Snoring is the irritating noise made during sleep when the sleeper attempts to force air past any obstructions in the upper airway. This air, entering at an increased pressure and velocity, makes the surrounding tissues vibrate, thus creating the typical snoring sound. The larger the airway obstruction, the louder the snoring.
45% of all adults snore occasionally. 25% are habitual snorers. Although more common in males, females do snore as well. Even small children snore.
There are many causes for snoring:
- Abnormal structure of the jaw
- An enlarged tongue
- A flabby uvula or soft palate
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- Obesity
- Sinusitis
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Sedatives
- Hypnotics (sleeping pills)
Snoring can disrupt your sleep. Snoring also disrupts the sleep of others in your bed, your room, or even your house. The non-snoring partner loses, on average, an hour of sleep every single night. The fatter we get, the more we snore.
Snoring causes up to 80% of couples to end up sleeping in different rooms.
Snoring usually precede Sleep Apnea. Recent research indicates that snoring associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea may also lead to Diabetes. The evidence is piling up: even snoring which seems to bother no one should be treated.
