Snoring is due to turbulence of airflow and vibrations of the soft tissue in the throat and breathing passages.

This noise can occur in many parts of the throat including the nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx. And snoring comes in many flavors and rhythms, from a quiet swoosh to a full on roar.

So what is the link to all snoring?

Your breath.
All vibrations in the throat require airflow. Not only does snoring require airflow but it requires an airflow with enough energy to cause the vibrations. The amount of energy required to snore is very person specific but the narrower the gap and the more supple (or loose) the air passage tissue, the easier it is for the vibrations to occur.

The question now is:- Is the cause of snoring because of a problem with the structure of the air passages, (too narrow and/or too loose) or because there is too much energy in the airflow (breathing is too deep and too strong)?

The reality is, that it is probably a combination of both factors. And lifestyle choices play a factor in both. That is exercise, diet, stress and illness can effect both the structure and the way we breathe.

Most people suffer from some form of disordered breathing. Normal breathing should be light, noiseless and from the diaphram, not the chest. Perfect breathing has been described as effortless and unnoticeable, like not breathing at all. Most of us don't describe our breathing anywhere near these terms.

The volume of any one person’s snoring is directly proportional to the volume and speed (the energy) of their breathing. If you want to make a louder snore take a deeper, faster breath. Reduce the energy in the airflow to a low enough level and you can stop the snoring.

Of course this is easier said than done, as when we sleep we have no conscious control over our breathing. It’s on automatic pilot, so to speak. But research has shown that our night breathing does mimic what we so in the day. If we change our day breathing this has an effect on how we breathe at night

Disordered breathing can be a secondary condition to some other health problem or it may just creep up on sufferers over time as our modern lifestyles put all sorts of pressures on the body, especially with regards to exercise, diet and everyday stress.

To change the way you breathe when you sleep you have to eliminate secondary causes and retrain your breathing system. This is the theory behind breathing exercises designed to rectify the cause of snoring.

As you are trying to reduce the energy of the air, you have to either reduce the volume or reduce the speed (or both) of the incoming air. There are many breathing exercises but some that focus on controlling the flow and volume of your breathing are Qi Gong, a Chinese breathing healing technique, Pranayama, a yoga breathing practice and the Buteyko method, a reduced breathing program focusing on nasal breathing and breath-holding and relaxation.

Food for thought!

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