Snoring

Snoring is the harsh sound produced when air moving through a partly blocked upper airway vibrates the soft tissues of the throat during sleep.

As muscles relax in sleep, the tongue, soft palate and uvula can fall back and narrow the airway; nasal congestion, excess weight around the neck, alcohol, sedatives, sleeping on the back and anatomical features such as large tonsils all make narrowing more likely. Light, occasional snoring is common and mostly a nuisance for a bed partner. Loud, habitual snoring with pauses, gasping or choking is a warning sign of obstructive sleep apnea, in which the airway closes repeatedly and oxygen levels fall, and it is linked to high blood pressure, daytime sleepiness and cardiovascular risk.

Evaluation includes questions about witnessed apneas and daytime sleepiness, examination of the nose, mouth and neck, and, when apnea is suspected, a home sleep test or overnight polysomnography. Management ranges from side sleeping, weight management and avoiding alcohol near bedtime to nasal treatments, oral appliances that hold the jaw forward, and continuous positive airway pressure for apnea. Snoring relates to cannabinoids mainly as a caution: THC, alcohol and other sedatives relax airway muscles and can worsen snoring and apnea. Some early research has examined dronabinol for sleep apnea, but nothing is approved, and cannabidiol has not been shown to affect snoring.