Snorer (and family, partner…)

How to stop snoring?
Perhaps you’re sleepy when you shouldn’t be?
Want to learn about sleep apnoea – what is it?

Or, are you kept awake by their snoring?

Relax, you’re in the right place.

Dave asleep with family

What is snoring?

Snoring occurs when the airway becomes restricted, and breathing makes the soft tissue vibrate. The vibration makes the snoring noise.

The danger is, that snoring may be a symptom of sleep apnoea.

What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea occurs when a snorer’s airway collapses. They cannot breathe. This can happen several hundred times a night.

Affected individuals cannot breathe and sleep at the same time.

We mean OBSTRUCTIVE sleep apnoea (OSA) when we say ‘sleep apnoea’.

How snoring can progress (and why its important to seek help about it)




Snoring can exist on its own, or be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)

Mild/moderate obstructive sleep apnoea will typically progress to severe with the passing of time… with increased age or weight or the influence of other medical conditions.

Why get treated?

  • Better life expectancy
  • Improved quality of life
  • Greatly reduced risk of having a heart attack or a stroke
  • Improve your blood glucose levels
  • Avoid falling asleep while driving
  • Wake up more refreshed in the morning – and without a headache
  • Be more sharp and ‘on the ball’
  • Be less irritable and combat depressive feelings
  • Lose weight more easily
  • Have more fun and enjoyment in life
  • Have interest in and enjoy a better sex life

Treatment options

You can try self-help options, such as not sleeping on your back…

Read our self-help suggestions

You could consult a sleep trained dentist and have an oral appliance fitted.

Read our How to choose… a mouthpiece to stop snoring guide

You might be referred by a consultant sleep specialist to use a PAP machine at night

Read our How to choose… Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy guide


If you’re considering diving-in and buying an OTC anti-snoring device or another quick-fix then PLEASE read our completely free, (no registration required, no catches, no ads, no product placement) Information Guides.

They are award-winning, free and accredited by the NHS Information Standard. 

Please do NOT self-diagnose and self-treat. Its impossible to differentiate between snoring and sleep apnoea without a professional assessment. Businesses will encourage you to buy their ‘miracle cure’ because they want to profit from your misery. Get some facts you can rely on.

The impact sleep apnoea has on you…

Stress on your body
If you stop breathing this places a stress on your brain and your heart as they both struggle to work with the lack of oxygen.

Disrupted Sleep
Your brain wakes you up in order to start breathing again and so your sleep is disrupted over and over again.

Impact on your health

Stress on your brain and heart, coupled with disrupted sleep have serious effects on your health. Left untreated, they are a contributing risk factor in high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression.

More than 35% of people with sleep apnoea suffer from high blood pressure, increasing their risk of heart disease.1

83% of people who continue to suffer from high blood pressure despite taking three or more drugs, also have sleep apnoea.2

Almost 70% of people who’ve had a stroke have sleep apnoea.3

A person with untreated sleep apnoea is upto 15 times more likely to have a car accident.4

Effect on partners and family

It is not just the individuals with OSA or a snoring problem whose health can be affected. Partners, whose own rest is continually disturbed, may also suffer the effects of chronically interrupted sleep.

We have a dedicated help-page for those kept awake by snorers and a free Guide aimed at partners (but equally applicable to others struggling with the noise a snorer is making!).

Thinking about buying an anti-snoring device on-line or in the pharmacy? Read this first.
Or perhaps you’re considering a chinstrap to stop snoring?

The information provided on this website, including our Guides, does not represent medical advice and is not a substitute for medical care. If you’re concerned about your health, consult your GP or primary care physician (PCP). Your GP or PCP may recommend different treatment pathways based on individual facts and circumstances.

1. PAGEL, J. et al. (2008) “Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Recognition and Management in Primary Care.” Supplement to The Journal of Family Practice. Vol. 57. No. 8.
2. WORSNOP et al. (1998) The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in hypertensives. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine; 157:111-5.
3. BASSETTI et al. (1999) Sleep apnea in acute cerebrovascular diseases: final report on 128 patients. Sleep;22:217-223
4. HORSTMANN et al. (2000) Sleepiness related accidents in sleep apnea patients. Sleep.

Created by Adrian Zacher | Page last updated 6th Oct 2018