being overweight. If you are overweight, your body can build up fatty tissue around your neck which can cause snoring. Excess abdominal fat impedes breathing by making the diaphragm work harder. If your BMI (Body Mass Index) indicates you are overweight, this can certainly contribute to snoring.

2. Age. As you age, your throat becomes narrower as the muscles in your throat decrease. Your muscles and tissues generally become weaker with age and this can cause snoring.

3. Being male. Men generally have narrower air passages than women. The body fat distribution is also different.

4. A deviated septum. A deviated septum in your nasal passageway can impair airflow and cause snoring.

5. Pregnancy. Extra tissue builds up around the throat and neck during pregnancy.

6. Allergies. If your airway is irritated from an allergic reaction, you may experience difficulty breathing and this can cause snoring.

7. Nasal congestion and sinus problems. You may snore if you have ongoing nasal inflammation or rhinitis. You may not know you are frequently congested at night until you snore.

8. Alcohol and or drugs. Alcohol and drugs both depress the central nervous system and relax muscles in your throat which contribute to snoring. Drugs that are taken for allergies, depression or anxiety can contribute to snoring.

9. Smoking. Smoking irritates your nasal passageway, enlarging it and making it harder for air to flow.

10. Sleeping on your back. Your sleeping position can cause snoring because the tongue drops back over the airway.

11. Not elevating your head. If you do not use a pillow or if your pillow does not elevate your head much while sleeping, your airway is more likely to collapse.

12. Enlarged tonsils. When tissues in the nose, mouth or throat enlarge, snoring can occur. In children, enlarged tonsils or adenoids are a common cause of snoring.

13. A worn out or saggy mattress. A mattress wears out after 7-8 years, on average. Sleeping on a mattress that lacks firmness can lead to snoring because it can prevent the head from being elevated.

14. Obstructive sleep apnea. Having sleep apnea can cause snoring. Apnea is cessation of breathing and can be caused from airway obstruction which may cause snoring.

15. Eating large meals before sleeping. When you eat, your throat and tongue muscles may become more relaxed, contributing to snoring. This is usually more about the abdominal breathing than relaxation, however.

16. Eating dairy before sleep. Dairy products and even soymilk is more likely cause snoring than some other foods you might eat before sleeping. This is usually related to milk allergies.

17. Loss of muscle tone. If your throat muscles are not toned, from lack of fitness, you may be more likely to snore.

18. Nasal polyps. Having a soft, painless growth (nasal polyp) in your nose or sinus passage can contribute to snoring.

19. Being at high altitude. When you are at a high altitude, where there is less oxygen, you may be more likely to snore than you would be at sea level due to the increased need for air. Being at a high altitude makes sleep apnea more pronounced.

20. Dry air. If the air is too dry, the membranes in your nose and throat can become irritated. Air which is not humidified is more likely to cause snoring.

21. Long soft palate and or uvula. If you have a long soft palate or uvula (the tissue that hangs in back of the mouth), this can narrow the opening between the nose and throat. When these vibrate and bump one another, the airway becomes blocked and this can cause snoring.

22. Enlarged turbinates in your nose. Inside your nose are turbinates, these are bones that divide the nasal airway. If you have enlarged turbinates, you may be more likely to snore due to the narrow air passageway in your nose.

23. Pollution or bad air quality. Air pollution is linked to sleep breathing problems. This results in irritation and inflammation, blocking the airway.

24. Bad sleep hygiene. Poor sleep habits, such as working long hours without sleep, can make your muscles floppier and this can cause snoring. Sleep deprivation can enhance airway floppiness.

25. Dehydration. Secretions in your nose and soft palate can become stickier when you are dehydrated and this can increase snoring.

26. Large tongue. If you have a large tongue, with respect to your jaw size, this could cause snoring. Thank you for watching the top 26 causes of snoring while you sleep.