Snoring

Snoring is a loud or harsh sound you make when you breathe while you’re sleeping.

It may be harmless, but if you also have other symptoms (see below), you should see your healthcare provider as it could be the sign of an underlying condition, such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

There is some evidence that even simple snoring, without OSA may be associated with other problems such as daytime sleepiness, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

Snoring can disturb the sleep of someone next to you, so see your healthcare provider if it's causing problems in your relationship.

Snoring is caused by the vibration of your tongue, mouth, throat or airways in your nose when you’re breathing. This happens as these parts of your airway relax and narrow when you’re asleep. 

Image credit: Depositphotos

You’re more likely to snore if you:

• sleep on your back
• are overweight or obese
• are drunk 
• take sleeping pills
• are a smoker
• have a low soft palate (the fleshy part at back of the roof of your mouth)
• have big tonsils or adenoids (infection fighting tissues at the back of your throat and nose).

You don't usually need to see a healthcare provider for snoring. See your healthcare provider if

• your snoring is affecting you and your partner's life and relationship
• you wake up in the middle of the night regularly to gasp for air
• you stop breathing or make choking noises during the night and feel sleepy during the day – this could be something more serious, eg, obstructive sleep apnoea. 

Your healthcare provider will ask you about your snoring and will examine you, especially your nose, mouth, throat and neck. They may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist for further tests.   

Also see your doctor if your child snores regularly. Although noisy breathing during sleep is common in children, it may be a sign that your child is having difficulty breathing. Frequent snoring in children has been associated with behavioural problems and difficulty with schoolwork. Read more about snoring in children.

There are treatments or devices available for different causes of snoring.

Treatments

• The Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) recommends losing weight and drinking less alcohol, if they're needed.
• The ASA also recommends positional therapy if you snore while lying on your back. This involves using techniques to discourage you from sleeping on your back, such as:
  • using a pillow or bolster to keep you on your side
  • putting something (eg, a tennis ball) under your back to make it uncomfortable to lie on your back
  • using a device that vibrates when you lie on your back, waking you and reminding you to turn over.

Devices

• One device, called a mandibular advancement device, can help bring your tongue forward if it’s thought that it’s blocking the back of your throat while you sleep.
• Chin straps can hold your mouth closed when you sleep to help you breathe through your nose if your snoring is caused by you breathing through your mouth. 
• A nasal dilator can help hold your nose open while you sleep, or nasal sprays can help reduce swelling and congestion inside your nose if you have blocked or narrow airways.

Surgery is only recommended if other treatments don't work. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best treatment options for you. 

VIDEO: Throat exercises for snoring and sleep apnoea

The following video presented by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon provides some background to snoring and sleep apnoea and some simple exercises you can try.

(Vik Veer – ENT surgeon, UK, 2020)

A shorter version(external link) is available, but in this one he talks quite quickly so you might want to use your player settings to slow it down a little.

Apps reviewed by Healthify

You may find it useful to look at some sleep and snoring apps.

Recommended lifestyle changes that may help stop or reduce snoring include:

• sleeping on your side, or sewing a sock onto the back of your pyjamas and putting a tennis ball inside it to encourage lying on your side
• exercising regularly
• losing weight if you are overweight or obese
• avoiding caffeine and alcohol immediately before going to bed
• practising good sleep hygiene
• quitting smoking
• avoiding the use of sleeping tablets
• avoiding large meals just before bedtime. 

Read more tips to reduce snoring. 

The following video presented by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon provides some background to snoring and sleep apnoea and some simple exercises you can try.

A shorter version(external link) is available, but in this one he talks quite quickly so you might want to use your player settings to slow it down a little.