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Every night in the UK an estimated 15 million people snore - sometimes at noise levels over 90dB (as loud as a busy bar!).

What causes it?

Snoring happens when the muscles in your nose, throat and mouth relax, narrowing your airway. This prevents the air that you breathe from getting in and out easily, causing the soft tissues in your nose, throat and mouth to vibrate and make a snoring sound.

There are certain physical and lifestyle factors that make it more likely that you will snore, including:

  • having a receding lower jaw, large tonsils or a blocked nose
  • being overweight, especially if you have a large neck (more than 16 inches)
  • being male
  • drinking alcohol in the evening
  • taking sedatives to help you sleep at night
  • smoking
  • having an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
  • going through the menopause

Usually snoring is harmless - but it can sometimes indicate that you have a more serious condition called sleep apnoea. This is when you stop breathing for short periods of time when you are asleep. It's similar to snoring in the way your airway narrows, but with sleep apnoea, it closes altogether. This alerts your brain to wake up so you can start breathing again - although you usually won't remember these episodes. As it can happen throughout the night, sleep apnoea can make it impossible to get a good night's sleep, and cause severe daytime sleepiness.

Snoring isn't something that can be cured or stopped at will

What's the treatment?

Snoring isn't something that can be cured or stopped at will, but there are simple steps you can take to control it.

  • change your sleep position - avoid sleeping on your back
  • try elevating the head of your bed - you can do this by propping it up using bricks or putting pillows under the mattress
  • limit the number of pillows you sleep on, only use one thick pillow or two thin ones
  • if you are overweight, try to lose your excess weight
  • steer clear of alcohol before bed
  • stop smoking
  • if you suffer with allergies this may make snoring worse - try using hypo-allergenic linen and bedding 

There are also treatments you can buy from your pharmacist or get from your GP to help keep your airways open - such as nasal sprays and mouth guards. If your snoring doesn't respond to treatment, your GP may recommend surgery as a last resort, although it isn't always effective. And don't forget about your bed partner - why not get them some ear plugs as a peace offering?

  • Publication date: September 2008