You have more than 50 pairs of muscles around your throat. These muscles control the airflow when you breath and speak, and they help you swallow and process food and drink.

These muscles decide if whatever enters your mouth goes to your stomach or lungs.

In addition, there are several muscles in the neck that help stabilize the head and move it in the right direction. These muscles also support the pumping of blood to the brain.

With so many muscles and so many function in such a narrow tube, no wonder things often go wrong.

These muscles often get weak, causing the breathing passages in your throat to collapse or become blocked during sleep.

To work on this issue, you should try to strengthen and loosen the muscles around your throat and neck.

If you are overweight or obese, built-up fat can press against the throat and block the airflow there. Losing weight will definitely help to improve your snoring and sleep apnea.

In extreme cases of sleep apnea, CPAP masks or mouth guards might be needed to keep your throat open while you are sleeping.

If your self-test reveals that your throat muscles are the main cause of your snoring and/or sleep apnea, I’ll tell you about other natural treatment options I find more effective.