Snoring or rattling can be a very irritating habit for the people who sleep next to you. You may have experienced a couple of sleepless nights thanks to your partner who has this habit. However, before you chase them to another room or file for a divorce, have some knowledge about the causes of snoring. This could help you appreciate whether or not the habit is preventable. Generally, the main cause is the disturbance of the respiratory system while one sleeps due to the constriction of the air line from the back of the throat. The causes of this habit are described in depth below.

Causes of snoring

• Constriction of the airways: Whenever nasal breathing is restricted, people switch to mouth breathing. While sleeping, many people have their mouths slightly open and are therefore prone to producing irritating sounds when surrounding tissues vibrate along the airways.

• Sleeping position: Different people prefer different positions while they sleep. Side sleepers are less likely to snore than those who prefer to lie on their backs. This is because while the latter are sleeping, the gravitational force pulls down the throat, tongue, tonsils, and soft palate. As a result, their air passages narrow, causing the tissues to vibrate every time air passes through.

• Tongue and uvula: Between the throat and the soft paddle is a small flap known as the uvula. People with a longer uvula are more susceptible to this habit. Similarly, if the back of the tongue is large, a rattle is likely to occur. This form of rales mainly occurs if the tongue relaxes and rests on the uvula, resulting in narrowing of the airways.

• Medicine and alcohol: Many people who drink hardly realize that it can fuel the use of rales. This is because alcohol numbs the mind, causing the victim to have a more relaxed sleep than usual. Some drugs that induce drowsiness also have a similar effect. When one is in a very deep sleep, the throat muscles relax, constricting the airways, resulting in a croak.

• Being overweight: Many people are not aware of the causes of snoring among overweight people. The reason is that these people tend to have extra fatty tissue around the throat, which makes the air passage narrower.

• To smoke: Smoke is very irritating to the airways, making them narrow. Because of this, many smokers experience rales while sleeping.

• Colds: When the nose is clogged with mucus, it is difficult for air to pass through. Consequently, the person has to breathe through the mouth, the epitome of snoring causes.

• Age, sex and physical condition: As people age, their throats get narrower, resulting in louder driving. Men, who generally have thicker necks, are more prone to this habit than women. Finally, some people may have larger thyroid acorns, thicker soft paddles, or longer tongues, making them more prone to stuttering.