What Causes Snoring & How Can it be Treated?

You may or may not be surprised to hear this, but studies have shown that around 45% of Americans snore while they are sleeping, and that around 80% of these snorers sleep in a different bedroom from their partner as a direct result of their snoring.

For anyone who suffers from snoring at night, whether it be as a result of their partner snoring or the effect that their snoring has on their partner, they will understand what a serious condition it can be to live with.

Put quite simply, snoring can have a profound negative influence on a couple and the type of relationship they have together, and so is definitely not something that should be left untreated or ignored.

snoring facts

A person who sleeps with a snorer, for example, may be unable to get proper rest throughout the night either because they can’t fall asleep, or because they are constantly being woken up as a result of loud snoring.

This can cause tiredness during the day and make a person feel irritable, which, in turn, may then increase the risk of arguments occurring.

Eventually, couples may decide to sleep in separate rooms, but if this is not possible, it’s not uncommon for such relationships to quickly break down and possibly even end in divorce.

couple snoring

A relationship can be put under a lot of stress as a result of a partner’s snoring.

Snoring, however, can have much more serious effects than simply annoying your sleeping partner, as it may lead to the development of a condition known as sleep apnea.

This condition occurs when a person becomes unable to breathe properly during sleep, which then causes them to unknowingly wake up many times throughout the night in order to catch their breath.

sleep apnea symptoms

Sleep apnea can result in feelings of tiredness the following day no matter how much sleep you’ve had, and it’s also been linked to decreased immune function, accelerated aging and an increased risk of premature death.

Some of the other health effects that can occur as a result of sleep deprivation are shown in the illustration below:

sleep deprivation effects

Due to the effects that snoring causes it’s not surprising that millions of snorers worldwide are looking for information that will tell them how to stop snoring.

As unless you actively try to do something about it, you will very likely continue to snore for the rest of your life. Possibly putting your relationship with your partner, and even your own life, in danger.

Why do People Snore?

Snoring primarily occurs due to an obstruction of the airways in your throat and nose while you breathe during sleep. Typically, this occurs as a result of the muscles that control the tongue and soft palate relaxing.

When this occurs, the passage of air through the airways can be restricted to varying degrees. This makes breathing more difficult, and so a person requires stronger breaths to be drawn to oxygenate their body.

snoring throat

During sleep this can cause a vibration of the soft tissues in the throat and nose, and a subsequent vibration of air, which then causes the sound typically associated with snoring. As a result, the harder a person breathes, the louder their snoring will be.

snoring airways

Snoring can occur in both males and females, although, in general, middle-aged male adults tend to be most prone to snoring and also tend to be the loudest snorers.

Consequently, it’s usually women who suffer the most in a relationship, as they are at an increased risk of suffering from insomnia due to loud snoring.

Men snore louder than women because they have a larger neck and breathe more heavily. Apart from having a smaller neck and breathing less heavily, women are less prone to snoring due to the production of certain hormones which reduce the likelihood that they will snore.

Types of Snorers

Snoring can be a difficult condition to treat because there are many things which can cause a person to snore.

What this means is that if you are trying to find out how to stop snoring, you will probably have to try many different approaches before you finally find one that works.

However, you can help to narrow down your options by determining the type of snorer you are, as this can affect which snoring treatments are most likely to be effective for you.

man snoring in bed

You will probably have to try many different approaches before you find a solution to your snoring problem.

There are two main types of snorers: the occasional snorer and the constant snorer, both of which we shall now look at below:

Occasional Snorers

An occasional snorer is someone who does not snore every night. They may, for example, only snore one or two nights a week, such as over the weekend.


If you only snore occasionally it’s probably due to your dietary habits.

An occasional snorer is most likely to snore as a result of certain dietary or lifestyle habits they have.

For example, if you go out clubbing over the weekend and drink alcohol and smoke a lot, then that is likely to be a major contributing factor of your snoring especially if you don’t snore during the week when you don’t drink.

Other causes of occasional snoring may be due to eating too much food before going to bed, drinking milk before bed or as a result of suffering from a viral infection such as the cold or flu which restricts your breathing.

Most of the time, an occasional snorer will be able to successfully treat their snoring problem by making changes to their dietary and lifestyle habits.

Chronic/Constant Snorers

A constant snorer is someone who snores every night or almost every night.

Constant snorers also tend to snore very loudly, and unless they receive successful treatment, their snoring is likely to become progressively worse with age.

woman covering nose of snorer

Snoring can get worse with age and may be a sign of a serious medical condition.

Constant snoring is usually due to something that’s around you all the time. For example, smoking, obesity, pillow or mattress allergies, drinking alcohol before bed or sleeping on your back can all cause a person to snore.

In order to increase your chances of stopping snoring, it is therefore advisable to make a list of all the things which you think could be causing your snoring and then try to eliminate them one by one.

In addition to environmental factors, constant snoring may also be caused as a result of disease, aging or by genetic factors which predisposes a person to snore.

In such cases, surgery may prove to be the only effective treatment option if all other treatments have proved to be unsuccessful.

What Can Cause Snoring?

Although men are more likely to snore than women, there are certain factors which can cause either sex to snore. Some of these are listed below.


Mario with whiskey

Drinking alcohol before going to bed may help you to fall asleep faster, but it can also cause you to snore as a result of relaxing your throat muscles.


tissues up nose

Viral infections can cause your nasal passages to become blocked. This then obstructs your breathing and makes it more likely that you will snore.


food allergy

Allergies can have a similar effect to an infection on your ability to breathe. If you are allergic to pollen for example, your breathing may become obstructed during the summer months causing you to snore.

Allergies to dust mites can also cause snoring, as can allergies to the material which your pillow is made from.

Some people, for example, find that by purchasing a new bed or set of pillows made from a different material, their snoring goes away naturally within a few weeks.



A hidden side effect of some medications is that they can case you to snore throughout the night by drying your nasal passages.

If you are currently taking any type of medication, you may therefore want to check with your doctor or look on the internet if snoring is one of the side effects listed.


mature woman

As you age the shape of your face begins to change, especially the shape of your nose. In some people who have never snored before, they may start to notice that they are snoring increasingly more often as they get older.

In such cases, this is usually due to a change in the shape of the nose and a closing of the nasal cavities.


obese man

If you are overweight or obese, the excess weight you are carrying around makes it harder for you to breathe due to the extra weight and compression on your chest.

The more overweight you are, the more your breathing will be affected. It is therefore not uncommon for overweight people to snore and to snore very loudly.

Your Tongue Size


The size of your tongue can affect how likely it is for your throat to become obstructed during sleep. Generally, people with larger tongues are more likely to snore than people with smaller tongues.


woman smoking

Smoking affects your ability to breathe properly, and the more you smoke, the more your breathing will be affected. As a result, people who smoke are more likely to snore than people who don’t smoke.


woman drinking milk

Certain foods, such as dairy products like milk and cheese, can result in an accumulation of mucus in the throat and nasal passages which then hinders your ability to breathe properly at night.

Sleeping Position

sleeping on back

One of the most common causes of snoring occurs due to people sleeping on their back. When you sleep on your back, the passage of air through the throat becomes restricted due to the force of gravity pulling down on the skin and fat above it.

Sleeping on your back can also cause your tongue to fall into your throat which makes it even more difficult for you to breathe.

Combined, all of these factors result in you having to breathe more heavily during sleep, which, in some cases, can result in a very loud type of snoring.

Sleep Aids

If you find it difficult to get to sleep at night, then you may be taking some kind of relaxant or sleeping pill to help you fall asleep more easily.

sleeping pills

However, whilst such remedies may help you to sleep, they can very often result in snoring because they tend to relax the muscles and tissues in the throat.

So even though you get to have a good nights sleep, your partner may end up suffering because they can’t sleep due to your snoring.

Studies have also shown that sleeping tablets can increase one’s risk of premature death. If you are taking sleeping tablets, you may therefore seriously want to consider using something else to help you fall asleep.

Sleep/Wake Patterns

waking up tired in the morning

If you have irregular sleeping times, you may be more prone to snoring and receive less restorative sleep as a result. So try to go to bed at the same time each day so that your body naturally feels tired and you fall asleep quickly.

This can also help your partner even if you start snoring, because if they fall asleep quickly they will be less likely to be affected by it. But if you are a very loud snorer, they may still be awoken during the night and so this tip may not work for everyone.

Mouth Breathing

breathing through mouth

Another common cause of snoring occurs as a result of breathing through a wide open mouth. This can cause the tongue to dangle in the throat and create a loud type of snoring.

When you are falling asleep at night, try to breathe only through your nose with your mouth closed. Given enough time, you should be able to train yourself to breathe only through your nose, and by doing so, will greatly reduce the amount that you snore.

Weight gain is something that happens to people naturally as they get older. Weight gain usually first becomes noticeable in your 20s, and then starts to become a problem that you want to do something about in your 30s or 40s.

Losing excess weight for any reason is a good idea, as there are a whole host of diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, which you can suffer an elevated risk from if you are overweight or obese.

obesity health risks

Snoring is just one of the many symptoms that can occur as a result of obesity.

However, whilst most people know that being overweight is not healthy, what is less well-known is that being overweight is actually a major contributing factor towards snoring and sleep apnea.

Put quite simply, if you are overweight you are much more likely to snore than someone who is of regular weight and you are also more likely to snore louder.

How Does Being Overweight Make You Snore?

Being overweight can cause you to snore for many different reasons, although the most obvious reason is the excess weight that is carried around on the chest and throat area.

When you sleep, this extra weight pushes down on the chest making it harder to expand the lungs and also down on the throat where it compresses your airways making it harder to draw breath.

obese man sleeping

All that weight pushing down on the chest makes it harder to expand the lungs and compresses the airway of the throat.

This is why people who are overweight frequently run out of breath when exerting themselves such as when walking or exercising. They cannot breathe properly, and so end up gasping for breath as their body tries to oxygenate itself.

Being overweight, or more specifically, having an enlarged stomach, can also compress the lungs. This results in a person having to breathe harder more rapidly, because the volume of air that their lungs can contain has been reduced.

Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits

eating cake

Sugary foods cause inflammation in the body which can adversely affect the airways.

Another reason why overweight people tend to snore is because of their dietary habits.

If predominantly unhealthy foods are eaten, for example, such as foods which contain a lot of refined carbohydrates and sugar, inflammation can be caused in the body which can have the effect of narrowing the breathing passages in the throat and nasal cavities.

This can compound the problem of being overweight, because it makes it even more difficult for a person to breathe at night which then causes them to snore more and snore more loudly.

Other unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits, such as drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes, can also make a snoring problem worse.

Sleep Apnea

In severe cases, breathing during sleep can become so impaired that it leads to a serious medical condition known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A condition which is more common than diabetes or asthma.

OSA occurs when the body doesn’t receive sufficient levels of oxygen throughout the night as a result of obstructed breathing, and causes the sleeper to wake up throughout the night so that they can breathe and restore proper oxygen levels.

sleep apnea

However, although the sleeper may awaken many times throughout the night, they are usually completely unaware of doing so the following morning. This makes self diagnosis of sleep apnea very difficult, unless you have a partner who is able to monitor your sleep.

The only indication which may suggest that you are suffering from sleep apean, is constant feelings of tiredness during the day even after many hours of rest.

But since sleep apnea tends to occur very gradually, most people just get used to feeling tired and so attribute it to other factors, such as aging.

As a result, a person may feel that this is something which they just have to live with and so choose not to do anything further about it. Unfortunately, this can then continue to adversely affect a person’s health for many years to come.

Lose Weight & Lose Your Snoring?


Losing weight is the first thing that you should try if you snore and are overweight.

Losing weight is not a guaranteed cure that will definitely make your snoring go away, but there is a very good chance that it will help to stop your snoring.

Besides, even if your snoring doesn’t go away completely, losing weight is likely to make you snore less and allow you to enjoy much more peaceful and restorative sleep.

So if you are a snorer, losing weight is something that should definitely be one of your top priorities, as not only will it benefit your sleep, but it will also benefit virtually every aspect of your life.

Proven Tips to Help You Stop Snoring

To help you determine which type of snoring cure is likely to be effective at stopping your snoring, try to think about what type of snoring you suffer from.

For example, does your snoring appear to be predominantly throat based? Or does it seem to come from the nose? Perhaps you only snore in certain positions, or after eating certain types of food?

All of these factors can help you to choose the most appropriate treatment for your unique type of snoring, thereby giving you the best chance of finally overcoming it.

Below you will find listed some proven tips that will help you to stop snoring. But, don’t expect results overnight, as it can often take a few weeks, or sometimes longer, before you start getting noticeable results.

Get Professional Help

If you go to a sleep laboratory you may be able to undergo an overnight sleep study, called a polysomnogram, to identify potential causes of your snoring.

Although this can be quite expensive, around $1000-$5000 per night, it’s something worth considering if nothing else seems to be working.


Do Breathing Exercises

Since the majority of snoring is caused by obstructions in the nasal or throat cavity, you may be able to reduce the likelihood that you will snore at night by doing respiratory exercises to help improve your breathing.

breathing exercise

Breathing exercises can be used to strengthen the lungs and make it easier to breathe at night.

A simple breathing exercise that can be used to reduce snoring is to breathe in through your nose for a count of 5, hold for a count of 5 and then exhale through your mouth for a count of 5. Repeat 10 times.

Keep doing this exercise daily until you are able to breathe in through your nose for a count of 10, hold for a count of 10 and then exhale all the air you can from your lungs.

The longer you are able to breathe in and hold your breath, the more benefit you will receive from this exercise. With consistent daily practice, you should notice improvements in your breathing after a couple of weeks.

Take Anti-Allergy Medication


Some allergies, such as hay fever, can be seasonal. Whilst others, such as a pillow allergy, can occur throughout the year.

Some people who snore do so as a result of an allergy they have. For example, hay fever is an allergy that can result in snoring during the summer months.

Taking anti-allergy medication can help to reduce the inflammation caused by your allergy, which should then help you to breathe better at night thereby making it less likely that you will snore.

However, you may in fact have an undiagnosed allergy to something which you are not aware of. A common undiagnosed allergy is a pillow allergy, where you are allergic to the material used in the pillow.

So if you suspect that you may be allergic to something, it is recommended that you go to your doctor and ask to have an allergy test carried out for common allergies.

Change Your Sleeping Position

Ask your sleeping partner to take a note of what your body looks like when you are snoring. For example, is your neck stretched at an awkward angle when you sleep?

wife snoring

If possible, ask your partner to make a note of the position you normally snore in.

In this case, you may benefit from using more or less pillows so that your head is properly aligned with your spine when you sleep. You may even want to try using a snoring pillow to keep your head and body positioned correctly during sleep.

If you find that you tend to snore on your back, consider the use of a snore ball or a sleep position monitor to train yourself not to sleep in this position.

If you are able to change this sleeping position it could prove to be very beneficial, because when you sleep on your back your tongue falls back slightly and partially covers your throat.

This can obstruct your breathing, and cause a snoring from the throat that can sound like a person who is choking.

Avoid Side-Effects From Medication

Some medications can cause you to snore by interfering with your breathing. This is a fairly uncommon side effect, but it’s still worth eliminating as a possible cause if you are snoring and can’t seem to find out why.

medication side effects

Some medications can cause snoring as a side-effect.

To check if your snoring is being caused by your medication, speak to your doctor or look at the insert that came with your medication for any side-effects relating to a dry mouth or breathing difficulties.

Note: If you decide to stop taking your medication, do not stop suddenly as this could be dangerous. Speak to your doctor regarding your intention to stop, or ask them for any alternative medications which they could prescribe you.

Use Salt Water Nasal Drops

salt water

Simple, but effective. Salt water dissolves the mucus that could be causing you to snore.

Another effective home remedy for curing snoring caused by excess mucus accumulation, is to use salt water nasal drops. This can be made at home by dissolving around a teaspoon of salt into 250 ml of water, or purchased ready-made from your local chemist.

Salt water nasal drops applied to each nostril before you go to bed can reduce congestion in the nose that is being caused by a build up of mucus. This in turn will help you to breathe better and snore less at night.

Stop Smoking


Once you stop smoking, and your breathing improves, the likelihood of you snoring will be dramatically reduced.

Smoking cigarettes makes it harder for you to breathe by congesting the airways of the lungs, throat and nose. Put simply, if you smoke you are likely to snore and will snore louder than someone who doesn’t smoke.

Many people find that after they have stopped smoking their breathing improves and their snoring stops. So if you can, quit! Be warned though, you may suffer from insomnia for a few days after quitting.

Drink Apple Cider Vinegar

apple cider vinegar

Drinking a glass of diluted apple cider vinegar before bed will dissolve mucus in the throat.

Apple cider vinegar can be an effective snoring treatment for those who tend to snore as a result of excess mucus accumulation in the throat as it can help to dissolve that mucus.

Simply add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to some water, and then drink 30 minutes before going to bed.

Use Decongestants

nasal decongestant

Nasal decongestants can be very beneficial for those suffering with allergies.

If your snoring occurs as a result of a blocked up nose, then you may find benefit from taking decongestants to help you breathe better.

Once your nose is unblocked, you will be able to breathe better out of your nose and mouth when you sleep, rather than just your mouth. This should help to reduce snoring and make you feel more refreshed after sleeping due to increased blood oxygenation during sleep.

Avoid Sedatives


As sedatives also relax the muscles of the throat, they are often a common cause of snoring.

If you take any sedatives before going to bed, such as sleeping tablets, you may actually be causing your snoring with that medication.

Sedatives can relax the muscles in the throat and make you snore very loudly. If possible, try to find an alternative to using sedatives and see if that helps to cure your snoring.

Reduce Alcohol Consumption

man drinking beer

Most occasional snorers snore after drinking alcohol in the evening.

Whilst it’s ok to drink a little bit of alcohol a few times a week, if you drink a lot or drink before going to bed, you will probably snore because alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat which can then produce a snoring noise when you breathe.

If you want to drink alcohol, do so in moderation and avoid drinking any alcohol 2-4 hours before you go to bed if possible.

Keep a Food Diary

A food intolerance is an adverse reaction to a food that you are genetically intolerant to. In some cases, food intolerances can result in snoring due to inflammation of the air ways and increased mucous production.

woman writing

A food diary can be used to record the effect that different foods have on your sleep.

The most common food intolerances are those relating to dairy and wheat based products, although, the best way to determine if your diet is causing your snoring, is to keep a food diary.

To do this, write down everything you eat during the day, paying particular attention to what you eat in the evening and before bed.

Over the next few weeks, try to determine if there are any connections between certain foods and when you snore. If there are, avoid eating those foods for a week and see if that makes a difference to your snoring.

In order to do this of course, you will need the help of your sleeping partner. If you do not have a sleeping partner, you may consider going to a sleep laboratory and informing them of the foods you normally eat.

Raise Your Bed

Some people find that they can reduce the severity of their snoring by elevating their bed at the headboard end. This can be done by placing books or wooden blocks under the mattress, frame or legs of the bed, so that the head is raised by at least 6 inches.

head of bed elevation

Aim to raise the head end of your bed by at least 6 inches.

The effect of sleeping in an elevated position is to reduce the downwards pressure on the chest and throat, which subsequently improves one’s ability to breathe.

An elevated sleeping position also assists in the drainage of fluid from the head. So by sleeping with your bed elevated, you are also less likely to wake up with puffy eyes or a puffy face.

Exercise Daily

girl jogging

Aerobic exercises improve your ability to breathe.

People who exercise on a regular basis tend to have a stronger respiratory system which allows them to breathe more easily and deeply than those who don’t exercise.

The easier you are able to breathe, the more restorative your sleep will be, and so the less likely you are to snore. To improve respiratory function, aim to do some form of aerobic exercise, such as running or walking, 3-4 times a week.



Studies have shown that singing before bed reduces the risk of snoring.

Try watching American Idol before you go to bed at night, because many people have reported success in stopping snoring when they sing shortly before sleep.

Singing helps to tone up the muscles and tissues in the throat, which then reduces the likelihood that you will snore. This, however, only seems to work for people whose snoring is primarily throat based and not nasally based.

Wear Earplugs

woman wearing ear plugs

If your partner snores, earplugs may be your only way of stopping their snoring!

Although earplugs won’t stop you from snoring, they can help to reduce the effect that your partner’s snoring has on you.

However, if you do choose to wear earplugs, make sure that you get some which are designed to be worn to bed, as otherwise they probably won’t be very comfortable to sleep in.


Anti-Snore Pillows

Anti-snore or “no snore pillows” are specially designed pillows that keep your head, neck and body in a position that will reduce or eliminate snoring.

The basic idea behind these pillows is that if you can keep your body in a certain position, then it will keep your airways open and create a clearer passage for air so that you don’t snore when you breathe.

Generally, most snoring pillows are contoured, which means that they have a little dip in the middle of the pillow or a ramp at the front of it to support your neck.

This contour opens up your throat so that you breathe better, and it will do so regardless of which position you sleep in.

Do Anti-Snore Pillows Work?

Although in theory keeping your body in a certain position with your airways open will reduce snoring, and studies show that it actually does, the trouble is whether you are able to maintain this position as you sleep.

anti-snore pillow

In most cases, anti-snore pillows are effective, but not everyone finds them comfortable to sleep on.

One of the most common complaints that people have about anti-snore pillows, is that they are far too uncomfortable to sleep on.

Unlike a regular pillow which you can mould into a position that you find most comfortable, with the majority of anti-snore pillows this is something you cannot do.

So even though a snoring pillow probably will work to stop you from snoring, you most likely won’t enjoy sleeping on it very much and will start to miss your old pillow.

When that happens, you can either put up with the discomfort and try to get used to it, or go back to your old pillow as many people often do.

Changing How Many Pillows You Sleep On

Some people have found that they are able to get similar effects to using a snoring pillow simply by changing the amount of pillows that they sleep with.

woman sleeping on pillow

Sometimes, adding or subtracting a pillow can be just the remedy you were looking for!

For example, if you sleep with one pillow, you could try sleeping with two or three and see if that stops your snoring problem. Or if you sleep with two pillows, try sleeping with one.

You may just find that having your head raised at a different angle than what you are normally used to, may in fact help open up your airways and reduce your snoring.

The same can be said with the position you normally sleep in. Try sleeping in a position which is different from your regular position, as that again may open up your airways and help to stop you from snoring.

Nasal Strips

Snoring nasal strips, also called snoring nose strips, are a commonly used anti-snoring product designed to help you breathe better at night.

One of the main advantages of using nasal strips, is that once you put one on, it won’t make you feel uncomfortable or interfere with your sleep like a anti-snore pillow could.

To use a snoring nose strip you simply place one adhesive strip across the bridge of your nose. Each strip is designed to be used once, and most packets will come with a 30 day supply.

You can get larger supplies, but if you haven’t tired wearing a nose strip before it’s recommended to get a 30 day supply so that you can see if they will work for you.

snoring nasal strip

When placed across the bridge of the nose, nasal strips gently pull upwards and open the nostrils.

Once the nasal strip has been placed across the bridge of the nose, it helps to keep the nostrils open by trying to straighten itself out. When you first place the nasal strip on your nose, you may therefore notice a slight upward tug as your nostrils are gently opened.

With your nostrils opened, you should then breathe better at night because your breathing will no longer be obstructed as a result of a closed nose. If you breathe better when you sleep, you should snore less or stop snoring completely.

However, it is very important that you choose the right sized nasal strip for your nose. There are sizes for large noses and small noses, and getting the wrong size for your nose could reduce the effectiveness of this treatment.


A major benefit of using nose strips is that you don’t have to change your sleeping habits such as by buying a new pillow or a new mattress, and you don’t even have to change your sleeping position.

person sleeping with nasal strip

You won’t have to change your sleeping position when wearing a nasal strip.

This makes nasal strips currently one of the most comfortable ways to help you stop snoring, and also, one of the most cost-effective.

In addition, snoring strips are relatively inexpensive to buy and provide you with a natural stop snoring solution that doesn’t involve the use of drugs.

Do Snore Strips Work?

snore strip

Snore strips are cheap, effective and definitely worth trying.

Snore strips are currently one of the most popular stop snoring treatments on the market, and for good reason.

They are cheap, comfortable, don’t affect how you sleep, and many people do in fact find that they are effective in helping to reduce their snoring, and in some cases, eliminate it entirely.

However, as with any type of stop snoring product, you won’t know whether it will be effective for you until you try it. But considering the cost to potential benefit, this is something that is definitely worth trying first if you are experimenting with different treatments options.

Other Products to Consider

Below we look at some other products that can be used to help reduce the amount you snore.

Nasal Dilator

nasal dilator

Once inserted into the nose, the dilator opens up the nasal passage.

Nasal dilators are mechanical devices made of either plastic or stainless steel. They are inserted into the nose and are designed to open up the nasal passages so that you breathe better when you sleep.

Nasal dilators are like an internal version of nasal snoring strips. Some people however, may find it uncomfortable to sleep with a device inserted into their nose.

Snore Ball

snore ball

This device is designed to train you to sleep on your side.

home made snore ball

Home made snore ball.

A snore ball is a small ball that is placed on the back. When you try to sleep on your back, the discomfort caused by the ball will cause you to move to another position.

Snore balls can be effective stop snoring devices if you predominantly snore only when sleeping on your back.

Most people find that once they train themselves not to sleep on their back, that they can then sleep without the snore ball after a few months of training.

If this works for you, it could prove to be a very effective and long-lasting treatment.

Throat Sprays

throat spray

Sprays can be effective if your snoring comes from the back of the throat.

One of the simplest anti-snoring products that you can use comes in the form of a spray. To use, you simply spray the back of your throat before you go to bed.

Most sprays work by lubricating the back of the throat and making it easier for you to breathe at night. This can prove to be effective if you predominantly snore from your throat.

Sleep Position Monitor

man snoring

A sleep position monitor wakes you up when you’re in a position that’s likely to cause snoring.

A sleep position monitor is like a hi-tech version of a snoring ball. This snoring device monitors your sleeping position, and if you move into a position which tends to cause snoring, such as on your back or stomach, the device emits a loud beep.

Whilst this device may be more comfortable to use than a snore ball, it is disadvantaged by the fact that using the sleep monitor could disturb your partner’s sleep due to the beeps that it will emit throughout the night.

Herbal Tablets

herbal tablets

Herbal tablets can break down the mucus which causes nasal congestion.

Another easy to use product are anti-snore herbal tablets. These are designed to be taken before you go to bed, and help to reduce snoring by breaking down any excess mucus that is lining your throat.

Surgery For Snoring

Any form of surgery should be seen as a last resort and only considered if you have exhausted all other options. The same applies to snoring surgery.

However, you will only be eligible for snoring surgery, also called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, after being examined by a otolaryngologist to determine the exact cause of your snoring as this will influence the type of surgery that you have done.

Some of the different types of treatments available for snoring are listed below:

Laser Treatment

laser snoring treatment

Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty to treat snoring.

Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) involves the use of a laser to remove excess tissue in the throat that is obstructing the airways, such as from the the soft palate and uvula. When the airways are cleared you should then be able to breathe better.

LAUP is carried out under local or general anaesthetic, and although it may require up to four treatments in order to obtain noticeable results, about half of all patients don’t achieve satisfactory results.

The following video shows a typical LAUP procedure be performed:

Nose Surgery


This patient has undergone septoplasty to correct a deviated (i.e., crooked) septum that was affecting his breathing.

Nasal surgery, such as septoplasty, can be performed on people whose snoring occurs as a result of a blocked or restricted nasal cavity. By removing any obstructions in the nose, you should be able to breathe better at night and so will snore less.

Tongue Surgery

tongue sugery

Tongue suspension surgery suspends the tongue so that it doesn’t fall into the back of the throat during sleep.

For people who have a large tongue, or tend to snore only when on their back, tongue suspension surgery may be used. This procedure involves attaching the tongue to the lower jaw, so that it doesn’t fall so far back into the throat when sleeping.

Throat Surgery

throat surgery

Throat surgery can be performed to reduce obstructions in the throat.

Throat surgery involves reducing excess tissue in the throat that is restricting the flow of air as you breathe, for example, restriction of air caused by enlarged tonsils, a low thick soft palette or an elongated uvula.

If, however, this excess tissue is determined to be caused by your weight, you may be advised by your surgeon to lose weight first before they will agree to operate on you.

Does Surgery For Snoring Work?

There is no doubt that surgery can be a very effective way to help you stop snoring. However, as was mentioned previously, it is recommended that you try other snoring treatments first that do not involve surgery.

person snoring

Surgery for snoring should only be considered as a last resort treatment due to the risk it involves.

Snoring surgery is not only expensive, but it can also cause serious complications, such as changing the way your voice sounds, making it more difficult for you to breathe, and, in some cases, it can even make your snoring worse.

So try the different treatments and anti-snore devices that are available on the market first, and hopefully, something will work for you. If nothing helps, then go ahead and book yourself in for surgery if that’s what you want.