# Why do people snore when they get knocked unconscious?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-snore-when-they-get-knocked-unconscious/70434>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 28, 2001, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-snore-when-they-get-knocked-unconscious/70434 "2001-06-28T06:25:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-snore-when-they-get-knocked-unconscious/70434/1 "2001-06-28T06:25:25Z")

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Until I saw it in person I thought it was only something that happened in cartoons. I was at a party and two guys got into a fight. One of them fell to his knees and the other guy ran up and kicked the guy in the head. He fell onto his back and started snoring. LOUD. Besides being really disturbing to watch, it was pretty damn scary to see the guy snoring, especially because I had never heard of such a thing actually happening.

Anyone know why this happens?

Is it the same as when a person sleeps?

Anyone seen a guy snore after being knocked out?

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**Author:** ![Father\_Pacelli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Father\_Pacelli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Father_Pacelli)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-snore-when-they-get-knocked-unconscious/70434/2 "2001-06-28T06:42:51Z")

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No sweat. Snoring is caused when you sleep lying on your back. The tongue falls back, and if you breathe through your mouth, the air–shit, just lie down on your back, let your tongue go completely limp, then breathe slowly and deeply through your mouth. Presto, snoring.

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**Author:** ![Shera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Shera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shera)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-snore-when-they-get-knocked-unconscious/70434/3 "2001-06-28T07:05:57Z")

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It happens because the tongue partially blocks the wind pipe making the snoring, noise

Yes it is the same as when a person is sleeping

No I have never seen it happen in person. I have never even seen anyone unconsious before either.

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**Author:** ![ikiteboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e95f7d/32.png) [@ikiteboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ikiteboard)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-snore-when-they-get-knocked-unconscious/70434/4 "2012-07-10T02:27:10Z")

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yes i’ve seen this type of snoring before, many times in fact. this is an effect for the Autonomic nervous system. yes, the sound comes from the tongue, but the cause is deeper than that.

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**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-snore-when-they-get-knocked-unconscious/70434/5 "2012-07-10T02:40:19Z")

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Unconscious for eleven years.

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**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-snore-when-they-get-knocked-unconscious/70434/6 "2012-07-10T02:41:43Z")

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That’s some count to be down for…