Why You Snore: The 5 Types of Snoring and How to Treat Each

One of the reasons so many snoring treatments fail is that they're applied to the wrong type of snoring. A nasal dilator won't help if the snoring comes from the throat. A mouthguard won't help if the problem is in the soft palate. Understanding which type of snoring you have is the single most important step toward actually solving it.

How to Identify Your Snoring Type

The simplest test: close your mouth and try to snore (force air through your nose while breathing out). Then open your mouth and repeat.

• Only snores with mouth open → throat and/or tongue snoring
• Only snores with mouth closed → nasal or tongue-base snoring
• Snores in both positions → combination (throat + nasal)
• Worse lying on back, better on side → positional/tongue-based
• Heard as a rattling or vibrating sound → soft palate or uvula involvement

A partner's observations are invaluable here — they can often describe whether the sound comes from the nose, throat, or mouth.

Type 1: Nasal Snoring

Cause: Congestion, polyps, deviated septum, or enlarged turbinates restrict nasal airflow, forcing mouth breathing. The increased airflow velocity through the open mouth creates turbulence and vibration.

Signs: Worse during allergy season or colds, often accompanied by nasal congestion during the day.

Treatments that work:

• Nasal strips (Breathe Right) — open nasal valve externally
• Saline nasal rinse (neti pot) — clears congestion
• Nasal steroid spray (for allergic rhinitis) — requires prescription
• Nasal dilators (internal inserts)
• Treating underlying allergies (antihistamines, immunotherapy)

Exercises: Nasal breathing training helps establish nose-breathing habit and strengthens the nasal dilator muscles.

Type 2: Throat Snoring

Cause: Weak or floppy pharyngeal muscles that collapse inward during sleep, narrowing the airway. Often worsened by alcohol, muscle relaxants, and excess weight.

Signs: Loud, continuous snoring; doesn't change much with position; often accompanies daytime sleepiness.

Treatments that work:

• Throat-strengthening exercises (most effective long-term treatment)
• Weight loss (reduces soft tissue in the throat)
• Avoiding alcohol within 4 hours of sleep
• Positional therapy (elevating head slightly)
• CPAP (for associated sleep apnea)

Exercises: The most impactful intervention. Consistent pharyngeal exercises 3 minutes daily for 3–4 weeks significantly increases muscle tone.

Type 3: Tongue-Based Snoring

Cause: A weak or oversized tongue that falls backward during sleep, partially or fully blocking the airway. Related to low muscle tone throughout the orofacial complex.

Signs: Much worse when lying on the back; significant improvement on the side; may involve brief breathing pauses.

Treatments that work:

• Positional therapy (side-sleeping, elevated pillow)
• Tongue exercises (reposition the tongue's resting posture)
• Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) — hold jaw and tongue forward
• Weight loss
• For severe cases: tongue reduction or hypoglossal nerve stimulation

Exercises: Tongue exercises that strengthen tongue muscles and retrain the tongue's resting position against the palate are highly effective.

Type 4: Soft Palate / Uvula Snoring

Cause: A long or very soft uvula (the tissue hanging at the back of the throat) vibrates during breathing. Often produces a distinctive flapping or rattling sound.

Signs: Rattling, vibrating sound; more prominent on both inhalation and exhalation.

Treatments that work:

• Singing or vocalization exercises — firm up the soft palate
• Side-sleeping
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) — surgical shortening of the uvula (last resort)
• Laser-assisted uvuloplasty (less invasive)

Exercises: Singing exercises from the Stop Snoring Exercise Program specifically address soft palate tone.

Type 5: Combination / Mixed

Cause: Most chronic adult snorers have elements of multiple types — particularly throat + tongue + mouth breathing.

Best approach: A program addressing all components: throat exercises + tongue exercises + nasal breathing training. This is where comprehensive exercise programs outperform single-mechanism solutions.

Find your snoring type and target it specifically. >> The Stop Snoring Exercise Program — Covers All 5 Types

When Is Snoring Dangerous?

Snoring alone (without pauses in breathing, excessive daytime sleepiness, or gasping/choking) is generally a nuisance rather than a medical emergency — but it does deserve treatment because it fragments sleep for you and your partner.

Snoring with the following symptoms warrants medical evaluation for sleep apnea:

• Witnessed pauses in breathing
• Waking gasping or choking
• Excessive daytime sleepiness despite adequate time in bed
• Morning headaches
• Poor concentration, memory problems
• Elevated blood pressure

If sleep apnea is suspected, a home sleep test is now widely available and far more accessible than a formal sleep lab study.

>> Start Targeted Snoring Treatment Today