Most snoring isn't serious, and there are seven things to try if it's keeping you or your partner awake. I'd start with simple changes rather than buying a snoring gadget, because what helps depends on what's causing it. Try changing your sleep habits, but see a GP if snoring comes with gasping, pauses in breathing or daytime sleepiness: these can be signs of sleep apnoea.
Stopping snoring in brief
Most snoring is harmless. The seven to try: sleep on your side, lose weight if you're overweight, cut down on alcohol, stop smoking, avoid sleeping pills, clear a blocked nose and ask a GP about a mouth device. I like having several things to try, because changing a habit isn't always easy. See a GP if snoring comes with gasping, stopped breathing or daytime sleepiness.
Snoring happens when relaxed tissues vibrate during sleep
Snoring is very common and isn't usually caused by anything serious, according to the NHS.2 The sound happens when your tongue, mouth, throat or the airways in your nose vibrate as you breathe. These parts relax and narrow while you sleep.
Sleep apnoea is a separate condition in which breathing stops and starts during sleep.3 I wouldn't judge snoring by the noise alone, because loud snoring can be one of its symptoms. See a GP if you gasp during sleep, your breathing stops and starts, or you feel very sleepy during the day.
Four factors make snoring more likely
I'd check these first because the NHS links each to a greater chance of snoring.
- Being overweight: Losing weight helps reduce snoring if you're above a healthy weight.
- Smoking: Stopping helps reduce snoring, so it's another reason to seek support to quit.
- Drinking too much alcohol: Reduce how much you drink to help reduce snoring.
- Sleeping on your back: Settle on your side instead, as back sleeping makes snoring more likely.
A blocked or narrow nose can play a part too, and nasal strips, dilators or sprays can help hold it open.
Seven things to try to reduce snoring
The NHS recommends changes and treatments that match the cause of your snoring.
What's likely behind your snoring?
- I wake up on my back
- I can't breathe through my nose
- I drink most evenings
- I take sleeping tablets
- My mouth falls open while I sleep
Sleep on your side
Try taping or stitching a tennis ball to the back of your sleepwear to discourage rolling onto your back. A special pillow or bed wedge is another option to help you stay on your side. Choose something you find comfortable enough to sleep with.
A tennis ball stitched to the back of your sleepwear discourages you from rolling onto your back.
Lose weight if you're overweight
Make weight loss a goal if you're overweight, and ask your GP for support if you're unsure where to start. This advice depends on your weight. I wouldn't treat snoring alone as a reason to diet, because weight loss isn't advice for everyone who snores.
Cut down on alcohol
Look at how much alcohol you drink and choose which drinks to cut back on. The advice is to avoid drinking too much overall. Start with a change you can keep up, rather than setting yourself a target you already know you'll struggle with.
Stop smoking
Ask for help to stop smoking if quitting on your own feels difficult. Stopping smoking helps reduce snoring, so support with quitting is a useful step to take. Tell your GP what you've already tried and where you've struggled, so you can discuss what to try next.
Avoid sleeping pills
Do not take sleeping pills, because they can sometimes cause snoring. If you're already prescribed them, talk to your GP before changing anything, including reducing your dose or stopping them because you hope to reduce snoring.
Clear a blocked nose
Ask a pharmacist about nasal strips, dilators, decongestants or nasal sprays if your nose is blocked. In Todorova's 1998 trial of 30 habitual snorers, a nasal strip reduced the loudest snoring in 22 of the 30 on the second night, mostly in people without sleep apnoea.1 This was a small, single trial.
Ask about a mouth device
Ask a GP which mouth device suits the cause of your snoring before choosing one. A mandibular advancement device brings the tongue forward if it blocks the back of your throat. A chin strap or vestibular shield is an option if your mouth falls open during sleep.
Talk about snoring calmly and without blame
Choose a calm moment to explain what you're hearing and how it's affecting your sleep, without blaming your partner. I'd have this conversation during the day, because being kept awake isn't the best start to a patient discussion.
The NHS suggests earplugs for the partner who's being kept awake while changes are tried. If you're the one who snores, bring your partner to a GP appointment if you can: they can describe your snoring to the GP.
When snoring needs a GP
Most snoring is harmless, but I wouldn't dismiss it outright because it can be a sign of sleep apnoea, where breathing stops and starts during sleep.
See a GP if:
- lifestyle changes are not helping your snoring
- your snoring is having a big impact on your or your partner's life
- you feel sleepy during the day, your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, or you make gasping or choking noises while you sleep
You may have sleep apnoea, which can be serious if not treated. (NHS)
If a GP thinks you might have sleep apnoea, they may refer you to a specialist sleep clinic for tests, which you can usually do at home, and CPAP treatment is free on the NHS if you need it.
Questions people ask about snoring
Snoring usually isn't dangerous, but it can be a sign of sleep apnoea. The NHS advises seeing a GP if you gasp during sleep, your breathing stops and starts, or you feel sleepy during the day. Make an appointment if you notice these symptoms. Sleep apnoea needs medical attention, so don't wait to see whether changing your sleeping position stops the snoring.
Sleeping on your side is the best position to try to reduce snoring. Sleeping on your back makes snoring more likely, so settle on your side when you go to bed. If you find yourself rolling onto your back, try a pillow or wedge to help you stay on your side. Choose one you find comfortable enough to sleep with.
Anti-snoring mouthguards can help if your tongue blocking your throat causes the snoring. A mandibular advancement device brings your tongue forward. Ask a GP whether this type of device suits you before choosing one, because it needs to match the cause of your snoring. Don't choose a mouthguard just because it's sold as an answer to snoring.
A pillow or wedge that keeps you on your side can help reduce snoring. The benefit comes from helping you stay on your side during sleep. No mattress treats snoring or sleep apnoea. I wouldn't buy a new mattress just to stop snoring, because it isn't a treatment. If yours needs replacing anyway, choose it for comfort when sleeping on your side.
