6 reasons you snore

02-12-2014

Do you snore? No doubt if you do the way you found out was because your girlfriend or wife has told you over and over and over and over and over again! Yes, we get it, snoring is annoying, for you at least! But seriously, snoring is actually really horrible for the person listening to it, but it can also be the sign of something serious, like sleep apnea. There are actually a number of reasons that you snore ranging from the serious to the not so serious. Here are 6 reasons you snore:

Sleep Apnea: Let’s start with the big one. Often snoring is a sign of sleep apnea. This is a serious condition that can cause a huge range of long term problems. An apnea is when you stop breathing and they can happen many tens or even hundreds of times in a night. Often the apnea wakes the individual or at least disturbs them from their sleep cycle. People with sleep apnea will suffer from many issues associated with sleep deprivation, from memory recall issues to depression, from weight gain to increased risk of Alzheimer’s. For this reason alone it is important to take your snoring seriously. 

Being Overweight: Snoring is often the result of being overweight (though as you can see this can also be tied in with sleep apnea as people with sleep apnea will often put on weight). If you are overweight and snoring then losing some weight could help. If you lose the weight and still snore then you may have apnea.

Pillow Height: This is one of the most simple causes of snoring. You need to have your head at the right angle and often having too few or too many pillows can cause or exacerbate snoring. Your head should be relatively straight, so if you have a pillow that causes it to be at a serious angle from your body then this could be the cause of your snoring.

Alcohol: Having too much to drink at night, or just drinking too much in general, can be a major cause of snoring. Cut back on the booze to see if this is why you are snoring so much.

Cold and Flu: The head cold or flu is another reason why people will snore though this one should be fairly obvious to diagnose as it will occur when you have the illness.

Large Tonsils: If your child is snoring then they may have large tonsils that need removing. Snoring as a child is not a good sign as it can hinder their sleep and sleep is vital for young children.

Sleep Position: People who sleep on their backs are most likely to snore so if you are a snorer who sleeps in this position try to sleep on your side or front as this may help.