Snoring Is the Sound of a Partly Blocked Airway
To snore is to breathe noisily during sleep. The noise comes from tissue vibrating in a narrowed passage.
To snore is to breathe with a harsh rasping noise while asleep. The mechanism is simple physics: during sleep the muscles of the throat relax, narrowing the airway, and air forced through the narrow gap makes the soft palate and surrounding tissue vibrate. The narrower the passage, the louder the sound. Heavy snoring can signal *obstructive sleep apnoea*, where the airway closes completely and breathing stops repeatedly, which is a medical condition rather than a nuisance.
- To breathe noisily asleep. *He snores loudly.*
- A snoring sound. *A loud snore.*
- Soft palate — what vibrates. *The soft palate.*
- Sleep apnoea — a related disorder. *Sleep apnoea.*
- Imitative origin. *From the sound.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | snore | Snore loudly. |
| Past | snored | Snored. |
| Noun | snore | A snore. |
| Agent | snorer | A snorer. |
| Related | snort | Snort. |
- He snored through the film.Sleep.
- The soft palate vibrates.Mechanism.
- Heavy snoring can signal apnoea.Medicine.
Why snoring happens
- Throat muscles relax during sleep, narrowing the airway
- Air moving faster through the gap lowers pressure and pulls tissue inward
- The soft palate and uvula vibrate, producing the sound
- Sleeping on the back worsens it by letting the tongue fall backward
- Complete closure rather than narrowing is obstructive sleep apnoea
Middle English *snoren*, imitative of the sound, related to *snort* and *snarl*.
What actually makes the snoring sound?
The soft palate and nearby tissue vibrating as air is forced through a narrowed throat during sleep.
Is snoring the same as sleep apnoea?
No. Apnoea is a complete blockage that stops breathing repeatedly. Loud snoring can be a warning sign of it.