Why Do We Snore?

What You'll Learn

• Snoring happens when air can't flow freely through the nose and throat during sleep
• When we sleep, the muscles in our throat relax
• Relaxed muscles can make the airway narrower
• Air pushing through a narrow airway makes the tissues vibrate
• The vibration creates the snoring sound

Words to Know

Snore

A noisy sound during sleep

"Dad's snore sounds like a engine."

Airway

The path air takes to the lungs

"My airway got narrower when I slept."

Relax

To loosen up and get soft

"My throat muscles relaxed during sleep."

Vibrate

To shake back and forth fast

"The throat tissues vibrated and made sound."

Check What You Learned

Fun Facts

• Snoring occurs when air flow through the nose and throat is partially blocked during sleep

  Source: American Academy of Otolaryngology

• During sleep, throat and tongue muscles relax, which can narrow the airway

  Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

• Narrowed airway causes soft tissues in the throat to vibrate as air passes through, producing the snoring sound

  Source: AAO-HNS

• Snoring is more common with nasal congestion, sleeping on the back, alcohol, and excess throat tissue

  Source: NHLBI

• Approximately 40% of adults snore at least occasionally

  Source: Sleep Foundation

• Chronic loud snoring may indicate obstructive sleep apnea, a condition requiring medical evaluation

  Source: NHLBI