Snoring: what causes it & how can it be prevented?

Snoring occurs when tissues located at the back of your throat vibrate due to air flowing over them as you breathe in. When this happens, the air moving around in your throat causes the tissues to flutter, leading to a coarse snort, grunt, wheeze or rattling sound. 

Snoring can also be brought on by a number of physical and lifestyle factors, all of which can elevate your risk. These include: 

• Anatomy – individuals with narrowed nasal passages, a naturally narrow throat, enlarged tonsils or a bigger tongue may be more prone to snoring. 

• Gender – snoring is more than twice as common in men than women. Not only that, but surveys have also shown that men are much louder snorers than women. 

• Age – since we lose muscle as we age, this causes the airways to narrow and snoring to become more prevalent over time. For women changes occurring around menopause may increase the risk of snoring. 

• Weight – excess weight, especially around the neck, can increase your risk of snoring due to a more constricted airway.

• Sleeping position – sleeping on your back can encourage your tongue to potentially collapse backwards into your throat, partially block your airway and cause you to snore.

• Alcohol and sedatives – drinking alcohol and taking sedatives (sleeping pills) relaxes muscles in the throat, increasing your likelihood of snoring. 

While snoring may be mainly associated with the sounds it produces, there are other symptoms the condition can cause such as dry mouth.  Certain features point to a likelihood of associated obstructive sleep apnoea. These include: 

• Snoring that is loud enough to be heard in an adjacent room

• Unrefreshing sleep

• Daytime sleepiness and fatigue

• Your bed partner witnessing pauses in breathing

• Headaches

• Low mood and irritability

• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• Concentration difficulties  

If your snoring is starting to cause problems for your partner, as well as yourself, make sure to consult a healthcare professional. They will be able to identify the cause of your snoring and recommend tailored treatment options. 

Is snoring bad for you?

Generally speaking, snoring is not a cause for concern. However, in some instances, it can be a sign of an underlying health disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) – a more serious condition where your breathing stops and starts while you sleep.  

Depending on how much you are snoring, it could also signify a bigger problem. Snoring loudly enough for it to be heard in an adjacent room, for example, or more than three nights per week, could be a sign of OSA. So you may need to contact your doctor for their advice. 

Snoring prevention is sometimes possible with at-home measures (depending on its level of severity). It also depends on the underlying cause as well as your pre-existing health history and personal preferences. 

However, several snoring prevention strategies can make a big difference, especially in terms of improving your sleep posture and opening your airways: 

• Change your sleeping position – sleeping more on your side rather than your back can help reduce your level of snoring.

• Avoid certain triggers – alcohol, sedatives and smoking can all increase your likelihood of snoring. So cutting down on these closer to bedtime could help prevent your throat’s muscles from relaxing and discourage the snoring sounds. 

• Losing weight – excess weight around your throat and neck can cause your airway to collapse during the night and cause snoring. Maintaining a healthy weight can minimise this risk and stop you from snoring.

• Practise good sleep hygiene – Lack of sleep can contribute to snoring as your body becomes overtired. This puts your body into a deeper sleep, causing your muscles to become ‘floppy’ which increases your risk of snoring. Try to get enough sleep each night and avoid staying up late when you have an early start.

If you notice that your snoring still hasn’t improved after making these lifestyle modifications, you will likely require further intervention and diagnostic tests to improve your lung health. 

If you’ve tried the preventative lifestyle changes we’ve mentioned above and they don’t help with snoring prevention, it’s best to see a specialist. They’ll investigate the causes and find the right treatment for your snoring.   

At OneWelbeck, we offer consultations with one of our respiratory or ENT consultants to not only diagnose the cause but also find an appropriate treatment. You can also try our Sleep Studies diagnostic pathway – a dedicated program specifically designed to analyse your breathing and sleep behaviour. 

Finding the right treatment for your snoring will depend on its cause. Therefore, you should speak with your doctor to find the best solution for you.

Some of the main snoring treatment options typically include: 

• Mandibular advancement devices (MAD) – an alternative method used to treat OSA, a MAD works by moving your tongue and jaw forward in your mouth to stop your throat from becoming blocked while you sleep. 

• Surgery – for some patients with identified anatomical causes, certain types of surgery may be effective treatment. For example, where there is snoring but not sleep apnoea laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty may be helpful

• Consider weight loss interventions – an endocrinologist can support conditions caused by weight gain that may help you maintain a healthy weight.

• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines – if you have OSA, the gold standard treatment is CPAP, this mask connects to a machine that keeps your airways open throughout the night. 

Can snoring be cured permanently?

Depending on the cause of your snoring, it can sometimes go away with recommended treatment and lifestyle changes. Some patients may have anatomical issues that may be amenable to surgical correction that can in select cases afford a permanent cure. 

The good news is that for a small group of patients, even if your snoring can’t be ‘cured’ permanently, there are lots of effective treatments and lifestyle changes that can significantly reduce or eliminate snoring. 

At OneWelbeck, we have helped numerous patients address their snoring. So, why not let us do the same for you? 

Through our dedicated Sleep Studies program, our team of specialists can not only identify the cause of your snoring but also put you on the right treatment plan to prevent it from becoming a bigger issue. 

We prioritise providing only the highest level of care to each of our patients, tailoring treatments around your exact needs and the type of snoring you have. 

To find out more about this program, or ask us any further queries you might have, contact our team and we’d be happy to help.