Waukesha County's Neurology & Sleep Solutions

What Causes Snoring?

When breathing in, air on its way to the lungs travels by the tongue, the soft palate, the uvula, and the tonsils. Snoring is caused by the muscles in your throat becoming too relaxed or too bulky to allow for smooth full airway flow. The air, as it flows through the narrowed passageway, will vibrate the structures of the throat which causes the noise traditionally heard in snoring patients. When a person is awake, the muscles in the back of the throat tighten to hold these structures in place and prevent them from collapsing and vibrating in the airway.

Snoring by itself does not constitute a danger to the patient. However, since it’s caused by similar concerns as OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea), it may be a signal that a more serious condition is present.

Don’t panic if you snore - it does not automatically mean you have OSA! However, if you have any concerns that the snoring might be related to OSA, especially if you experience any other associated symptoms listed below, it would be prudent to schedule an appointment with a sleep specialist to be evaluated for sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

During the night, you may experience frequent awakenings. The cessations in breathing can lead the body to recognize a lack of oxygen and will trigger you to awaken. Other symptoms can include:

• Wake up gasping for air
• Chronic issue with snoring
• Feeling tired after a full night's sleep
• Finding it hard to stay awake at work, while driving or while on the phone

During the day, sufferers may experience:

• Headaches - especially in the morning
• Excessive sleepiness
• Memory and concentration issues
• Crankiness
• Depression
• Short temperament

Long-term symptoms can include:

• High blood pressure
• Heart attack or heart failure
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Stroke
• Sexual dysfunction