General snoring information

Snoring is a very serious issue…

Snoring affects approximately one billion people worldwide (1 in 6 people!)

It is the third biggest cause of marriage breakdown after infidelity and financial problems. Snoring can seriously affect peoples’ quality of sleep and has been known to lead to domestic violence.

Habitual snoring occurs in 60% of adult males and 40% of adult females.

We are more likely to snore as we get older.

Snoring is also more likely if we are overweight, drink alcohol, and smoke.

In simple terms this means that snoring affects most of us – particularly as we get older. For some of us it is a minor annoyance, for others it is a major issue that leads to marriage breakdowns or worse.

Some general information about snoring…

The noises of snoring are generated within the breathing passages whilst the sounds are caused by the vibration or flapping of the tissues lining the air passages.

Noises can also result from a narrowing of the nasal passage which generates a whistling noise

But there is good news about stopping snoring…

There are several things that can be done to stop snoring that actually work. These include:

Change your lifestyle, lose weight, stop smoking and drink less alcohol.

Mandibular advancement splints, like our sleepPro Standard and sleepPro Custom, these are devices that look like sports mouthguards. They hold your jaw forward, open the upper airway and make the soft palate taut (the soft palate is the bit that makes the snoring noise).

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) a machine that keeps your airway open by pumping air into your upper airway.

Surgical treatments involving laser or surgical treatment of the palate and various other procedures. More information about surgery-based snoring treatments is available from www.TheSnoringClinic.net .

Posture also has a role to play in mitigating snoring, but is not an answer in itself. Click here for more information.

What doesn’t work to stop snoring

There are lots of stop snoring “solutions” that simply do not work. We suggest that, unless you want to throw away your money, you should stick to treatments for which there is some realistic evidence to say they work. Click here for a list of stop snoring treatments that, in our opinion, don’t work.

Snoring and Sleep Apnoea

Another issue to consider is that snoring is a symptom of a serious medical condition known as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) which affects 4% of men and 2% of women. Note, in the USA apnoea is spelled apnea.

If you have OSA, then this can have the same affect on your body as being a heavy smoker.

People with OSA are three times more likely to have serious car accidents.

If you think you have sleep apnoea (apnea) then you should consult your doctor. The most commonly recommended treatment for OSA is CPAP. Mandibular advancement is often recommended for mild OSA.

Note : Although sleepPro has been primarily designed to help snorers, it has an additional benefit. Users with a blocked nose will find it far easier to breathe whilst they are asleep as the snoring mouth piece will help them to breathe through their mouth instead.