Snoring is the sound of soft tissue at the back of the throat vibrating as air squeezes past it during sleep. Almost everyone does it occasionally; around one in four adults does it regularly. It is easy to treat as a joke, but regular loud snoring disturbs sleep for both partners, and for some people it is the audible sign of something more important: obstructive sleep apnoea, where the airway actually closes for seconds at a time.
Why people snore
During sleep the muscles of the throat and tongue relax, and the airway narrows. Anything that narrows it further makes snoring more likely: lying on your back, which lets the tongue fall backwards; a set-back lower jaw; extra weight around the neck; large tonsils; nasal congestion; alcohol or sedatives before bed, which relax the throat further; and age, as muscle tone reduces. Men snore more than women until the menopause, after which the gap closes.
Snoring or sleep apnoea?
Simple snoring is noisy but harmless. Sleep apnoea is different: the airway closes repeatedly, breathing stops, and the brain jolts the body awake just enough to reopen it, sometimes hundreds of times a night without the sleeper knowing. The clues are pauses in breathing or gasping that a partner notices, waking unrefreshed however long you sleep, falling asleep easily during the day, morning headaches, and waking with a dry mouth. Untreated sleep apnoea raises blood pressure and the risk of heart disease, so it is worth finding out.
How we assess it
At a Sleep, TMJ and Bruxism Assessment we examine your airway, jaw and bite, look for signs of grinding, which often goes with disturbed breathing, and ask about your sleep. If sleep apnoea is possible, we arrange a simple at-home sleep study: a small device worn overnight that records your breathing and oxygen levels, with the results summarised in a personalised report.
Treatment
For simple snoring, and for mild to moderate sleep apnoea, a custom-made mandibular advancement appliance is often the answer. It is a slim, comfortable device worn at night that holds the lower jaw slightly forward, keeping the airway open. Because it is made from a scan of your teeth it fits far better than anything bought online. Alongside that, sleeping on your side, avoiding alcohol in the evening, and addressing weight or nasal congestion all help. Moderate to severe sleep apnoea may need CPAP, and we will refer you to a sleep specialist where that is the right route.
