snores

ANSWERS

Can snoring be cured?

Often it can be reduced a lot, sometimes stopped. Here's what a realistic goal looks like.

How much common treatments reduced snoring in studies.
TreatmentWhat studies found
Weight lossLosing 3 kg or more cut snores per hour from 320 to 176; three men who lost 7.6 kg almost stopped 1
Throat exercisesSnore index roughly halved after three months 2; loudness down 51% across studies 5
Side sleepingLess, and quieter, snoring in most snorers without sleep apnea 6
Anti-snore mouthguardsLower loudest and average snoring volumes 3; recommended by guidelines 7
SurgeryFewer snores and modestly quieter snoring; low-quality evidence 3
CPAP, for sleep apneaFewer snores per hour 3

Why snoring comes back

Most remedies work only while you use them. The effect of exercises seems to need regular practice, devices need to be worn, and weight that comes back brings snoring with it: a 10% weight gain went with a 32% rise in sleep apnea severity 8. Age also makes the airway more collapsible over time 9.

A realistic goal

Aim for a clear, lasting drop in how much and how loudly you snore, and in how much it disturbs your partner, rather than perfect silence. Many people reach quiet nights most of the time with two or three changes that match their type of snoring.

Can snoring be cured permanently?

Sometimes, when its cause goes away, for example after weight loss. More often it's reduced and kept down by continuing what works.

Is there a permanent fix for snoring?

No single fix works for everyone. Surgery changes snoring but doesn't reliably cure it 4,3.

Can snoring go away on its own?

Snoring with a cold or after alcohol goes away when they do. Habitual snoring usually needs a change to improve.

Can children's snoring be cured?

Often, when large tonsils and adenoids are the cause. Their removal normalized sleep tests in most children with sleep apnea in a large trial 10.

Sources

  1. Braver HM, Block AJ, Perri MG. Treatment for snoring: combined weight loss, sleeping on side, and nasal spray. Chest. 1995;107(5):1283-1288. doi.org/10.1378/chest.107.5.1283
  2. Ieto V, Kayamori F, Montes MI, et al. Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on snoring: a randomized trial. Chest. 2015;148(3):683-691. doi.org/10.1378/chest.14-2953
  3. Main C, Liu Z, Welch K, Weiner G, Jones SQ, Stein K. Surgical procedures and non-surgical devices for the management of non-apnoeic snoring: a systematic review of clinical effects and associated treatment costs. Health Technol Assess. 2009;13(3):1-208. doi.org/10.3310/hta13030
  4. Pevernagie D, Aarts RM, De Meyer M. The acoustics of snoring. Sleep Med Rev. 2010;14(2):131-144. doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2009.06.002
  5. Camacho M, Guilleminault C, Wei JM, et al. Oropharyngeal and tongue exercises (myofunctional therapy) for snoring: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2018;275(4):849-855. doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4848-5
  6. Nakano H, Ikeda T, Hayashi M, Ohshima E, Onizuka A. Effects of body position on snoring in apneic and nonapneic snorers. Sleep. 2003;26(2):169-172. doi.org/10.1093/sleep/26.2.169
  7. Ramar K, Dort LC, Katz SG, et al. Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring with oral appliance therapy: an update for 2015. J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(7):773-827. doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.4858
  8. Peppard PE, Young T, Palta M, Dempsey J, Skatrud J. Longitudinal study of moderate weight change and sleep-disordered breathing. JAMA. 2000;284(23):3015-3021. doi.org/10.1001/jama.284.23.3015
  9. Eikermann M, Jordan AS, Chamberlin NL, et al. The influence of aging on pharyngeal collapsibility during sleep. Chest. 2007;131(6):1702-1709. doi.org/10.1378/chest.06-2653
  10. Marcus CL, Moore RH, Rosen CL, et al. A randomized trial of adenotonsillectomy for childhood sleep apnea. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(25):2366-2376. doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1215881

COMING SOON

Snore less.
Find what works.

Snores measures your snoring every night, suggests which remedies to try, guides a few minutes of throat exercises a day and shows which changes go with quieter nights for you. The sound stays on your iPhone.

Meet Snores
Trends in Snores: a week of Snore Scores as bars, with the average, the share of the night spent snoring and the quiet nights

This page is general information, not medical advice. Snores is not a medical device and does not diagnose sleep apnea or any other condition. If you are worried about your sleep or your breathing, talk to a doctor.