Snoring is a common condition, caused mainly by a narrowing of the upper respiratory tract, which is in turn due to the relaxation of the tongue muscle.

People normally breathe through the nose. This causes the respiratory air to pass, noiselessly and unhindered, down the throat and into the lungs. When we snore, however, this path is obstructed by fatty tissue such as the tonsils or polyps. This causes vibrations of the soft palate at the entry to the pharynx, the symptoms of which are the noise we know as snoring. If the amount of oxygen supplied by nasal respiration is not enough, we have to breathe through the mouth in order to make up the difference. This considerably increases the risk of snoring.

Snoring is aggravated above all by being overweight, by smoking and by the consumption of sleeping pills and tranquillisers.

The consequence for sufferers is poor, restless sleep, with frequent waking during the night. Other unpleasant consequences of snoring include a constant feeling of not having slept enough, plus tiredness and a lack of energy, coupled with irritableness and an inability to concentrate. Snoring can also lead to sleep apnoea, and all the dramatic consequences that this entails. These might include high blood pressure, cardiac dysrhythmia or insufficiency, and even heart attack or stroke.

The snorer’s spouse or partner is often also forced to share the suffering and sleepless nights, and the condition – if left untreated – can therefore frequently lead to tensions in the couple’s relationship.