Is your partner's snoring driving you nuts?

Snoring is an all too common problem in the UK. Around half of people at some time have been snorers, and around a quarter of people regularly snore.

Snoring rarely affects the snorer; it's their sleeping partner and other members of the family who usually suffer from the snorers cacophony of huge decibel proportions.

What is snoring?

The sound of snoring is caused by air being inhaled through an open mouth, and causing the soft palate and the uvula (the "dangly bit" that hangs down from the back of the palate, situated at the back of the throat) to vibrate intensely.

When you sleep, the muscles in your nose, mouth and throat which keep your airways open, relax. This helps to make snoring more likely.

Causes

Anything which interferes with the flow of air through the air passages can cause you to snore or make it worse. These include:

• Sleeping on your back. This allows the lower jaw to flop open causing you to breathe through your mouth instead of you nose
• Colds, allergies, hay fever and enlarged adenoids all cause a blocked nose and snoring
• Smoking. It can cause inflammation of the nasal passages making snoring more likely
• Being overweight due to excess fat around the neck which puts pressure on the airways
• Alcohol and some medications can make your muscles more relaxed
• Physical factors such as a damaged or misshapen nose or long uvula which interferes with airflow

Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder which causes someone to repeatedly stop breathing during the night and wake up. Very loud snoring is a common symptom, as well as tiredness during the day. This needs to be treated by a doctor.

What to do about it

Lifestyle

• Try to maintain a healthy weight
• Sleep on your side rather than on your back
• Avoid alcohol before going to sleep
• Try to stop smoking

Something else to try:

When it comes to snoring, there is no shortage of remedies and suggestions about what to do. Here are some:

• Sow a cotton reel or a tennis ball onto the back of snorer's pyjama jacket, so that when they turn onto their back the discomfort makes them change their position
• Nose guards such as the "Nozovent" claim good success rates. It consists of two small plastic "paddles" which are inserted into the nostrils before going to sleep. This keeps the nostrils open throughout the night, to discourage breathing in through your mouth
• A humidifier in the bedroom may also help keep blocked nasal passages clear
• Mouth guards such as the "Snore Guard" is similar to a sports mouth guards, which are held between the teeth and the lips. Surprisingly it seems to be comfortable to wear and when in place is unnoticeable
• Nasal sprays are available which are similar to decongestants, and help keep the nasal passages clear

Surgery

Laser treatment to remove parts of the soft palate and the uvula, should only be considered as a last resort and should be discussed with your GP.

This article was published on Thu 22 April 2010