How snoring happens
During sleep, the muscles in your throat relax. If that narrows the airways, the soft tissue vibrates as you breathe in and out – and you hear it as snoring.
Common causes
- Sleeping on your back
- Alcohol in the evening
- Excess weight
- Smoking
- A stuffy nose, for example from a cold or allergy
What you can do yourself
- Sleep on your side
- Drink little or no alcohol in the evening
- Aim for a healthy body weight
- Quit smoking
When to seek medical advice
If someone notices that you briefly stop breathing in your sleep, you gasp for air or you feel very tired during the day, talk to your doctor. This can be a sign of a sleep-related breathing disorder, which only a doctor can assess.