Understanding the Causes of Snoring and How to Treat It
Snoring is more than a nuisance. It may affect your health and signal a risk of sleep apnea. Identifying why you snore can help determine its severity and the appropriate treatment.
Although you can take steps to address snoring, start by getting tested for sleep apnea. A convenient home sleep test can assess your breathing from your own bed. Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center can help coordinate testing for patients across the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area.
Understanding the Four Main Causes of Snoring
Where it gets complicated is when we look at why your airway narrows. There are many potential reasons why your airway might be narrowing. For convenience, we can divide these into four categories:
- Environmental causes
- Lifestyle causes
- Modifiable anatomical causes of snoring
- Other anatomical causes of snoring
The first three categories you can address on your own. The fourth category can often be treated professionally, with varying degrees of success. People often have multiple snoring causes at the same time. Sometimes, it’s possible that treating just one will help open your airway enough that your snoring is less intense–or goes away altogether.
Environmental Triggers of Snoring
Environmental factors can contribute to snoring by irritating or swelling the airway lining. Identifying these triggers may help reduce your symptoms. Common causes include:
- Chemical irritants, including cleanersEnvironmental factors can contribute to snoring by irritating or swelling the airway lining. Identifying these triggers may help you reduce your symptoms. Common causes include:
- Chemical irritants, including cleaners and cigarette smoke
- Airborne particles, such as dust
- Dry air
- Allergens, including pollen and pet dander
Switching cleaners, keeping smoke outside, or using an air filter may reduce exposure to irritants and allergens. A humidifier may help when indoor air is dry.
You may not eliminate every trigger, but reducing your exposure could lessen your snoring. Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center helps patients across the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area explore possible causes and appropriate treatment options.
“I can’t tolerate a cpap and Advanced Dental is a terrific solution. I have been a patient here for over 20 years. Always helpful and friendly. I have referred many of my family and friends.”
– C. WEIGHT
“Having struggled with sleep apnea for years, I finally decided to do something about it… ADSTC was awesome to work with and I highly recommend you reach out to them to help with alternatives to C-PAP.”
– K. BROWN
“I would highly recommend this office if you are having a lot of issues with your sleep patterns. Thank you to the staff at Advanced Sleep.”
– S. KLING
Lifestyle Choices That Contribute to Snoring
Lifestyle and health factors can affect snoring. These include smoking, sleeping position, alcohol use, eating near bedtime, pregnancy, menopause, and certain medications.
Sleeping on your back may narrow the airway, while sleeping on your side or elevating your upper body can reduce snoring. Alcohol and some medications may relax the airway muscles. Pregnancy and menopause can also increase snoring risk.
Never change medication on your own. Ask your doctor whether another medication or dosage may be appropriate.
Anatomical Causes of Snoring You Can Modify
There are some anatomical causes of snoring that you can impact by changing your lifestyle. These include:
- Obesity
- Low muscle tone
Obesity can have a significant impact on your snoring. Being overweight, especially if you carry weight around your throat, can contribute to airway collapse. In addition, fat deposits can build up along the airway. The tongue, especially, can grow significantly larger as you gain weight. However, losing weight is not always easy, especially if you have sleep apnea, which affects your body’s ability to burn calories.
Your muscles relax at night, but if they are stronger, they will better keep your airway open even when they relax. Some people recommend airway-specific exercises, but little evidence suggests that they’re better than being more active generally. Muscle tone decreases as we age, which is part of why snoring risk increases.
Other Anatomical Causes of Snoring
There are other anatomical causes of snoring that you can’t do much about. These causes might benefit from professional treatments like oral appliances. Surgery might be advised in some cases, but be aware that sleep apnea can increase surgical risks.
Some other causes of snoring include:
- Deviated septum
- Enlarged turbinates
- Large and/or floppy soft palate
- Enlarged uvula and/or tonsils
- Large tongue
- Recessed jaw
The septum is the divider between your nostrils. If it’s deviated, it may obstruct airflow through your nose. In addition, if nostril structures such as turbinates are enlarged, it may restrict airflow. Sometimes, you can remedy this type of snoring with nasal dilators, but it may require surgery.
Throat structures such as the soft palate (the back of the roof of your mouth), uvula, tonsils, and tongue can contribute to a narrow airway.
Finally, if your jaw is back further than ideal, it can narrow your airway. Since your jaw is the primary bony support for your airway, moving it forward can open it even if your jaw isn’t recessed.
Relief from Snoring in Omaha
If you are tired of your snoring or your partner’s snoring, Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center can help. Our experienced sleep dentists treat snoring and sleep apnea throughout the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area.
Ready for more restful nights? Call (402) 493-4175 or use our online form to request a consultation today.
