Is snoring genetic?

Snoring can be partly genetic. It runs in families, and twin studies suggest genes account for a meaningful share of why some people snore and others don't. What's inherited seems to include the shape of the face, jaw and airway, and a tendency toward traits like higher body weight. That still leaves a lot you can change.

Can snoring be genetic?

Snoring can be genetic in part. Cleveland Clinic lists family history as a risk factor and says that if you have a biological parent who snores, you're more likely to snore too. Twin studies and a large genetic study back this up, though they also show that weight, alcohol, smoking and health play big roles alongside genes.

Genes don't hand you a snore directly. They shape things that make snoring more likely, like a narrower airway or a jaw that sits further back. Cleveland Clinic explains that snoring happens when tissues in a partly blocked airway vibrate as air passes, and that the blockage may be related to your anatomy. For the full list of causes, see reasons you snore.

What do twin studies say about snoring?

Twin studies say identical twins tend to be more alike in their snoring than non-identical twins, which points to a genetic influence. Identical twins share all their genes and non-identical twins share about half, so comparing the two groups lets researchers estimate how much of a trait is inherited.

A 1995 Italian study interviewed 492 identical and 284 non-identical twins. Habitual snoring was more often shared by identical twins, although the difference wasn't statistically significant. The researchers found that smoking and respiratory disease were linked to snoring in the non-identical pairs but not the identical ones, and concluded the findings suggest a genetic predisposition to habitual snoring.

A larger 2004 study from St Thomas' Hospital in London analyzed 1,937 pairs of female twins. It estimated the heritability of disruptive snoring at 52%. That estimate dropped only slightly after the researchers adjusted for other things that could influence snoring. Because the study included only women and relied on questionnaires, it may not apply exactly to men or to snoring measured in a sleep lab.

Have scientists found snoring genes?

Scientists have found genetic regions linked to snoring, though not a single snoring gene. A 2020 study in Nature Communications used UK Biobank data from about 408,000 people, including around 152,000 snorers. It identified 42 regions of the genome significantly associated with snoring.

The same study estimated that common genetic variants explain about 10% of the variation in snoring. That's lower than the twin estimates, which is common in genetics, because twin studies capture all inherited influences while DNA studies pick up only the common variants they measure. The researchers also found genetic overlap between snoring and body mass index, alcohol intake and smoking, and their analysis suggested that high BMI may be a cause of snoring.

Is jaw and airway shape inherited?

Jaw and airway shape is partly inherited. A 2014 study in the journal Sleep used MRI scans to compare people with sleep apnea, their siblings and matched controls with their siblings. It found significant heritability for several face and airway measurements that have been linked to sleep apnea.

These included lower jaw length (24% heritable), lower jaw width (30%), upper jaw width (47%) and the size of the airway at the back of the mouth (31%). The researchers found these structures were similarly heritable in people with and without sleep apnea. So part of the airway shape that makes snoring more likely can be passed down through families.

Not every structural cause is inherited, though. Cleveland Clinic lists enlarged adenoids, big tonsils, a large tongue and a deviated septum among the anatomical factors that restrict airflow.

Does a family history mean you'll definitely snore?

A family history doesn't mean you'll definitely snore. Heritability figures describe how much of the variation in snoring across a large group is linked to genes. They don't tell you the odds for any one person, and the same studies find many people with snoring relatives who don't snore.

Some of the other risk factors are fixed. Cleveland Clinic says snoring becomes more common with age because muscle tone decreases and the airway narrows, and that snoring is more common in males. Others, like weight, alcohol and sleep position, are up to you. Cleveland Clinic also lists alcohol, sedatives and even lack of sleep as things that relax the muscles in your upper airway, which can limit airflow and lead to snoring. None of those are written in your DNA. The 1995 twin study found BMI was more strongly linked to habitual snoring in non-identical twins than in identical ones, which fits the idea that lifestyle matters most where genes are less alike.

Genetic scores aren't a practical test yet either. The 2020 UK Biobank team used genetic scores to predict recent snoring and probable sleep apnea in a separate group of about 8,000 Australians. That's useful for research, but a doctor's assessment remains the way to find out what's behind your own snoring. Our article on snoring and age covers how snoring changes over the years.

Does sleep apnea run in families too?

Sleep apnea can run in families. The NHS lists having other family members with sleep apnea among the things it has been linked to, alongside obesity, having a large neck, getting older, drinking alcohol, smoking, large tonsils or adenoids and sleeping on your back.

If loud snoring runs in your family, watch for the signs that set sleep apnea apart. The NHS lists breathing that stops and starts, gasping, snorting or choking noises, waking up a lot, and feeling very tired during the day, and advises seeing a GP if you have them. Our guide to snoring vs sleep apnea explains the difference.

What can you still change if snoring is in your genes?

You can still change quite a lot. The 1995 twin study found habitual snoring was significantly linked to older age, male sex, higher BMI, smoking and respiratory disease. Some of those you can't change, but several you can, and the 2020 study points the same way on body weight.

The NHS suggests these steps for snoring:

• Lose weight if you're overweight. Our article on weight loss and snoring covers the research.
• Sleep on your side. The NHS suggests a tennis ball on the back of your sleepwear, or a special pillow or bed wedge.
• Don't smoke.
• Don't drink too much alcohol.
• Avoid sleeping pills, which the NHS says can sometimes cause snoring.

Side sleeping has some of the best direct evidence. In a 2003 study of 72 habitual snorers, most of those without sleep apnea snored less on their side, both in time and loudness. Our guide to sleep position and snoring has tips for staying there.

Can nasal strips and mouth tape help with inherited snoring?

Nasal strips and mouth tape can help with some kinds of snoring, whatever your family history. The NHS lists nasal dilators or strips that hold the nose open for snoring caused by blocked or narrow nasal airways. In a 2000 randomized trial of 12 people with chronic rhinitis, an external nasal dilator cut snoring frequency from 258 to 173 snores an hour compared with a placebo strip, though it didn't change snoring loudness.

For people whose mouth falls open during sleep, the NHS lists a chin strap or a mouth device that helps you breathe through your nose. Mouth tape works on a similar idea, keeping the lips together so you keep nose breathing, and pairs naturally with a strip. Our guide to mouth tape and nasal strips together explains how. Mouth tape is only for adults who breathe comfortably through the nose and have no signs of sleep apnea. We don't recommend mouth tape for children.

Our pick (paid partner): Titan Sleep System

If you want to try strips and tape as a pair, our pick is the Titan Sleep System. Titan says it brings TitanAir Nasal Strips and Titan Mouth Tape together as one nightly system. Titan describes the strips as drug-free external nasal dilators with flexible spring-loaded bands, and the tape as a bamboo silk strip worn across the lips.

Titan says every batch is third-party tested and certified PFAS-free, and that it refunds you if your sleep isn't better after 30 nights. We haven't tested or ranked these products ourselves; this is our recommendation for ordinary snoring, not for anyone with signs of sleep apnea.

The bottom line

Snoring is partly hereditary. Twin studies put a substantial share of it down to genes, and some of what's passed on is the shape of your jaw and airway. But the same research keeps finding that weight, alcohol, smoking and sleep position matter too. A family history of snoring is a reason to pay attention, not a life sentence, and a reason to get checked if the snoring comes with pauses or gasping. For kids, see snoring in children.

Read next

• Reasons you snore
• Snoring and age
• Does snoring mean deep sleep?

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.