Why do people snore?

Vibrations of soft tissues located at the back of our throats cause the noisy, annoying sounds of snoring that sometimes prevent non-snorers from getting their ZZZZs.

The palate, uvula and tonsils are the tissue structures that flap against each other when someone has too much tissue at the back of their mouth or when an obstruction is blocking the air passageway to the back of the throat.

People with snoring problems tend to have one of the following conditions:

• Poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat

• Excessive bulkiness of throat tissue

• Long soft palate and/or uvula tissue in the back of the mouth

• Obstructed nasal airways

Snoring can be a serious medical problem because it disturbs sleeping patterns and deprives the snorer of necessary rest.

Did you know?

• 20% of the population experiences snoring problems.

• Males and obese people have more problems with snoring.

• Snoring tends to be louder when a person sleeps on their back.

• There are more than 300 devices registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to help cure snoring.