Why is my baby snoring?
Whether your partner, roommate, neighbour or baby snores it can be universally frustrating for those of us who have to listen to it. However, snoring has negatives other than the obvious annoying implications. Whilst 27% of children regularly snore lightly & temporally regular snoring can be signs of an underlying issue. Through this blog we’ll discuss the reasons your baby may be snoring, when it is an issue and what impacts snoring can have on your little ones sleep.
Causes of your baby snoring
Your baby will snore when air cannot flow freely through the airway at the back of the throat. As they breathe the tissue around the airway will vibrate creating a snoring sound. There are many factors which can lead to snoring in babies and children, these include;
- Large or swollen tonsils: Tonsils naturally swell as part of the body immune response. Their increase in size can obstruct your child’s airway creating snoring. This is the most common cause of sleep-disordered breathing in children.
- Congestion: Cold symptoms can cause congestion when blocks the flow of air through your child’s airway. This can also in turn inflame the tonsils creating two possible causes for snoring.
- Allergies: If your child is having a flare up of allergies it can cause inflammation in the nose & throat making it harder for them to breathe an increasing the risk of snoring.
- Asthma: Just like with allergies asthma can cause inflammation creating partial blockages of your child’s airway leading to them snoring.
- Body anatomy: For some children their body may have developed to form a partial blockage. An example of this could be a deviated septum.
- Poor air quality: Low air quality whether due to smoke, pollution or another factor can make it harder for your baby to breathe normally and increases the likelihood of frequent snoring.
- Obstruction: There is a condition called obstructive sleep apnea where the body relaxes during sleep reducing air flow to the lungs. It is very typical for children with this condition to snore and their snoring will be very consistent.
What can you do about your baby’s snoring?
Firstly you will want to figure out when it’s occurring. Roughly how many nights a week, what time of night, is it just when your child is unwell, etc. After that you will want to record the snore to show to your GP & book in an appointment to discuss your concerns. They will be able to direct you for the next steps whether that’s seeing a specialist or reassuring you everything is normal.
How does snoring impact your babies sleep
Snoring can have a negative impact on your babies sleep. This is due to it increasing the risk of them waking at lighter parts of their sleep cycles. Your baby sleeps lightest during that first stage of light sleep, as well as in the REM stage. If your baby’s airflow is restricted and creating a snore or an apnea this may wake them when they are not in a deep sleep. As babies sleep cycles are roughly 45 minutes long there are many opportunities for this to happen throughout the night. So if your baby is snoring, you should definitely take action and follow the guidance given above as it will likely not improve by itself and can create long-term sleep issues.
Can you sleep train a snoring baby?
If your baby snores, or mouth breathes, it’s something that a sleep coach will be able to look into with you. They should recommend talking to a GP prior to any sleep training officially occurring. However, most sleep coaches should be able to provide you with some simple tricks to improve your families sleep hygiene & sleep habits which will have a positive influence on your child’s sleep.
For more information on snoring I recommend reading https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-we-treat/obstructive-sleep-apnoea/
If you’d like to discuss how I can support you sleep training your baby who snores book in your free 15 minute call. During this call we can discuss how the sleep coaching services I offer can help you and your family.
Sending sweet dreams to you and your little ones
Emily
xxx