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Causes & Remedies for Snoring

The occasional audible snore is extremely common but if snoring is part of an every night sleep routine, there may be more serious consequences than just spending the night on the couch. Snoring is not just a loud and sometimes obnoxious sleep problem, it can turn into a serious health issue if it's not dealt with properly.

  1. What Causes Snoring

    • Snoring is caused by a vibration of the soft tissues in the throat. Those who snore have a lot of extra soft tissue in their throats. The noise is created when the airwaves in the throat and nose are obstructed. Obstructions can be anything from a narrow jaw or an oversized tongue to decreased lung capacity, smoking and allergies. These obstructions not only create the noise, but make the body work harder to breathe instead of resting, which in turn makes for lighter sleeping.

    Health Risks

    • Snoring may be a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening health issue in which the person can't get enough air into their lungs and could suffocate while asleep. Sleep apnea also can lead to a stroke, high blood pressure and heart failure.

    At-Home Remedies

    • Changing behavior may help eliminate the problem altogether. Try losing some weight, as heavier-set people sometimes have more trouble filling their lungs with oxygen. Don't drink alcohol for at least four hours before going to bed. Cut down on smoking. Don't take sleeping pills, as they can relax the muscles too much and increase the vibrations in the throat. Sleep on the side instead of on the back or stomach, as this can help open up the airways.

    Stop Snoring Aides

    • If the at-home remedies don't work, there are plenty of alternatives available at many drug stores. Nasal strips are used to open up the airways and allow more oxygen to enter the body. Throat strips do the same thing. Sleeping with an open mouth can add to the snoring problem. Chin straps also are available to keep the mouth closed at night. If the snoring does not stop after all these remedies its time to pay a visit to the doctor's office. The doctor may prescribe an allergy medicine or suggest a custom chin-strap that will pull the jaw back or forward to lessen airway obstruction.

    CPAP Devices

    • A continuous positive airway pressure device, or a CPAP, is used like an oxygen mask for those with sleep apnea. The device can be taken home and used while the person sleeps to make sure they are getting enough air.

    Surgery and Extreme Options

    • Surgery to open up the airway should be considered only after everything else has failed. One type of surgery, laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty, uses a laser to cut away the uvula, the tissue that hangs from the middle of the back of the roof of the mouth. Another type of surgery, radio frequency tissue ablation, uses radio frequencies to shrink the uvula.

      The tongue suspension procedure surgery keeps the tongue from falling back over the airways during sleep by having a doctor insert a small screw into the lower jaw bone and stitch below the tongue. Ask a family doctor which procedure is right for each case, as all mouths are shaped differently and different types of surgeries work better on different types of snoring problems.

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