| There are a few reasons you might be snoring. The most common is that your tongue is sliding back and blocking your throat. When this happens, a person may revert to mouth breathing, or start snoring through the nose.
For those with sleep apnea, this would be called obstructive sleep apnea where the tongue gets in the way of the airway.
If night breathing problems become chronic, the tissues around the throat, and soft palate get stretched and begin to collapse into the airway as well.
It is not a happy situation when you are literally suffocating during sleep. During your sleep time, brain tissue goes into repair mode and your body in general is repairing and restoring. If you snore or have sleep apnea, you are not getting enough oxygen or repair, leaving you feeling tired and brain foggy. I teach many of my clients how to restore healthy breathing. It is not uncommon for me to recommend nose vents (if their nasal airway is narrow) and mouth tape so they don't mouth breathe during the night. Most often clients start feeling more rested in the morning and have more brain energy for the day.
Sometimes more is needed. That is when I refer a client out to a functional dentist, or an orthodontist. Dentistry is developing in a wonderful way, with more dentists paying attention to airway health, and aiding their patients with prevention as well as repairing teeth.
What's the point of having a pretty smile if you can't breathe? Thankfully, some dentists are asking the same question.
Back to the tongue… It is a big, strong muscle that influences your oral health and breathing space!
Here is a great video by an ENT Doctor in England, Vik Veer. He is on a crusade for prevention and a wealth of knowledge on airways and breathing. If you snore or have sleep apnea, I strongly recommend these exercises! | 
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