By Dr Alison Bentley, Restonic Sleep Expert
The simple answer is “no”.
Snoring indicates that there is some obstruction to normal breathing that only occurs during sleep. The obstruction causes a turbulence in the airflow and vibration of the palate or the small tongue at the back of the mouth (the uvula). That vibration, plus a slightly open mouth, produces the noise we call snoring. The obstruction can be anywhere in the nose or throat area.
Weight gain is often a cause of snoring, especially in men, who are prone to putting on weight around the neck and chest area. Extra weight in these areas directly narrows the airway making it harder to breathe in.Dri Alison Bentley
Tonsils
Enlarged tonsils or adenoids can narrow the airway, leading to tissue vibration and snoring during sleep.
Nose
Many people who snore have a problem with a blockage in their nose, which could be due to a deviated septum, allergies, or nasal polyps.
Palate
A long or thick soft palate and uvula can narrow the passage and flutter when breathing, causing the characteristic snoring sound.
Tongue
During deep sleep, the tongue muscles relax completely, which can cause the tongue to fall backward and obstruct the upper airway.
Jaw
A small or receding lower jaw can restrict the airway space behind the tongue, increasing the likelihood of airway collapse.
Throat
Weak muscle tone in the throat can cause the walls to collapse inward during inhalation, causing severe vibration and blockage.
Weight
Excess weight, particularly around the neck, puts extra pressure on the windpipe, narrowing the airway and increasing snoring risk.
Reflux
Acid reflux can cause irritation and swelling in the throat and vocal cords, contributing to inflammation and airway restriction.
Did you know?
Your head position when sleeping could be making your snoring worse! If your mattress (and your pillow) doesn’t offer the correct spinal support, it affects the angle of your head, neck, and airway, which can increase the likelihood of snoring
Throat
The throat can produce snoring as the lining of the throat becomes “floppier”, sleepers at an advancied age aree more suceptable to this condition. The number of people snoring increases after 40 years old in men and over 50 years old in women (in this latter group due to menopause).
Nose blockage
Many people who snore have a problem with a blockage in their nose, which could be due to a deviated septum, a general irritation causing a swollen lining of the nose, polyps or enlarged adenoids. Some of these conditions may need surgery, while others can be treated with appropriate nasal sprays which may need to be used long-term.
Retained tonsils
One major obstruction in the throat is the tonsils. These are no longer routinely taken out in early childhood, so many more children grow up with their tonsils. If they become enlarged, they can swivel back during sleep to cause an obstruction. In children, snoring is never normal and removal of the tonsils and adenoids resolves the snoring in 95% of children.
Palate
As the end of the palate is generally the structure producing the snoring noise, there is sometimes a tendency to want to surgically remove it.
Although this can reduce the noise itself, the surgery needs to be undertaken with caution. The palate is responsible for some very important functions, such as closing off the back of the nose during swallowing and creating our unique speech. Surgery may interfere with these normal and useful functions.
Jaw and tongue
The jaw and the tongue become important factors in snoring especially when sufferers lie on their back. In that position gravity moves the jaw back narrowing the airway. This type of obstruction can be managed by changing your sleep position & preventing the sleeper from lying on their back (such as a creating a pocket in the pyjama top / t-shirt between the shoulder blades and inserting a small ball in there) or using a snore mouthpiece to stabilize the jaw.
Weight gain
Weight gain is often a cause of snoring, especially in men, who are prone to putting on weight around the neck and chest area. Extra weight in these areas directly narrows the airway making it harder to breathe in. Losing even a few kilograms can help to reduce snoring.
Reflux
An often-ignored cause of snoring is reflux of stomach contents. These make their way up into the back of the throat causing swelling of the back of the tongue. During the day, gravity keeps the contents of the stomach in place, but lying down removes that force (particularly after a large meal close to bedtime or after eating spicy foods). Moving the evening meal to at least three hours before bedtime and possibly taking a small dose of antacid before going to sleep may reduce snoring caused by reflux.
Most people have more than one of these symptoms and they may not be specific for any particular cause.
When to be concerned
Snoring it can just be a problem of noise pollution, but it may also be a sign of something more sinister, such as obstructive sleep apnoea. This is when your upper airway partially or totally collapses, affecting your ability to breathe and to get enough oxygen.
If your snoring is associated with daytime tiredness, catches or pauses in the breathing at night or high blood pressure, you should speak to your doctor about possible apnoea. This is a serious medical disorder that can cause long-term medical problems and requires professional treatment.
