Snoring Remedies: What Works, What Doesn’t and When to Worry

01Why

Why do we snore?

During sleep, muscles in the throat relax and the airway narrows. Air moving through the narrowed space makes the soft palate, the uvula and the base of the tongue vibrate, producing the sound of snoring. Around 40% of adults snore at least occasionally, men more than women, and it becomes more common with age and weight gain.

Snoring is not always harmless: it is the most visible sign of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), in which the airway repeatedly collapses during sleep.

02Causes

What makes snoring worse

• Excess body weight, especially around the neck.
• Alcohol and sedatives in the evening.
• Smoking.
• Nasal blockage: colds, allergies, a deviated septum, polyps.
• Sleeping on your back.
• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids, especially in children.
• A small or retracted jaw, a large tongue or long soft palate.
• Sleep deprivation, which deepens muscle relaxation.
• Pregnancy and menopause.

03Lifestyle

Lifestyle changes that help

• Lose weight if you are overweight; even a modest loss can reduce snoring and sleep apnoea.
• Sleep on your side: use a body pillow, or sew a tennis ball into the back of your pyjamas to discourage lying on your back.
• Avoid alcohol for at least 3–4 hours before bed and avoid sedatives unless prescribed.
• Stop smoking.
• Treat nasal congestion with saline rinses and, if allergic, a nasal steroid.
• Keep regular sleep hours and avoid being overtired.
• Raise the head of the bed slightly.

04Devices

Devices and products

• Nasal strips and dilators: help if the blockage is at the nasal valve, with little effect when the snoring comes from the throat.
• Mandibular advancement devices (mouth guards that move the lower jaw forward): effective for snoring and mild-to-moderate sleep apnoea when custom-fitted by a dentist trained in sleep medicine; they can cause jaw discomfort and bite changes.
• Positional devices that keep you off your back.
• Chin straps, throat sprays and pillows: little evidence of benefit.
• CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure): the standard treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnoea, prescribed after a sleep test, not a snoring gadget.

05Exercises

Throat exercises (myofunctional therapy)

Exercises that strengthen the tongue, soft palate and throat muscles have reduced snoring and improved mild sleep apnoea in some studies, particularly when done daily for several weeks. Programmes are usually led by a speech-language pathologist or a trained therapist, and examples include tongue slides, soft palate lifts and pronouncing vowels with exaggeration. Results vary and require consistency.

06Apnoea

Snoring or sleep apnoea?

Obstructive sleep apnoea involves repeated pauses in breathing, often noticed by a partner, followed by gasps, with fragmented sleep. People with OSA are often tired and sleepy during the day, have morning headaches, poor concentration, mood changes and an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems and accidents. The diagnosis is made with a sleep study, either at home or in a sleep centre. See sleep test (Spanish).

07ENT

Medical and surgical options

An ENT specialist can look at the nose and throat for correctable causes: a deviated septum, nasal polyps, big tonsils, a long palate or a tongue base obstruction. Treatment may include medical treatment of nasal disease, surgery on the nose, removal of tonsils and adenoids, palatal procedures or, in selected people with sleep apnoea who cannot tolerate CPAP, hypoglossal nerve stimulation. Surgery is usually considered after conservative measures and a careful assessment, since results vary.

08Children

Snoring in children

Habitual snoring occurs in about 10% of children and is most often due to enlarged tonsils or adenoids. It can cause restless sleep, mouth breathing, bedwetting, poor concentration and behaviour problems. A child who snores regularly, has pauses in breathing or is very sleepy should be assessed by a paediatrician or ENT specialist. Removal of tonsils and adenoids often resolves the problem.

09Cases

Three common situations

Snoring only with alcohol or a cold: usually occasional; avoid evening alcohol and treat the congestion.

Loud nightly snoring with pauses and daytime sleepiness: request a sleep study before buying devices.

Snoring that began after weight gain: weight loss, side sleeping and nasal care often help.

10Partners

Tips for the bed partner

Living with a snorer is exhausting. Earplugs, a white-noise machine or sleeping in separate rooms occasionally can protect your own sleep, but do not ignore what you observe: tell your partner if you notice pauses in breathing, gasping or choking, because that may be sleep apnoea and deserves a medical check. A recording of the snoring on a smartphone can be useful to show the doctor.

11Summary

Key points to remember

Start with weight, alcohol, sleeping position and nasal care; add a custom oral device or exercises where appropriate; and do not ignore the warning signs of sleep apnoea. In our ENT consultation we assess the nose, throat and airway to propose the right treatment.

This guide is for general information and does not replace an assessment by your own doctor or ENT specialist.