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Table of Contents
- What causes snoring?
- Is snoring bad for your health?
- Can snoring be cured?
- How to talk to your partner about their snoring
- How to sleep next to someone who snores
- When snoring is a sign of sleep apnoea
- How is sleep apnoea treated?
- Snoring and sleep apnoea FAQs
Although people who snore loudly are frequently the target of bad jokes and the occasional victims of middle-of-the-night elbow thrusts, snoring is no laughing matter.
An estimated 10 to 30% of adults snore. For most, snoring has no serious medical consequences, but for some, it can indicate a more serious problem: sleep apnoea.
What causes snoring?
Snoring is a loud upper-airway breathing noise caused by tissues behind the nose and mouth vibrating. It happens when the airways narrow because neck muscle tone is reduced. When we breathe in or out, the air route should be as clear as possible; any obstruction can cause turbulence and noise.
There are numerous causes of snoring. It can be triggered by things such as being overweight, drinking alcohol, taking sleeping pills, smoking, nasal congestion, allergies, sleeping on your back, and even having broken your nose at university playing rugby.
Is snoring bad for your health?
Persistent snoring may raise the lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure and stroke. Snoring disrupts the individual's sleep, as the sound is often enough to wake them up, and, of course, it disrupts the sleep of their bed partner.
Both men and women snore, regardless of what the women may say. While often thought of as a middle-aged problem, snoring can also affect some children, for example those with enlarged adenoids and tonsils.
Can snoring be cured?
Snoring as such cannot be cured, but in many people, it can be controlled through lifestyle changes such as losing weight, stopping smoking and reducing alcohol consumption. If you snore only when on your back, one old but effective remedy is to sew a tennis ball into the back of your pyjamas, which should keep you from lying on your back.
You may even try opera singing or playing the didgeridoo, brass or woodwind instruments. Data show that these can reduce snoring because they strengthen the upper airway.
Do anti-snoring products work?
Local pharmacies and online retailers also offer anti-snoring products, such as nasal strips and sprays, and some may help reduce snoring for some people. However, because snoring can happen in so many ways, there's no easy way to predict which product will work for you; finding the right one often requires trial and error. You may find that none of them helps reduce the level or frequency of your snoring.
If your snoring, or someone else's, continues to disrupt your sleep, you or they need to seek medical advice.
Does surgery cure snoring?
An operation sometimes claimed to be a 'cure' for snoring is called UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty). This operation for adults removes the tonsils, the uvula (the tissue that hangs from the middle of the back of the roof of the mouth) and part of the soft palate (the roof of the mouth in the back of the throat).
However, it does not always eliminate or significantly reduce snoring. The problem is that it works for only about 25% of people; it makes little difference for about 50% and can make snoring worse for about 25%. As with any invasive procedure, weigh the risks against the severity of the problem and seek medical advice.
How to talk to your partner about their snoring
Many people resist acknowledging their snoring, or that it's a problem, because they don't feel affected by it. They may also not see the effects that their snoring has on their bed partner.
So, a full and frank discussion about the problems snoring is causing, for example how it is affecting your day, your ability to function, your mood and your energy levels, may help your bed partner understand that their snoring is having a significant effect and that it should be addressed.
How to sleep next to someone who snores
If you cannot do something about your bed partner's snoring, there are a few things you can do to protect your sleep.
First, earplugs can reduce the noise level. There are many types available, so you should be able to find a pair that is comfortable to sleep in. A few noise-cancelling headphones are designed to be worn at night, although they are relatively expensive.
Using a distracting noise such as white or pink noise could help mask the snoring, and pink or white noise-generating apps are widely available.
Is sleeping in separate rooms a good idea?
Lastly, if snoring is particularly bothersome and affects how you feel during the day, you may consider sleeping in separate rooms (see my forthcoming 'sleep divorce' article). While some people will tell you that it is a sign of trouble in the relationship, it is actually a pragmatic solution to the problem of snoring. It can, in fact, improve your relationship, because you no longer wake up feeling resentful and sleep-deprived.
When snoring is a sign of sleep apnoea
In an estimated 5% of people, loud habitual snoring is the first sign of a potentially serious disorder: obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
OSA has a distinct breathing pattern at night: several snores, followed by a pause in snoring with no or only very shallow breathing, then a roaring snort as breathing starts again. These pauses can last from a few seconds to one or two minutes and can occur hundreds of times a night.
In OSA, the airway is fully blocked, unlike snoring, where the blockage is only partial. You try to breathe against the obstruction, but no air can pass until the blockage is overcome. Each time that you obstruct, you have an arousal, a short waking, that ruins the continuity of sleep. Luckily, after each apnoea, the brain kickstarts the body to resume breathing. But this cycle can repeat itself throughout the night.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnoea?
OSA can seriously disturb sleep, producing extreme levels of sleepiness during the day and interfering with work and personal life, often without the sufferer knowing the cause. People with OSA may have trouble concentrating and can become unusually forgetful, irritable, anxious or depressed. These problems can appear suddenly or can emerge gradually over time, in which case sufferers often attribute daytime sleepiness to normal ageing.
Because OSA puts a strain on the body, it can trigger high blood pressure, heart failure, heart attacks and stroke. It has also been linked to a significantly increased risk of car accidents due to daytime sleepiness.
Often, people with OSA seek help for disturbed sleep, not realising that OSA may be to blame. They may notice that they are waking frequently during the night, gasping for air and perhaps thrashing about in their sleep. Sufferers may also complain of morning headaches and loss of interest in sex, and men may experience erectile failure.
Why a bed partner's observations matter
People with OSA may not realise that they suffer from it; however, the bed partner will be aware of the pauses in the breathing. Because sufferers are often unaware of what is happening during the night, information from a bed partner is important. If you have these pauses repeatedly during the night, you may have OSA, and the next step is to determine the severity.
Who gets sleep apnoea?
The popular image is that OSA is most often found in middle-aged men, but anyone can suffer OSA, even children.
In women, OSA is more common in pregnancy, particularly during the final trimester, and has been associated with conditions such as pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Even snoring has been linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Another, rarer type of apnoea is central sleep apnoea (CSA), where the brain temporarily fails to send the signal to breathe. OSA and CSA can sometimes both be present in a condition known as mixed sleep apnoea.
How is sleep apnoea treated?
You must seek medical advice if you or your bed partner suspect either of you suffers from OSA. The good news is that OSA can usually be effectively treated.
If you have mild sleep apnoea, treatment may include advice on lifestyle management, including helping people lose weight, stop smoking or decrease alcohol consumption.
Moderate to severe OSA is routinely treated with a device known as CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). This device uses air pressure to keep the upper airway open, reducing the number of apnoeas. CPAP works very effectively for most people, but you have to wear it for it to work.
Other treatments, such as mandibular advancement devices (MAD), similar to a boxer's gum shield, can help keep the airway open by preventing the jaw from relaxing backwards. These can be used to control snoring, as well as helping some people who cannot tolerate CPAP. Medicines and devices are being developed to treat OSA, so consult your GP about the available options.
Most snoring is a nuisance rather than a danger, and much of it can be managed. But it is worth taking seriously, for your own health and for the sleep of the person lying next to you.
Snoring and sleep apnoea FAQs
Is snoring bad for your health?
For most people, snoring has no serious medical consequences, although persistent snoring may raise the lifetime risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure and stroke. It also disrupts sleep, both for the person snoring and for their bed partner. In an estimated 5% of people, loud habitual snoring is the first sign of obstructive sleep apnoea. If snoring continues to disturb sleep, it is worth seeking medical advice.
Snoring is caused by the tissues behind the nose and mouth vibrating as air passes through a narrowed airway. The airway narrows when muscle tone in the neck is reduced during sleep, and any obstruction creates turbulence and noise. Common triggers include being overweight, drinking alcohol, taking sleeping pills, smoking, nasal congestion, allergies and sleeping on your back.
Snoring cannot be cured as such, but in many people it can be controlled. Losing weight, stopping smoking and reducing alcohol consumption are the main lifestyle changes, and people who snore only on their back may benefit from being kept off it. Anti-snoring products such as nasal strips and sprays help some people, but finding one that works often requires trial and error.
How can I sleep next to someone who snores?
Earplugs are the simplest option, and with many types available, most people can find a pair that is comfortable to sleep in. White or pink noise, available through widely used apps, can help mask the sound, and some noise-cancelling headphones are designed for night-time wear. Where snoring significantly affects how you feel during the day, sleeping in separate rooms is a pragmatic solution rather than a sign of trouble in the relationship.
How do I know if snoring is sleep apnoea?
Obstructive sleep apnoea has a distinctive pattern: several snores, a pause with little or no breathing, then a loud snort as breathing restarts. These pauses can last from a few seconds to a minute or two and may happen hundreds of times a night. The person affected is often unaware of them, so a bed partner's observations are important. Daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, poor concentration and irritability are other common signs.
Obstructive sleep apnoea can usually be treated effectively, so anyone who suspects it should seek medical advice. Mild cases may be managed through losing weight, stopping smoking and reducing alcohol. Moderate to severe cases are routinely treated with CPAP, which uses air pressure to keep the airway open, while mandibular advancement devices can help some people who cannot tolerate CPAP. A GP can advise on the options available.
