Snoring, is essentially noisy breathing' through the mouth or nose during sleep.
During deep sleep, the muscles in our bodies relax.
So when the muscles in our throat relaxes, it is normal for our airway to close partly.
Air comes in and out of the lungs through this airway, but if both the nose and the throat are obstructed, snoring occurs.
Snoring typically restricts oxygen from reaching the brain and in turn this lack of oxygen can kill off brain cells.
However, snoring does not always imply the cessation of breathing.
It is not uncommon for the majority of people to snore on occasion, especially when they are congested.
There is also a difference between mild and severe snoring.
Mild snoring stops when a person is awaken and changes positions while with severe snoring, the problem persists despite changing sleeping positions.
Some people are more likely to snore based on a variety of factors.
Chronic snorers are typically middle-aged, because as you age your throat becomes more narrow while the muscle tone decreases, and overweight, because excess fat and tissue in the weight causes your throat to be smaller and more constricted.
Heredity and gender also plays a role, as it is possible for someone to inherit a narrow throat while males usually have narrower air passages than women, increasing the likelihood of their snoring.
If you have allergies, asthma, a cold, or sinus infections, you may suffer from snoring as well, as these breathing problems may make inhalation difficult as it blocks the airway.