What is Snoring?
When you breathe normally, air passes through the nose and past the flexible tissues in the back of the throat such as the soft palate, uvula and tongue. When you are awake, muscles hold the airway open. When you fall asleep, these muscles relax.
Snoring occurs when these soft tissue structures of the upper airway collapse onto themselves and vibrate against each other as we attempt to move air through them. This produces the sound we know as snoring. Large tonsils, a long soft palate, a large tongue, the uvula and excess fat deposits in the throat all contribute to airway narrowing and snoring. Usually the more narrow the airway space, the louder or more habitual the snoring.
Snoring and sleepiness affect over 40% of the adult population, often causing significant health problems and negatively impacting quality of life. While snoring may seem merely annoying, it can result in excessive daytime sleepiness, relationship issues, and be an indication for a much more serious condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea. |
