Snoring and sleep disordered breathing

Snoring is caused by the vibration of tissue in the throat during sleep. Many people snore and snoring increases with age as tissues become more floppy. It is more common in men as men tend to carry more of their weight in central regions of their bodies such as the throat and neck. Weight is also often a major factor in snoring although some people with normal weight also snore excessively.

Some people who snore also have obstruction in the throat when asleep. This is known as sleep disordered breathing or sleep apnea. Children with sleep disordered breathing often have significant enlargement of the tonsils and or adenoid. Surgery may be beneficial for sleep problems where there is significant obstruction that can be improved by surgery.