Snoring can be a bore - but can also hide clues to larger health issues[GETTY]Whether a gentle snuffling or the deafening roar of a wounded warthog, research shows almost half of the UK’s population is guilty of snoring from time to time and around a quarter of us are regular offenders.
It recently topped the poll as the biggest bedtime annoyance with millions of us missing out on sleep because of our partner’s snoring.
However it’s not just relationships that are affected by this nocturnal nuisance as snoring can be a sign of serious health problems in the future.
“Snoring is caused by partial closure of the airway during sleep due to the relaxation of the muscles in the neck,” says orthodontic specialist Dr Shivani Patel, of Elleven Dental, a London-based dental and orthodontic practice.
“The soft tissues then vibrate to cause the sound of snoring.”
She says there are several factors that can influence your chances of being a snorer. These include the anatomical shape of your airways and being overweight as this increases the amount of soft tissue around the neck.
Twice as many men as women are affected as men tend to put on more upper body weight and as a result have more fat and soft tissue around the neck.
As we get older the muscles in our throat get weaker which causes them to vibrate, while some people occasionally snore after drinking alcohol or taking sedatives.
Around five per cent of heavy snorers will go on to develop obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The muscles around the neck area relax so much that the airways briefly close, interrupting the oxygen supply to the heart and other organs, leading to increased blood pressure and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Most OSA sufferers have no memory of this night time breathing struggle,” says Shivani. “Those with OSA do not have restful sleep and are often affected by daytime sleepiness and other health problems.”
The Elleven clinic (ellevendental.com/020 7487 2711) offers specialist treatment including a customised intra-oral device fitted around the upper and lower teeth. It pushes the lower jaw forwards during sleep, keeping the airway clear.
It’s a more convenient alternative to other treatments for sleep apnoea such as an oxygen mask.
Paul Tierney, an ear, nose and throat consultant at the Spire Hospital Bristol, says there is no complete cure for snoring but there are steps you can take to control it:
Get off your back: Lying on your back can increase snoring as your tongue and chin relax, squashing your airway and making it more likely to vibrate.Get off your couch: A healthy weight is key to reducing snoring. If you’re carrying extra pounds then fat around your neck can prevent air flow which causes snoring.
Avoid the nightcap: Alcohol is a depressant so it relaxes you, causing the muscles in the back of the throat to collapse, a key cause of snoring.
Stop smoking: Smokers are about twice as likely to snore as non-smokers.
Open your airways: If you suffer from a blocked nose try using a nasal decongestant spray to clear your airways.
Anti-snoring devices: Opinions differ about the effectiveness of these devices, which range from nasal strips on the outside of the nose to nasal dilators which sit inside the nostrils to keep them open. Try a few to find if any work for you.
Surgery: This is usually the last option but if you’ve tried many solutions and nothing is working then surgery can help.
There are simple, safe and effective treatments such as the “pillar procedure” which is designed to stiffen your soft palate to help you stop snoring.
Talk to your GP about the options available.
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