Snoring is a snorting and/ or grunting sound produced during sleep. The sound of snoring is sometimes so strong that a partner, family or in some cases even the neighbours suffer from it. Snoring is created by a restriction in the airway. It is caused by vibrations of the soft palate and other tissue in the mouth, nose & throat (upper airway). It can also be caused by turbulence inside the airway during inspiration. The turbulence is caused by a partial blockage that may be located anywhere from the tip of the nose to the vocal chords.

People of all ages can snore but snoring usually increases as one gets older. It is a known fact that elderly people snore more often and that the sound theyproduce is louder. The explanation for this phenomenon is that the mucosa thickens as one gets older, this is the result of accumulation in fat tissue. In addition, like the skin, the mucous membranes slacker in relation to getting older. In children around one out of ten (10%) snores. In adults this is about one out of five (20%) in men and one out of ten (10%) in women who snore every night. Snoring occurs most frequently between the age of thirty and forty years old. Snoring can also be hereditary, this is referred to as a hereditary narrow pharynx.