What is Snoring?

1. Causes of Fatigue Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the Sleep Quiz
3. Foods That Help or Harm Your Sleep Slideshow Pictures

Snoring occurs because the muscles in the throat relax too much, leading to an attempt to breathe through an excessively small opening in the back of the throat. The result is that the soft palate vibrates, producing the sounds of "snoring". The phenomenon is believed to happen in anywhere from 30% of women to over 40% of men.

Sleep Apnea differs from snoring in that the normal breathing pattern is altered; oxygen delivery is decreased and patients may stop breathing long enough during these episodes to cause cardiac arrest!