How to stop yourself snoring - and how to cope if you share a bed with one

A study of 12,000 people has shown that those living close to busy roads – or whose bedrooms overlook major roads – are more likely to snore


How to stop yourself snoring - and how to cope if you share a bed with one

Snore like a pig or, even worse, sound like a pneumatic drill?

It may surprise you to know that traffic pollution could be to blame.

A study of 12,000 people has shown that those living close to busy roads – or whose bedrooms overlook major roads – are more likely to snore .

The toxic gases and particles released by engines, particularly diesel, are said to be the cause.

And scientists at Bergen University in Norway have also discovered that both sexes are affected differently – men have an increased chance of snoring, whereas women are more susceptible to daytime sleepiness.

While snoring is often treated as a bit of a joke, it can have serious health consequences, including reduced mental function, and can cause emotional upset and relationship issues.

It affects as many as 40% of adults, is twice as common in men and is known to increase with age, explains Dr Guy Meadows, sleep physiologist and clinical director of The Sleep School ( thesleepschool.org ).

There are ways of treating snoring

And he says understanding where your snoring originates – mouth, nose or throat – is vital for getting the most successful type of treatment. So what type are you?

Mouth-based snorer

This is when you breathe through your mouth during sleep rather than using
your nose.

Test: See if you can make the snoring noise with your mouth closed. If you can only do it when it’s open, then using devices to keep your mouth closed at night could help reduce the snoring.

Try: Mouth breathing devices, including Snore Calm Chin-Up Strips (a sort of self-adhesive plaster to prevent the mouth falling open – £5.99 from pharmacies) will help you to breathe through your nose.

There are a variety of ways of treating snoring

And try singing lessons. There’s some evidence that regular vocal exercises may help people who snore because it helps tone the soft palate, the tongue, the nasal passages and the palatopharyngeal arch. Visit singingforsnorers.com .

US researchers are also trialling a new device – the Varnum mouthpiece – which sticks to the outside of the mouth and stops it opening during sleep.

It allows a small amount of air in and out, just enough without vibrating the throat tissue. This makes it more comfortable to use, and it doesn’t wake patients up during the night if they subconsciously start breathing through their mouth.

In a pilot study, the mouthpiece produced a threefold drop in snoring.

Tongue-based snorer

This is when the tongue falls into the back of the throat blocking the airway.

Test: Stick your tongue out as far as it will go and then grab it between your teeth. If the snoring noise is reduced in this position, then you are probably a tongue-based snorer.

There are many things that can help

Try: Sleeping on your side, using pillows as props. Using a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) to move your jaw and tongue forward as you sleep could help. SomnoGuard AP (£129.99 from britishsnoring.co.uk ) is made from flexible plastic and can be directly moulded in the mouth after being heated in boiling water.

Nose snorer

This is when the nostrils either collapse or are congested, causing the airway to be blocked.

Test: Press one side of your nose closed with a finger and then try to breathe in with your mouth closed.

If the nostril collapses then using some form of nasal dilator can be helpful. If you simply can’t breathe due to congestion, it’s definitely worth checking for allergies.

Try: An anti-inflammatory herbal spray, such as Rhynil (£15.99 from britishsnoring.co.uk ), to help reduce the symptoms of nasal congestion, advises Marianne Davey, director of the British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association. In trials, 70% of volunteers reported an improvement in reducing snoring.

And change your pillows every six months in case the allergens and dust mites in them could be the culprit.

Changing your pillows could help

Wearing nasal dilators, such as Nozovent (£13.99 for two), can also help. This is a flexible plastic device that holds the nostrils open.

Throat snorer

This is when snoring could be caused by the vibration of the soft tissue in your throat (palatal flutter).

Test: If none of the above tests work then, by a process of elimination, this could be the cause.

Try: Some of the lifestyle advice below.

1:Lose weight:

“Being overweight or having a large neck circumference (above 16 inches) increases the risk of fat pushing down on the throat and worsening snoring,” says Dr Meadows.

2:Starting a weight-loss and exercise programme can help significantly.

3:Reduce your alcohol intake:

Alcohol is a sedative and depressant, and relaxes the airway muscles even more than normal, causing further airway collapse and worsening of snoring.

4:Sleeping pills and sedative medication can have a similar effect.
Try not to drink alcohol within four hours of bedtime to see if it makes a difference.

5:Stop smoking:

Smokers are around twice as likely to snore as non-smokers because the habit causes nasal congestion and inflammation. Even passive smoking increases the risk of snoring.
Beware of spicy food, which can cause acid reflux (see Dr Miriam Stoppard).

The US Snoring Centre in Dallas found that acid reflux causes sinus problems, coughing and chest pains at night because acid and undigested food particles travel back up through the airway when lying prone, causing blockages that create snoring problems.

And if snoring is still a problem?

If you’ve tried everything and nothing works, ask for a referral to an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist who specialises in snoring treatments.

Take the interactive test at The British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association (britishsnoring.co.uk).

IF YOUR PARTNER SNORES...

Bed partners of snorers were woken as often as 21 times per hour, according to one study and the health consequences of long-term sleep deprivation can be devastating. Dr Meadows offers the following advice:

Use earplugs to block out the noise: Find the right type that work best for you. Don’t like earplugs? White noise machines can be effective at drowning out the noise of snoring.

Notice the noise: Snoring is typically judged as bad and therefore promotes stress and wakefulness. It can therefore be helpful to describe the sound of the noise objectively as you hear it, such as
“I can hear a rattle, a snort, a whisper, a wheeze” or “It starts soft and gets loud”. Describing it in this objective and non-judgmental way releases you from its emotional grip and increases the chances of actually sleeping.

Let go of the worries: Thoughts such as “I know he/she is going to start snoring soon” or “I’m never going to be able to sleep with this noise” can race around our minds and keep us awake before any noise is produced. Learning to notice and let go of such unhelpful thoughts when they arrive.