What Causes Snoring? Here Are the Most Common Reasons People Snore

Snoring is a common condition. About 4 in 10 adults snore on a regular basis. But most people who snore don’t know they do — until someone tells them. If you’ve been told you snore, you may be wondering what is causing you to snore.  

Many people have experienced occasional snoring caused by a cold or nasal congestion. But if you snore on a regular basis, an underlying medical condition may be the cause. Here’s the good news: There are signs that can help you know when to visit your provider as well as treatments to decrease your risk.

What is snoring?

Snoring is the sound you hear when the soft tissues of the upper airway (the nose and throat) vibrate against one another. This happens when you breathe in or out and airflow causes the tissues to move. 

Normally, when you’re awake, the airways are wide open and air flows smoothly through the nose into the lungs. Anything that narrows the airway can obstruct airflow and can cause noise. 

What causes snoring?

There are lots of reasons people snore — ranging from minor causes to more serious health conditions. Let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons people snore. 

1. Nasal congestion

Nasal congestion from a common cold or seasonal allergies changes airflow. This can lead to increased vibration and snoring. Once your cold or allergies have passed, snoring will improve (if you never had it before).

2. Alcohol

Alcohol relaxes the soft tissues in the back of your throat, making them more likely to vibrate. To reduce the chance of snoring, don’t drink for several hours before bedtime.

3. Smoking

Smoking causes nasal congestion and inflammation of the upper airway. Being around someone else who is smoking can have a similar effect. If you’re concerned about snoring, it’s best to avoid smoke altogether, including second-hand smoke.

4. Medications

Medications like muscle relaxants or benzodiazepines have a similar effect to alcohol. They also relax airways and make them more likely to vibrate. Medications more likely to cause snoring include:

• Alprazolam

• Temazepam

• Baclofen

• Tizanidine

• Cyclobenzaprine

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5. Weight gain

Weight gain can increase the risk for snoring. This is especially true when there’s increased fat around the neck or belly. A heavy neck or abdomen can put pressure on the upper airways and lungs when you’re lying down. When your airway muscles are relaxed during sleep, this can cause more vibration. 

6. Aging 

Aging leads to gradual weakening of the throat muscles. This causes the tissues around the airway to be more relaxed and likely to vibrate. The muscles that support the tongue can also weaken as you age. This can cause the tongue to fall back in the throat and cause more snoring.  

7. Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes dramatic hormonal changes. This can lead to both increased nasal congestion and weight gain. And you can have more snoring as a result. The good news is that it’s reversible. Snoring usually improves after delivery. 

8. Sleep position 

Sleeping on your back can cause snoring. This is especially true when you’re very tired, have taken certain medications, or consumed alcohol before bed. When you’re on your back, gravity pulls down on relaxed throat tissue causing it to obstruct (block) the airway.

Which medical conditions cause snoring?

In addition to minor reasons that cause snoring, underlying medical issues can block the airways and lead to snoring. Medical conditions that can cause you to snore include:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

• Upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS)

• Nasal septum deviation (crooked cartilage inside your nose)

• Abnormalities of the face and jaw bones 

• Nasal polyps

• Large tonsils

Treating health conditions that cause snoring

There are treatments for these health conditions. First, your medical provider will examine you and ask questions about your sleep. They may refer you for testing or to see a specialist if they suspect any of the following medical problems are causing you to snore. 

Depending on the cause, treatment for your snoring could include:

• Mouth guards or oral appliances can keep the lower jaw in a forward position as you sleep. This improves airflow, reduces snoring, and sometimes fixes OSA. A dentist with experience treating sleep disorders must fit them.

• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines give a puff of air with each breath to keep the airway open. CPAP is the main treatment for OSA but may also treat UARS and snoring alone.

• Nose surgery can be useful to fix a septal deviation or remove a nasal polyp.

• Throat surgery, like tonsillectomy, can remove enlarged tonsils. Other procedures can reduce other excess tissue in the palate. 

Is snoring the same as sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea and snoring are not the same thing. Apnea means that you stop breathing for some period of time. Apnea can occur when the airway is blocked or the brain forgets to send the signal to breathe. Snoring is the sound made by soft tissues vibrating as air tries to pass through. And it can sometimes happen as a result of sleep apnea. 

OSA can cause serious health consequences. That’s why it’s important to let your healthcare provider know if you’re snoring. They can figure out if sleep apnea is the reason for your snoring.

Is snoring bad for your heart?

For decades, studies have linked snoring to heart problems. But that risk is mainly in people with OSA. In fact, OSA significantly increases the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. That’s why testing for sleep apnea — and treating it — is so important.

What if you snore but you don’t have sleep apnea? To date, there’s no proven link to heart

disease. But there’s a link between snoring and cholesterol buildup in the blood vessels that supply the brain (the carotid arteries). And this may increase the risk of stroke.

How do you know if you snore?

The main sign of snoring is the sound of vibrating tissues. And roommates or family members will usually let you know if your snoring is a problem (for them). 

But what if you live alone? Well, snoring disturbs sleep, even though you may not realize it. Symptoms to watch for include:

• Being tired all the time or easily falling asleep during the day

• Having trouble with concentration or not being as productive at work

• Feeling irritable, depressed, or anxious

Still wondering if you snore? There are smartphone apps that record and track your snoring.

Why am I snoring now when I never used to?

Changes in your health and environment can affect whether or not you snore. If you just started snoring, you may be able to identify airflow changes in your nose or throat. Or perhaps something made the tissue more likely to vibrate. 

Look at the list of most common causes of snoring and ask yourself if any of those apply to you. Things like weight gain and advancing age can sneak up on you. If you’re concerned but can’t identify a specific cause, talk with your healthcare provider. They can examine you and decide if you need further testing to find the cause of your snoring. 

How to stop snoring

Depending on the cause, there are some things you can do to stop or reduce snoring:

• Change your sleep position. Try sleeping on your side.

• Avoid alcohol, especially right before bed.

• Stop smoking (or don’t start)— there are lots of resources that can help.

• Consider losing weight if your body mass index (BMI) is in the category of overweight or obese.

• Try out exercises for the upper airway, which can help reduce snoring in some people. There are even smartphone apps to guide workouts.

• Treat nasal congestion from allergies with steroid nasal sprays (like Omnaris or Nasonex), antihistamines, or nasal rinses.

• Try external nasal dilators. These are strips of plastic you stick on the outside of your nose to open nasal valves. Or try internal nasal dilators, which push open nasal valves from the inside.

When to see a doctor about snoring

If you’ve made some of the changes above, but you’re still snoring, then it may be a good time to talk with your medical provider about snoring. 

Here are some signs and symptoms that could mean your snoring is more serious:

• You snore every night.

• You snore loudly, meaning people can hear you from across the room or through a closed door.

• You stop breathing at night or gasp awake.

• You are very tired or fall asleep easily during the day.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Shane McCarthy, DO

Shane McCarthy, DO, practices full-spectrum family medicine and is board certified through the American Board of Family Medicine. She has over 20 years of experience.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

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