A: Hello Marcus! That's an excellent question. Why is it that some people sleep in peaceful quiet and others can hit the higher decibel range without even trying?
Well, there are a number of factors that play into why you do or do not snore.
Gender and physiology do play a part.
Men are 20% more likely to snore than women. This is due in part to men having narrower nasal passages than women, but also because men's soft palate (which is what helps make the snoring noise) are just larger. Essentially, men just have more tissue to make more noise.
Other physical characteristics that encourage snoring include:
- Small Nostrils
- Enlarged Tongue / Uvula
- Recessed Jaw
- Being Overweight
Lastly, there are behaviors that encourage snoring. People who smoke or drink alcohol are more likely to sleep with a relaxed tongue, which allows throat tissue to constrict the airway and create snoring.
Sleeping on your back also encourages snoring- alternatively, sleeping on your side discourages it.
So you can see, there are a lot of factors that build a snorer.
