Why Do Men Snore More Than Women? Causes and Warning Signs

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Important

If snoring starts and stops with brief pauses, a partner has witnessed or heard breathing pauses, or you often feel daytime sleepiness or wake with headaches, these are warning signs of sleep apnoea. Don't manage them with lifestyle changes alone — seek medical assessment promptly.

Many families share a similar experience: a partner or family member snores loudly during sleep, affecting everyone else's sleep quality in the process. Look closely, and this tends to be more common among men — a question that comes up often in clinic: is snoring a problem specific to men, or simply down to individual differences?

In fact, men are indeed more prone to snoring than women, for reasons involving physiology, hormones and lifestyle. This article explains why, what level of snoring warrants attention, and how to ease it day to day.

Why Do Men Snore More Than Women?

Factor	Men	Women
Neck fat distribution	Tends to concentrate around the neck and upper airway	Tends to be distributed more evenly across the body
Hormonal protection	Lacks the airway-muscle protection associated with oestrogen	Oestrogen before menopause helps maintain upper airway muscle tone
Lifestyle habits	Relatively higher rates of smoking and drinking	Relatively lower rates

As the table shows, men's neck fat distribution and hormonal profile both make the upper airway more prone to narrowing under pressure during sleep, and habits such as smoking and drinking add to this. Notably, snoring rates in women rise after menopause as oestrogen levels fall, which further supports the role hormones play.

From a TCM perspective, a phlegm-dampness constitution is also relatively more common in men, and combined with more frequent business meals and richer diets, this tends to generate phlegm-dampness that obstructs the airway — another reason snoring is more pronounced in men.

Common Causes of Snoring

• Nasal allergies or congestion: a persistently blocked nose forces mouth-breathing, which is more likely to produce snoring
• Excess weight or phlegm-dampness: extra fat around the neck and throat narrows the airway
• Alcohol: relaxes the throat muscles excessively, increasing the chance of airway obstruction
• Sleeping on your back: the base of the tongue is more likely to fall backward and block the airway
• Ageing: throat muscles gradually loosen with age, worsening snoring over time
• Enlarged tonsils: reduces the space in the upper airway

When Does Snoring Become a Problem?

Most mild snoring is a benign, physiological phenomenon. However, the following signs are worth paying attention to, as they may indicate something more serious, such as sleep apnoea:

• Snoring that starts and stops, with brief pauses in between
• A partner witnessing or hearing pauses in breathing
• Frequent daytime tiredness or sleepiness, even after a full night's sleep
• Morning headaches or a dry mouth
• Difficulty concentrating or a noticeable decline in memory

The TCM View of Snoring

In TCM, snoring is generally linked to phlegm-dampness obstructing the airway, alongside dysfunction of the lungs, spleen and kidneys. The spleen is considered the source of phlegm production — when its transportive function falters, dampness accumulates and condenses into phlegm, obstructing the airway. The lungs govern respiration, so impaired lung qi dispersal also contributes to laboured breathing. The kidneys govern the intake of qi, and as kidney qi gradually weakens with age, this is part of why snoring tends to worsen over time.

How Can You Improve Snoring Day to Day?

• Sleep on your side: reduces the chance of the tongue falling backward and blocking the airway
• Manage your weight: reduces fat build-up around the neck and throat
• Cut down on alcohol, especially before bed: reduces excessive relaxation of the throat muscles
• Quit smoking: reduces airway inflammation and swelling
• Keep the nasal passage clear: address nasal allergies or congestion promptly
• Consider TCM support: strengthening the spleen to resolve phlegm and dispersing lung qi can help address the underlying constitution

How Can Chinese Medicine Help?

Chinese medicine manages snoring through pattern differentiation — first identifying whether it stems from phlegm-dampness obstructing the airway, impaired lung qi dispersal, or weakening kidney qi, then providing care accordingly. At Aspira TCM, Dr Tai Wai Ho treats snoring mainly with herbal medicine, tailored by pattern to strengthen the spleen and resolve phlegm, disperse lung qi, or tonify the kidneys, aiming to address the underlying constitution and reduce both snoring and daytime tiredness.

It should be made clear that Chinese medicine here is supportive in nature, does not replace necessary medical examination, and cannot assess or rule out sleep apnoea. If you suspect your snoring is accompanied by warning signs of sleep apnoea, it's advisable to seek medical assessment early — a sleep study may be needed to confirm the severity and guide next steps.

Next Step

If snoring is affecting you or your household, you are welcome to enquire with Aspira TCM via WhatsApp (WhatsApp: 9679 2293 / wa.me/85296792293); a practitioner can then assess and advise on a suitable direction. If you suspect symptoms of sleep apnoea or similar warning signs, please seek medical attention promptly.

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Disclaimer: This article is for health education and reference only and does not constitute personalised medical advice. Each patient's constitution and condition differ, and treatment outcomes vary. Chinese medicine can provide supportive care and ease symptoms but cannot replace necessary Western examination. If you suspect symptoms of sleep apnoea or similar warning signs, please seek medical attention promptly.