Why Humans Snore
Anybody can snore. According to MedicineNet, about 45 percent of men and 30 percent of women snore on a regular basis. People who do not normally snore may do so if they are sick, have had too much alcohol to drink or if they are taking medications.
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Mouth Breathers
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Many people who breathe through their mouths are snorers. Because snoring is a sound resulting from airflow that causes tissues to vibrate, the flow of air through the mouth causes greater tissue vibration than nose breathing does.
Soft Palate
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The soft palate, the area that separates the back of your mouth from your nasal passages, and the uvula, the small extension at the back of the soft palate, vibrate during snoring. Surgical treatment can alter these structures to prevent snoring. However, this is not recommended if you speak a language that uses guttural sounds from the uvula.
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Tonsils
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Enlarged tonsils can narrow the airway, which causes snoring.
Sleeping on the Back
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Lying on the back allows gravity to pull the palate, tonsils and tongue backwards, which can narrow the airway enough to cause snoring. If this is the reason for snoring, rolling the snorer over usually helps.
Medications and Alcohol
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Some medications and alcohol lead to enhanced muscle relaxation. When the plate, tongue and neck relax, the airway collapses more, leading to a smaller airway and snoring.
More Serious Problem
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Snoring could be an indication of a more serious problem such as sleep apnea. To make sure the snoring is not part of a more serious condition, a doctor should evaluate people who snore.
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References
- Photo Credit stop snoring image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
