Hormonal shifts during pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause are a major non-obvious cause of snoring in women, endocrinologist Dr Nataliya Tananakina told Lenta.ru.
Tananakina, a candidate of medical sciences at the AO Meditsina clinic of Academician Roytberg, warned that snoring does not always stem from respiratory tract injuries, sleep apnea, or excess weight.
She explained that female sex hormones play a critical role in keeping upper airways open during sleep. Estrogen helps maintain normal muscle tone in the upper respiratory tract and limits fat accumulation around the neck, while progesterone stimulates the respiratory center to keep night breathing stable.
Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in the throat during breathing, causing those tissues to vibrate. While many people associate nighttime noise with structural injuries or high body mass index, muscle weakness in the respiratory tract can trigger airway collapse even without prior breathing conditions.
Estrogen and progesterone are primary female sex hormones produced mainly by the ovaries. Beyond regulating reproductive cycles, these hormones influence tissue elasticity, muscle tone, and fluid balance throughout the human body.
How hormone shifts narrow breathing passages
During perimenopause and after menopause, sex hormone levels gradually decline. At the same time, the likelihood of weight gain increases, with fat tissue frequently redistributing toward the abdomen and neck.
As fat builds up around the throat and muscle tone weakens, the airway lumen becomes narrower. Tananakina said this combination causes upper airway muscles to relax more deeply, significantly increasing the risk of snoring.
A similar physiological process occurs during pregnancy, according to the endocrinologist. Rapid changes in hormone levels cause fluid retention and swelling in the nasopharyngeal mucous membranes, which can temporarily obstruct air passage.
Perimenopause is the multi-year transitional phase before menopause when ovarian hormone production fluctuates and declines. Pregnancy involves major surges in hormone levels that increase blood volume and fluid retention in mucous tissues throughout the nasal passages and throat.
Endocrine disorders and sleep apnea risks
Tananakina emphasized that non-sex hormones can also impact nocturnal breathing patterns. Specific endocrine disorders independently raise the likelihood of developing nighttime snoring.
For example, patients with hypothyroidism suffer from reduced muscle tone, tissue swelling, and weight gain. Tananakina explained that these combined symptoms provoke airway narrowing and increase snoring risks.
Hypothyroidism is a metabolic disorder where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. Candidate of medical sciences is a postgraduate academic degree in Russia equivalent to a doctorate, and AO Meditsina is a private medical center operating in Moscow.
The advice follows earlier warnings from cardiologist Dr Yevgeny Kokin regarding the cardiovascular risks of persistent snoring. Kokin, who also holds a candidate of medical sciences degree, explained that snoring can sometimes serve as a hidden symptom of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder where upper throat tissues repeatedly collapse during sleep, briefly cutting off airflow. These repeated breathing pauses drop blood oxygen levels and strain the heart, increasing long-term cardiovascular risks.
