What is snoring?

When the air passages are constricted, turbulence in the air flow occurs during breathing. This turbulence makes the soft tissue in the respiratory passages vibrate, causing the snoring sound. The structures involved are the uvula and the soft palate. The irregular air flow is often due to one of the following causes:
• Being overweight 
• Alcohol and medicine
• Smoking 
• Allergies
• Congenital irregularities in the respiratory passages
• Blockage of the nose

Both alcohol and sleeping medication cause the throat muscles to relax, diminishing the airflow behind the root of the tongue. Smoking makes the mucous membrane swell, further restricting the ability to breathe through your nose.  Snoring is normally harmless in terms of your health, but it can be socially unacceptable and often needs to be reduced for that reason. Simple advice and tips are available to reduce the tendency to snore. Find tips here.