During sleep, all our voluntary muscles are relaxed. The throat, in the same way as other muscles in the body is relaxed and resting while we sleep. The fact that tissues in the throat are soft, adds to the eventual output of vibrating sounds.
Once this tissue relaxes and spreads, the passage of air will become narrower. As you can see, narrowed passages causes louder noise because there is more room for friction, thus the vibration.
The loudness of snore is affected by the force of air through the air passages. Therefore, when the air is travelling faster, the snore, in general, is louder and more resonant. This answers why babies are capable of snoring too. However, theirs is not typically considered as snoring but only as mild noises created by the respiratory tract. This must never be ignored though since it may be the early sign that something is stuck in your child's respiratory tract
Both men and women can be affected by snoring at any age, however it is more common in middle aged men. This is due in part to the fact that in general men have a wider neck and more tissue to cause vibration.
Women on the other hand produce progesterone hormones that are known to inhibit snoring. As a result women are less susceptible towards snoring. Some anti snoring devices actually contain progesterone as their basic ingredient.As women approach menopause though their progesterone levels fall and as a result they may be more prone to snore.
Lifestyle and health factors are also to be blamed for snoring. These include allergies that cause a swelling in the nasal passages such as sensitivity to dust mites, pollen and certain foods.
Colds and flu cause the respiratory tract to become blocked. This can often be relieved by inhaling steam from a bowl of hot water with a few drops of eucalyptus or sage added.
Obesity causes a build up of excess tissue in the throat and neck area. When these tissues relax during sleep the airways can become very narrow and result in loud snoring. The obvious solution is to lose weight, so taking up exercise and joining a gym is one idea. Also consider joining a diet club such as weightwatchers. Having the support of other members is often a good incentive.
Other factors that cause snoring include smoking which causes inflammation of the airways and also some medications that help you to relax. Alcohol is another cause as it's a relaxant. Drinking several glasses of wine before bedtime may well help you to unwind but it can also make you snore!
hypothyroidism increases the size of the thyroid gland or goiter which is another factor that can cause snoring. Treatment is effective.
Over use of nasal sprays can also result in snoring.
Nasal polyps can result from a chronic infection in your nasal passages and these small swellings can cause snoring. Polyps are often successfully treated with medication, however if they become very large and obstructive surgery may be the only option.
Kathy Joyce copyright December 2007
Contact email:healthytowealth@aol.com
