Snoring occurs when our breathing is obstructed. This can be due to a cold, or an anatomical irregularity in the nose or throat.
However, the most common cause of snoring is when the muscles in and around the throat relax too much when we sleep. This causes your throat tissues to sag, narrowing the airway. The pressure at the back of the throat will rise, causing the uvula and soft palate to vibrate. It is these vibrations that create the sound of snoring.
Studies show that approximately 42% of the population snores, of this 60% are male and 40% female. Snoring is often described as Social Snoring. A more serious condition is called Sleep Apnoea, which only affects 2% of the population.
Snoring may result in a decrease in quality of life in the form of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, stress, headache, OSA, decreased sexual function and premature death.