Snoring

What Causes Snoring?

Snoring—the symptom most commonly associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—happens when the upper airway becomes partly blocked. As air moves through the limited space, it causes the soft tissues of the throat, uvula, and soft palate to vibrate. These vibrations create the sound we recognize as snoring.

If you snore and your snoring is interrupted by brief periods of silence (no breathing) and then gasping for air, you may have OSA. Even if your snoring is not interrupted, you may experience respiratory effort related arousals (RERAs) or upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS). While not as severe as OSA, RERAs and UARS reduces blood oxygen levels during sleep and can have negative health effects.

If you snore and think you have OSA, you should use the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to evaluate the severity of your sleepiness, discuss your symptoms with your doctor, and consider visiting a sleep specialist.