Eli5 – how can people not snore laying down while awake but then snore as soon as they fall asleep

Question

I know head position and all that affects snoring but how can someone be awake and laying down and not snore, but then fall asleep in the same position and then start snoring

In: 79

Answer 1

When you’re awake, the relevant muscles and tissues are tensed and held in a different posture, either in use or ‘at the ready’. When you fall asleep, everything relaxes. The mechanics of breathing also change, becoming slower and gentler.

Snoring happens when the tissues relax in such a way as to partially block the airway. As you breathe, forcing the air past them vibrates them enough to make an audible sound, amplified by the natural sounding chamber of your throat, mouth, and sinuses. This simply cannot happen while one is awake.