45% of normal adults occasionally snore. Such a snoring person could be the focus of jokesat family dinners: "No earplugs have yet been invented to keep you away from Uncle Ben’s snores!" However, snoring can be a serious thing. People may want to give it a better look for their loved-one’s sake or for their own. Here is all you need to know about the snoring.

Why Do People Snore?

Here we liste some possible causes of snoring.

1.       Mouth Structure

The mouth’s airway could be too narrow depending on its inner shape. People with a low, thick palatetend to snore more. Also, overweight people generally have extra tissues at the back of their throat that hinder the airflow. Sound frequency might also be altered by the mouth’s anatomy, which increases snoring noise.

2.       Drinking Alcohol

Studies show that people consuming too much alcohol before going to bed snore more, too. This is because alcohol releases tension in your buccal muscles, resulting in the inability of these same muscles to defend themselves against airway blockage.

3.       Nasal Obstruction

Someone with nose congestion or some sort of deformity (just a little crook is enough) has all the chances of being a snorer, or soon will be.

4.       Suspension of External Breathing

Without any movement of the muscles of inhalation (apnea) your breathing faculty is severely reduced. This is quite serious, as it means your airway is almost if not fully obstructed, resulting in an impossibility to breath. In this case snores are very loud and you can’t help being awoken, preventing you from having a good night sleep.

How to Stop Snoring

Why do people snore? When you figure out, you will naturally seek some help to stop snoring. Below we list some options you can take to stop snoring.

1.       Adjust Sleeping Position

When someone is lying on his back during sleeping, his tongue and soft palate tend to fall back, obstructing the airway. This causes vibrational sounds, making a wind instrument out of his mouth cavity. Sleeping sided could avoid this condition. Although that position might feel uncomfortable for many, some sort of support (could be a pillow) should facilitate things and make it better.

2.       Quit Alcohol

People who do not usually snore can end up snoring after a few drinks out with some friends. The ones who just snore anyways will simply snore louder. Alcohol works as a sedative for the buccal muscles and prevents them from keeping the mouth’s airway clear. Anyone concerned about snoring should avoid drinking alcohol at least five hours before going to bed.

3.       Keep the Nasal Space Unblocked

Keeping nasal passages open will help with the problem, only if the snoring comes from the nose.  Not only nasal strips are useful in this case. Taking a warm shower before sleeping will help anyone with this issue (and it’s enjoyable). Rinsing his nose with salt water is also a good option. It could just be the case that the person has a cold, but before healing from it he might as well avoid the unpleasant noise.

4.       Lose a Few Kilos

Weight gain is more or less evenly distributed across the body, and the throat can grow to the point where air does not flow in and out freely anymore. Someone who started snoring after gaining some weight might want to try this instead of anything else. Yet, we should bear in mind that thin people snore as well, so corporal mass might not be the cause of snoring.

5.       Substitute the Pillow

Buccal and nasal conducts can also be narrowed because of allergic reactions. These might be caused by allergens deposited over the pillows after some time. Airing the pillows every couple of weeks and changing them about twice a year is a good solution in this case. If the person lets his pets sleep in his bedroom, he should reconsider this as well.

6.       Compromiseover Better Sleeping Habits

Someone who has been working for too long and goes to bed exhausted will experience similar effects to those caused by alcohol abuse. As the individual is overtired, his muscles will ultimately relax more than usual and might become too floppy. In that way, the mouth airflow will be obstructed and thus snoring will be aroused.

7.       Stay Hydrated

Whenever the human body is dehydrated, buccal and nasal secretions become stickier and denser, which contributes to the blocking of the airway and louder snoring noises. Drinking plenty of fluids will avoid this from happening. The recommended daily liquid intake is about 2.5 liters for men and 2.0 liters for women.

When to Seek Medical Help

Why do people snore? Snoring may not necessarily be something serious. However, we would suggest anyone to ask for medical advice if experiencing any of the following:

• Disturbances in short and/or long term memory, or capacity of concentration
• Waking up with a feeling of unrest
• Excessive tiredness at daytime
• Morning headaches
• Apnea – You should ask your partner whether your snoring is too loud and if you make choking sounds sporadically
• Weight gains

Note: Get your children tested for apnea if they snore regularly, too. Sleep apnea in children has been correlated with ADHD and poor school performances, growth problems or even arteriosclerosis.

More Things You Should Know

It is important to know and distinguish the different snores you might have in every different sleeping position. A good doctor will be able to figure out through this how and why you snore. Once you know the cause, procuring yourself a cure will be simpler. Yet, the best and more natural cure is correcting bad habits!

• If you snore with your mouth closed it is probably due to a tongue problem.
• Open-mouth snoring is most definitely caused by throat tissues obstructing the buccal airway.
• If you snore only when you are sleeping on your back it will probably only be mild noises.
• If you snore in all sleeping positions it might be more severe and require treatment. 

Now you know the answer to why do people snore and other important info so that you can get the best treatment.