Many people wonder what causes snoring, or more specifically what causes snoring for them. It is important to know what is causing your snoring so you can use the proper remedy for it. If the snoring is originating from your nose, then you would most likely want a snoring remedy that clears up the nasal passageways when you sleep. There are a few quick self diagnosis techniques to test what causes snoring for you. However, it is always best to consult an ENT or sleep specialist for a more accurate diagnosis of your snoring.

The are four major contributors that create the snoring sound while you are sleeping. These include the nose, tongue, soft palate, and mouth. You can try these simple tests to get a general idea for what causes snoring for you.

Nasal Test

The nasal test is simple and straightforward, you will most likely already know if this is what causes snoring for you if you have trouble breathing through your nose. First you test the airflow through your nostrils by closing your mouth and trying to breathe through your nose. If you are having trouble breathing, then there may be an obstruction in the nasal passageways caused by allergies or other sinus problems. Additionally, check each individual nostril by pressing one nostril down and try breathing through the other. If one nostril is having difficulty breathing, then try propping it open with something and see if it gets get easier to breathe.

Mouth Breathing Test

This test is will help you see if breathing through the mouth is what causes snoring for you. Open your mouth and try to make the snore sound. Try this again with your mouth closed this time. If you could only make the sound with your mouth open then it means you are snoring through your mouth when you breath. An indication that you might be breathing trough you mouth is a dry throat in the morning if the air in your room is dry. The nose acts as a humidifier for the air intake, so your throat would be more dry if your breathed through your mouth instead of your nose during sleep.

Tongue Test

To test if the base of the tongue is what causes snoring for you, try sticking your tongue as far out as it will go. Then grip it in your teeth while you try to make a snoring sound. If the noise is reduced, then it means the base of the tongue is what causes snoring for you. To remedy this, you should not sleep on your back as gravity will bring the base of the tongue to the back of the throat and causing an obstruction.

There is no simple way to test the soft palate, however, if the other tests did not determine what causes snoring for you, then it maybe the soft palate that is causing the snoring.

The tests above may determine that what causes snoring for you may come from several different areas. Therefore you may require several remedies to help you stop snoring. Knowing what causes snoring for you is key to choosing the proper remedy for you. There are many home remedies for snoring that can be tailored to your specific cause.