Snoring occurs when you breathe during sleep and the flow of air makes the tissues in the back of your throat vibrate. Believe it or not, over 50% of people have snored at some point in their lives. Although light snoring may disrupt your sleep, heavy snoring may be associated with sleep apnea: a serious sleep disorder increasing risk of sleep apnea, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other health problems. Numerous studies suggest there is a direct link between sleep and musculoskeletal pain.

Common causes include:

• Sleeping on your back can make the tongue and soft tissues block the airway.

• Alcohol or sedatives at bedtime can cause relaxation of muscles in the throat, causing a restricted airflow

• Weak muscles in the mouth, nose and throat. Airflow can also be restricted by a deviated septum, large tongue, or enlarged uvula, adenoids or tonsils c

• smoking

• Obesity or excessive body fat can lead to compress the airway.

Treatment for snoring includes: 

• Quit smoking

• Choose side sleeping over back sleeping. .

  Lose weight. A 10% loss of body weight can reduce nightly breathing interruptions by more than 30%. Revising dietary and exercise strategies in combination with the evaluation of other potentially harmful lifestyle choices can go a long way to reduce the risk of snoring and the associated health risks.

• Seek guidance from the appropriate health care professional

If you are having chronic musculoskeletal pain, consider evaluating your sleep habits and find out if you snore. It might actually be magnifying your aches and pains, or part of the cause.