You’ve probably been kept awake at night by
the sounds of another person’s snoring — or maybe you’ve been the one keeping other
people awake. But what is snoring? Let's start with the anatomy behind snoring. The pharynx is a large tube that's a part of
both the respiratory and digestive system, and the nasopharynx is the upper part of the pharynx
that connects to the nasal cavity. When the soft tissues around the nasopharynx—typically the soft
palate—move due to airflow, it makes a noise. S
tructures like the soft palate, pharyngeal walls,
uvula, and tonsillar pillars aren’t supported by cartilage and can vibrate, and all of that
rattling makes the noise we recognize as snoring. But if airflow causes these structures to vibrate,
why don’t people snore when they’re awake? When you fall asleep, your
body’s muscle tone decreases. This relaxation can make the
airway shrink, limiting airflow. This causes turbulent flow, which is when
airflow is irregular and disorganized, and turb
ulent flow can make airflow even more
forceful, making those structures vibrate. When you combine difficult airflow and the soft
tissues around the nasopharynx, you get snoring! Want to learn more about respiration? Visible
Body Suite has all the 3D gross and microanatomy models and physiology animations you need,
as well as 3D Flashcard Decks for studying! Learn more at visiblebody.com/vbsuite
Comments