Medicines for Snoring

What it is

Snoring is the noise produced when air flows past relaxed, floppy tissues at the back of the throat during sleep, causing them to vibrate. It is very common and usually harmless in itself, though it can disturb the sleep of the snorer and, often more so, their partner. Factors that make snoring more likely include being overweight, sleeping on the back, drinking alcohol (especially in the evening), smoking, a blocked nose, and the natural relaxation of the throat tissues with age. Importantly, loud snoring — particularly with pauses in breathing, gasping or choking, and daytime sleepiness — can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea, a condition that does need diagnosis and treatment, so it is worth distinguishing simple snoring from this.

How it is treated

For simple snoring, lifestyle measures often help: losing excess weight, sleeping on the side rather than the back, avoiding alcohol close to bedtime, stopping smoking, and treating a blocked nose. A range of aids exists — such as nasal strips, and, for some, dental devices that hold the jaw forward — and their usefulness varies. If snoring is severe, or there are features suggesting sleep apnoea (pauses in breathing, gasping, excessive daytime sleepiness), assessment is important, as treating sleep apnoea improves both symptoms and long-term health. Occasionally, surgery is considered for specific causes. The first step is separating harmless snoring from possible sleep apnoea.