Snoring remediesWhy you snore and how to find a solution

If your snoring is due to excess weight, regular exercise can help

It’s important to find out the cause of your snoring before looking for a solution.

Observation

Ask someone to watch you when you’re snoring. If you snore on your back, you may be a tongue-based snorer (where the tongue falls back and impedes your airway). If you have your mouth open, you may be a mouth-based snorer – air is hitting your throat. A nasal snorer’s nostrils tend to collapse on sniffing, and breathing is difficult – but a congested nose can also cause this. There could be more than one reason for your snoring.

Sleep apnoea

If your snoring is severe, it’s important to establish whether you have sleep apnoea – symptoms are often excessive sleepiness during the day and episodes where you stop breathing or choke. Go to your GP if you or a partner witness symptoms. You may be referred to a clinic for a sleep study. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnoea, think about linking up with patient groups (see ‘Useful contacts’, below for details).

Lifestyle change

If your snoring doesn’t suggest sleep apnoea, try making lifestyle changes. Stop smoking, exercise and improve your diet (fat in the neck commonly squeezes the airway). If you want to try a snoring aid, consider why you snore when picking one. The British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association website has tests to help you find suitable products.

Medical help

If snoring doesn’t improve, talk to your GP or dentist. They may refer you to a specialist, such as an ear, nose and throat consultant.

Stave off surgery

Most operations correct structural problems in the nose or throat, or remove excess tissue. Procedures can be painful, results can vary and it isn’t easy to predict who’ll benefit. There’s quite a high recurrence of snoring after initial improvement.