snoring

snoring A sound created by vibrations of the uvula and soft palate during sleep. During normal breathing, air passing through the throat en route to the lungs travels by the tongue, soft palate, uvula, and tonsils. When a person is awake, the muscles in the back of the throat tighten to hold these structures in place and prevent them from collapsing and vibrating in the airway. Sometimes snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea or have repairable physical causes, in which case treatment may be necessary. Otherwise, patients who snore may want to try different sleep positions, nose clips, or similar steps to prevent unwanted snoring. See also sleep apnea, obstructive; somnoplasty.