What Are the Main Causes of Snoring and How Do You Fix Them?

Why do people snore? This question may be top of mind if you or someone in your household snores. And you wouldn’t be alone. 

Based on a JAMA Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Patient Page, snoring affects a large portion of the population:

• Regularity: 25% to 50% of adults snore regularly.

• American prevalence: 90 million Americans report snoring at some point, with 37 million being regular snorers.

• Risk factors: Those most likely to snore are overweight individuals, men who are middle-aged or older, and postmenopausal women.

But even though snoring isn’t unusual, it can still significantly impact your daily life. Not only can it disrupt your sleep, but it can also lead to health problems and strained relationships with your bed partner. 

To get to the root of snoring and what you can do to find relief, let’s first look at what causes snoring in the first place.

What is Snoring?

Snoring is the hoarse sound caused by the throat tissues vibrating during sleep. This happens when muscles in the soft palate, tongue, and throat relax and partially block the airway.

As you fall asleep, your throat muscles relax, and your airway narrows. When air has to squeeze through that smaller space, it creates the rattling, buzzing noise we call snoring.

What Causes Snoring

Some people are more prone to snoring than others. The causes of snoring generally fall into three categories: physical traits, medical conditions, and lifestyle habits.

1. Physical Causes

• Nasal Issues: Blocked nasal passages make it harder to breathe normally. This can force you to breathe through your mouth, which increases snoring. Common culprits include polyps, a deviated septum, or chronic nasal congestion.

• Sleep Position: Your sleep position can also be a contributor. Research shows that sleeping on your back can increase the severity and frequency of your snoring. That’s because when you sleep on your back, it causes your airways to narrow.

• Anatomy of Mouth and Throat: Some people are simply built with narrower airways. Features like a small jaw, enlarged tongue, thick soft palate, or even a long uvula (that little flap at the back of your throat) can block airflow and lead to snoring.

2. Medical Conditions

Sleep Apnea: Loud, chronic snoring can sometimes signal sleep apnea. This is especially true if snoring accompanies symptoms like gasping for breath at night and excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea can be one of two types: central or obstructive. In both conditions, breathing repeatedly stops and starts when you sleep. 

• With central sleep apnea, your brain doesn’t send your body the correct signals to breathe. 

• But with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the pause in breathing is caused by something blocking the airflow to the lungs.

Allergies and Sinus Issues: Chronic nasal congestion caused by allergies, infections, and environmental irritants is another reason for snoring in adults. People with severe nasal congestion are three times more likely to be habitual snorers. Inflammation of the sinuses, or sinusitis, can also cause nasal congestion and lead to snoring.

GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and snoring are also connected. GERD symptoms are often worse at night than during the day, thanks to gravity. Your stomach acid generally falls back into your stomach since you stay mostly upright during the day. However, at night, when you’re horizontal, acid can travel to the back of your neck and soft palate. This acid reflux causes irritation and swelling that blocks your airway.

3. Lifestyle Factors

• Weight Gain: Extra weight, especially around the neck, narrows the airway and makes breathing harder at night. Obesity is one of the most common reasons for snoring and can also increase the risk of OSA.

• Diet: Diets high in sugar, processed foods, and dairy can worsen snoring. Dairy, for example, may increase mucus production in some people, while acidic foods can irritate the throat.

• Alcohol: Drinking before bed relaxes the muscles in your throat and soft palate, which makes snoring more likely.

• Smoking: Smoking inflames and irritates airway tissues, narrowing the passage and leading to snoring. It also increases the risk of developing sleep apnea. Research shows that smoking can heighten the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea.

The Social and Emotional Impact of Snoring 

Snoring isn’t just a health issue, it’s a household issue. Chronic snoring can rob both you and your partner of quality sleep. The result? Mood swings, memory lapses, and more arguments than you’d like.

Research even shows chronic snoring can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially in older adults. And when snoring is linked to sleep apnea, the risks go up: diabetes, heart disease, and more serious complications.

How to Diagnose Snoring 

Once you identify your specific snoring causes, you can find the right treatment. If you’re asking yourself, “Why do I snore every night?” it may be time to check in with your doctor. Look out for symptoms like headaches, constant drowsiness, weight gain, or trouble focusing.

A healthcare provider may recommend a sleep study, which tracks your breathing patterns, heart rate, oxygen levels, and even brain activity overnight. This helps identify whether your snoring is harmless—or part of something more serious.

Comprehensive Solutions and Remedies 

Lifestyle Changes

• Maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise.

• Reduce alcohol, quit smoking, and practice good sleep hygiene.

• Try sleeping on your side instead of on your back.

Medical Interventions

• For sleep apnea, treatments like CPAP therapy may be needed.

• In some cases, surgery can address anatomical blockages.

• Anti-snoring mouthpieces can also help keep airways open.

Technological Solutions

Many smartphone apps, fitness trackers, and smartwatches have sleep-tracking features that can detect and monitor your snoring patterns. This technology can also provide helpful information about your sleep cycles, breathing patterns, and heart rate.

Home Remedies 

• Use a humidifier or decongestant spray if nasal congestion is the culprit.

• Try positional therapy—side sleeping can reduce snoring, especially when supported with special pillows. MedCline’s sleep systems offer gentle elevation and positioning that help keep your airway clear.

Prevention and Management

Regular medical checkups help you catch any underlying issues behind your snoring. This early intervention can prevent complications and long-term sleep problems. Make healthy changes to your lifestyle and sleep habits to manage your snoring. 

In particular, research shows that physical exercise is highly beneficial in managing snoring and other OSA symptoms. In one study, patients who exercised regularly increased their muscle tone in their airways, which led to reduced neck fluid, better sleep, and less daytime drowsiness.

Myths vs. Facts 

Myth 1: Snoring is a sign of good sleep. 

Fact: Snoring is frequently a sign of disrupted sleep, especially in cases where the snorer has sleep apnea and is waking up constantly throughout the night. 

Myth 2: Snoring isn’t genetic. 

Fact: While there isn’t one specific “snoring gene,” recent research has found over 170 genes linked to snoring. Many of these genes (nearly 80%) are associated with the risk of developing OSA. 

Myth 3: Thin people don’t snore. 

Fact: Obesity and excess weight increase the likelihood of snoring, but people of all sizes can snore. This can be due to other contributors like nasal congestion, hormonal changes, and even sleep position.

Myth 4: Snoring can’t be cured naturally. 

Fact: Simple and natural changes can make a huge difference in whether or not you snore at night. For example, sleeping on your side with your head elevated can address poor sleep patterns and keep your airways open throughout the night. Anti-snoring pillows, like MedCline’s Sleep Solutions, keep you snuggly in position. Our medically proven pillows offer snoring relief with an elevation angle to keep your head comfortably lifted. 

Conclusion

Addressing your snoring is critical to your sleep quality and overall mental and physical health. It can also greatly impact your household’s well-being, helping everyone sleep better at night. 

At MedCline, we’re invested in helping you find a solution. Our sleep systems are backed by science and offer safe, non-medication treatment. Made with adjustable memory foam stuffing, our seamless design features full body support and a patented arm pocket to keep sleepers elevated and comfortably in place. Our wedge pillows also help reduce acid reflux at night, preventing the backflow of your stomach contents from reaching the throat and worsening your OSA symptoms. 

For more information about how our snoring solutions can help with snoring, head to our MedCline FAQs or reach out to our team of Sleep Specialists today!