Snoring: Causes, When to Worry and How to Snore Less

Snoring is the sound made when your breathing is blocked while you sleep. Tissues at the top of the airway strike each other and vibrate.

Who snores

Snoring is common, especially among older people and people who are overweight.

When it matters

• Sleep: severe snoring can wake you often during the night and leave you sleepy in the day, and it can disturb your bed partner's sleep.
• Sleep apnea: snoring can be a sign of this serious sleep disorder. See your health care provider if you are often tired during the day, don't feel you sleep well, or wake up gasping.

Snoring less

• Lose weight if you are overweight — it may help, though thin people snore too.
• Cut down on, or avoid, alcohol and other sedatives at bedtime.
• Don't sleep flat on your back.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Snoring," drawing on the National Institute on Aging (NIH). https://medlineplus.gov/snoring.html
• Rewritten in hubnx's own words.