Why Do We Snore? Causes, Fixes and When to Seek Help

Most people who snore don’t know they snore – unless they’re told. Their partner, however, probably knows all too well.

Snoring is one of the most common sleep complaints, yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood. It can be easy to dismiss snoring as an annoyance, but understanding why it happens can help you actually do something about it – and recognise when it is pointing to something more serious.

Why do we snore?

Sleeping allows the muscles to relax and allows the body to recover. And that recovery process begins with muscular release throughout the body, including in your upper airway.

As you drift into deeper sleep, your breathing rate slows and the muscles lining your upper airway soften. Usually this is fine. But sometimes those muscles relax a little too much. When that happens, the space through which air can move freely narrows. Each breath pushes air through a tighter gap, causing the surrounding tissue to vibrate. That vibration is the snoring sound.

What causes snoring to get worse?

The basic mechanism is the same for everyone, but several factors can make that airway narrowing more pronounced.

Sleeping position

Gravity plays a bigger role than most people realise. When you sleep on your back, gravity pulls your chin downward and inward, which pushes tissue into the upper airway and reduces the available space for air to pass through. You can actually feel this yourself while awake; breathe normally then press your chin inward toward your throat. You will notice an immediate change in how air sounds and feels as it moves through.

Side sleeping takes gravity out of the equation and is one of the simplest changes you can make.

Allergies and inflammation

Conditions like hay fever cause inflammation and irritation within the upper airway. That swelling creates additional restriction on top of the natural muscle relaxation that happens during sleep. The result is a further narrowed passage and a greater likelihood of snoring.

If your snoring is seasonal or gets worse outdoors or around certain triggers, allergies could be a significant contributing factor.

What can you do about snoring?

The good news is that for most people, a few practical adjustments make a real difference.

• Stop yourself rolling onto your back. If back sleeping makes your snoring worse, the fix is simple. Fall asleep on your side and place one or two pillows behind your back to stop yourself rolling over during the night. There are wearable devices designed to do the same job, but many people find them uncomfortable enough to disrupt sleep on their own, which defeats the purpose entirely. Pillows are cheaper, gentler and just as effective.
• Raise your head if allergies are the issue. An extra pillow that props you slightly more upright can reduce the buildup of mucus in the nasal passages and ease breathing. For more guidance on managing sleep with allergies, our guide for allergy sufferers covers bedding and mattress choices that can help, too.
• Invest in ear plugs for your partner. If snoring is persistent, your partner's sleep quality matters as much as yours. A good pair of ear plugs can significantly reduce disruption while you work on longer-term solutions together.

When is snoring more serious?

Snoring can be one of the main warning signs of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), a serious medical condition in which the airway becomes repeatedly blocked during sleep, causing breathing to stop temporarily before the brain triggers a recovery response.

The snoring that comes with OSA sounds different. It tends to be loud and irregular, punctuated by longer pauses where breathing stops altogether, followed by a sudden gasp or snort. If this pattern sounds familiar, it’s worth taking seriously.

People at higher risk of OSA include those over 45, those carrying excess weight, and people with high blood pressure. If you or your partner recognise any of these signs, speak to your GP. OSA is diagnosable and treatable, but leaving it unaddressed carries real health risks over time.

Snoring is worth paying attention to, whether it is your sleep being disturbed or your partner's. Start with the simple fixes, look at your sleep position and your sleep environment, and if the problem persists or the signs point toward something more significant, get professional advice.

For more on building a sleep setup that supports better rest for both of you, visit our Sleep Journal.