Snoring | MedlinePlus

Snoring | MedlinePlus

I Don't Snore!

Snoring is the sound you make when your breathing is blocked while you are asleep. The sound is caused by tissues at the top of your airway that strike each other and vibrate. Snoring is common, especially among older people and people who are overweight. Learn more about the causes of and treatments for snoring.

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

• Snoring
• Snoring -- adults
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)

Related Health Topics

• Sleep Apnea
• Sleep Disorders

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Summary

Snoring is the sound you make when your breathing is blocked while you are asleep. The sound is caused by tissues at the top of your airway that strike each other and vibrate. Snoring is common, especially among older people and people who are overweight.

When severe, snoring can cause frequent awakenings at night and daytime sleepiness. It can disrupt your bed partner's sleep. Snoring can also be a sign of a serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea. You should see your health care provider if you are often tired during the day, don't feel that you sleep well, or wake up gasping.

To reduce snoring

• Lose weight if you are overweight. It may help, but thin people can snore, too.
• Cut down or avoid alcohol and other sedatives at bedtime
• Don't sleep flat on your back

NIH: National Institute on Aging

Start Here

• Snoring (American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine)
• Snoring (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Snoring and Sleep Apnea (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)

Treatments and Therapies

• Oral Appliances Therapy (American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine)
• Treatment Options for Adults with Snoring(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)

Related Issues

• Diet and Exercise Tips (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)

Videos and Tutorials

• Snoring  (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Snoring  (National Institutes of Health)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Diagnosis and treatment of the pharyngeal glial choristoma accompanied with incomplete... 
• Article: Prospective study of the prevalence and co-morbidities of obstructive sleep apnea... 
• Article: The Evolution of Oral Appliance Therapy for Snoring and Sleep Apnea:... 
• Snoring -- see more articles 

Find an Expert

• American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery 
• American Sleep Apnea Association 
• Find a Sleep Center Near You (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
• Find an ENT (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)

Children

• Snoring (Nemours Foundation)

Patient Handouts

• Snoring -- adults (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish