The Facts about What Causes Snoring. Know these to help it cure better

Millions of people deal with snoring on a daily basis. In some cases, they’re keeping their partners awake, and in others it’s the other way round where their partners are keeping them awake. If you’re like these people, you may have never actually wondered – or even cared – about what causes snoring. Chances are you just wanted it to stop, and you may be expecting it to happen on its own. In order to stop snoring, though, you need to understand what causes snoring first.

What Causes Snoring?

Just as there’s no one “magic cure” for snoring, there’s also no one cause of snoring. In general, causes of snoring can be several different things.

• Anatomy: A person’s anatomy is one of the main reasons for snoring. Generally, any type of airway obstruction can cause snoring. These obstructions can result in narrowing of air passages, which inturn may vibrate when a person breathes in or out, causing the characteristic snoring sound. Common airway obstructions include an enlarged uvula and enlarged tonsils. People with naturally narrow airways are therefore more prone to snoring.
• Weight: Overweight people are typically more likely to be snorers. This is because fatty deposits tend to accumulate around the neck and throat.
• Sleeping Position: People who sleep on their backs are usually more likely to snore than people who sleep in other positions, since this makes it easier for muscles and tissues around the throat to collapse.
• Age: Studies have shown that older people do tend to snore more than younger people. As we age, the muscles around the throat, like all muscles, become less toned, causing them to become rather slack. These loose tissues then vibrate and cause snoring sound as a person breathes in.
• Alcohol and Medications: Alcohol and medicines, particularly cold medicines, have also been known to cause snoring. These can often cause the muscles in the body to relax, resulting in slack tissue in the throat, which can cause snoring.
• Nasal and Sinus Problems: Any type of abnormality or illness in the nasal passages or sinuses is extremely likely to cause snoring. This can include anything from a common cold to a slightly deviated septum. 

Snoring Differences in the Genders

The majority of people who snore can usually blame their problem on one of the above reasons. A person’s gender, however, might also be a determining factor as to whether they snore or not.
Scientists have proven that men are more likely to be regular snorers. There are a few different theories about what causes snoring in men. For example, some scientists claim that men have narrower airways than women, which can cause snoring. One reason why men snore more than women, though, may simply lie in the fact that men typically don’t take care of their bodies as well as women do. This can lead to health problems associated with snoring.

Women are not completely out when it comes to snoring though. Some women, for instance, may snore just as loudly as men do, due to any of the above-mentioned reasons. Hormones are often blamed when one asks about what causes snoring in women. Pregnant women are more likely to snore too. The increased levels of estrogen in their bodies can cause the soft tissues in the throat to swell or puff up slightly, which can increase the odds of snoring. Some scientists, however, have theorized that women may snore just as much as men – they’re just less likely to admit it.