Snoring is disruptive behavior that can lead to poor quality sleep, as it disturbs breathing and can make you wake up untimely throughout the night.
There are several reasons why people snore. The airway may be blocked off (and lead to forceful breathing) because of these 7 common factors:
Obesity
Obesity, or improper weight management, is a known proponent of snoring. People who are overweight have bulkier throat tissues, to which air will have trouble passing through.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where breathing stops and starts at intervals. It is characterized by loud snoring and waking up feeling tired even when you've had a deep sleep.
People often won't know they have sleep apnea. However, you can look at the signs and symptoms, such as getting tired easily, difficulty breathing, insomnia, headaches, and night sweats, among others.
Position
Sometimes all it takes to stop snoring is to assume the right position while sleeping.
Your body will thank you for it. Aside from relieving back and neck pain, you can ease pressure on certain parts of your body and prevent chronic pain and snoring. Believe it or not, there are different preferred sleeping positions for each individual depending on their body type and what they need.
Alcohol
Studies have repeatedly shown that snoring and alcohol consumption correlate with each other. Drinking these beverages can either lead to snoring or make it louder because alcohol relaxes the throat and lower jaw, blocking the airway and making it more difficult to breathe.
Mouth Anatomy
A person's mouth and the organs in it can become a factor of snoring. Your neck, throat, tongue, and jaw's shape and size can determine if the air is properly passing through as you assume a lying position.
To eliminate this factor, you can consult with a doctor and have some tests done, or see if your mouth anatomy has any relation to your snoring issues.
Pregnancy
Studies show that pregnant women are more likely to snore while they slumber.
There are several reasons for this, including hormonal imbalances, greater water retention, and sudden weight gain or obesity.
Nasal Congestion
Those who have the flu or colds can sometimes find themselves snoring at night. Regular nasal congestion is also a concern since it makes breathing very difficult.
Some will develop a habit of snoring in their sleep, even as the cold or nasal problem goes away.
Conclusion
If you have snoring concerns, it's best to see a sleep specialist to see if there's an undiagnosed condition, such as sleep apnea.
You can then try to use a humidifier to increase the moisture in your bedroom, or assume a different sleeping position, such as putting pillows to sleep on your side.
You can also try to reduce smoking and consumption of alcohol, since both can relax the throat muscles and directly lead to snoring.
Lastly, it's best to put weight management upfront and start having an exercise regimen.