Normal Breathing
When you breathe normally, air passes through the nose and past the flexible structures in the back of the throat such as the soft palate, uvula and tongue. Whilst you are awake muscles hold the airway open. When you fall asleep these muscles relax but normally the airway stays open.
Snoring
Snoring is the sound of obstructed breathing during sleep in which the soft tissues at the back of the throat lose muscle tone, flop back and vibrate.
While snoring can be harmless (benign snoring), it can also be the sign of a more serious medical condition which progresses from upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Snoring and sleepiness affects over 40% of the adult population, often causing significant health and quality of life problems.
Snoring can greatly disrupt the quality of sleep, resulting in excessive daytime sleepiness. Snoring can also disturb the sleep of those nearby, causing great frustration and placing a strain on relationships.
Snoring has been identified as a possible risk factor for hypertension, heart disease and stroke and can be a symptom of a more serious medical condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Â
