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Snoring is often caused by constriction of the upper airway. This constriction is commonly due to the enlargement or slackening of soft tissue structures at the back of the nose and throat. Once the airway has been narrowed, the air flowing through it will tend to generate vibrations in the soft tissue structure. These vibrations create the sound of snoring.
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| Enlarged soft palate | Chronically stuffed nose |
Everyone snores from time to time – it's perfectly normal. The causes of such occasional snoring may include alcohol consumption, sleeping pills or a common cold.
What we refer to as "habitual snoring" is snoring that occurs regularly throughout every night. One common cause of habitual snoring is an enlarged or slackened soft palate, sometimes associated with enlarged nasal turbinates. Even if habitual snoring usually has no negative consequences for the health of those who snore, it is often a considerable disturbance to their social-partners who may feel deprived of a good night's sleep.
Snoring that is associated with either an enlarged or slackened tongue muscle may involve "obstructive sleep apnea syndrome" (OSAS). In such cases, the tongue closes off the airway either entirely or partially for several seconds during the sleep period. People with OSAS literally stop breathing repeatedly at night and are frequently forced awake. The typical result is daytime sleepiness, and in some cases periods of microsleep. If left untreated, OSAS can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, heart attack and stroke.
