I Have Noisy Breathing at Night
Noisy breathing at night can disturb your sleep and worry you. Here is what it might be.
Noisy breathing at night is most often related to the nose, throat, or airway.
- Common causes include:
- Obstructive sleep apnea β the airway collapses during sleep, causing snoring, gasping, or pauses in breathing
- Snoring β vibration of soft tissue in the throat, very common
- Nasal congestion β from allergies, sinus infection, or deviated septum
- Enlarged tonsils β common in children but can affect adults too
- Post-nasal drip β mucus settling in the throat at night creates noise
- Laryngomalacia β soft, floppy tissue above the vocal cords; more common in infants, but can persist
- Vocal cord paralysis β can cause noisy breathing, especially at night
Less commonly, a tumor in the throat or voice box can cause noisy breathing, especially if there is also voice change or difficulty swallowing.
What to Look For
- Usually not serious:
- Snoring that occurs only when sleeping on your back
- Improves with sleeping on your side or raising the head of the bed
- Associated with allergies or a cold
- Regular snoring that has been present for years
- Worth having checked:
- Snoring with gasping, choking, or pauses in breathing (sleep apnea)
- Noisy breathing even when awake
- High-pitched sound when breathing in (stridor)
- Hoarseness or voice change
- Difficulty swallowing
- Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
When to See a Doctor
- See a doctor if:
- Your partner notices you stop breathing during sleep
- You gasp or choke during the night
- You are excessively sleepy during the day
- You have noisy breathing both day and night
- You have high blood pressure that is hard to control
- You have hoarseness or trouble swallowing along with noisy breathing