Snoring

This subject can be a bit technical and boring, so I recommend that only enthusiasts read it. One of the most important rules in fluid physics is Bernoulli’s principle. According to this principle, if a fluid passes through a tunnel of constant diameter, its velocity does not change, therefore the pressure on the tunnel wall does not change. However, if this tunnel narrows at some point, the speed of the same fluid increases as it passes through the narrow part.

Due to the increasing speed, the pressure on the tunnel wall decreases. If the wall does not consist of flexible or movable material, it does not cause any problems. But if the wall consists of a flexible or moving material, the wall moves towards the fluid as the pressure decreases, so the tunnel diameter narrows more, the fluid velocity increases more, the pressure drops more, the flexible wall moves more towards the fluid.

In other words, a kind of suction and vacuum force occurs. At this point a vicious circle is formed. If the wall is not flexible enough to completely reset the current in the tunnel, the current continues. But if the wall is too flexible, the walls stick together and this current is interrupted. Examples of Bernoulli’s principle from daily life: Draft strikes, the reversal of the umbrella in the wind, the change of buoyancy by the movement of the aeroplane wings, etc.

Now let us adapt these physical principles to the human body: Let us consider the fluid as air and the wall as the tissues of the pharynx, palate and throat. As you can guess, these tissues belong to the flexible group. Therefore, as air flows through them, they contract, accelerating and compressing the air. While the walls approach each other during inhalation, the walls move away from each other during exhalation and a serious vibration occurs. This vibration is the main cause of snoring, and the complete closure of the walls is the cause of obstructive type (obstructive) apnoea.