Snoring and When to See a Doctor

See a doctor about snoring if someone has seen you stop breathing or gasp in your sleep, if you wake unrefreshed or with headaches, if you are sleepy in the day, or if you have high blood pressure. These can point to sleep apnoea. Snoring on its own, without these signs, is common and usually less of a health concern.

How common is snoring?

In a survey of almost 5,000 people across the UK, 40% said they snored regularly and 3.8% reported pauses in their breathing during sleep. Regular snoring was linked with being male, being 25 or older, excess weight, daytime sleepiness, a lot of caffeine and smoking (Ohayon, 1997).

When is snoring harmless?

Snoring without other signs is sometimes called simple snoring. In a ten-year study of men in Spain, simple snorers had rates of heart attack and stroke close to those of healthy men who did not snore, far below those with untreated severe sleep apnoea (Marin, 2005). Simple snorers also scored no sleepier in the day than people without a sleep problem (Johns, 1991).

It can still disturb the person next to you, and that is a fair reason to look at treatment.

What are the warning signs?

NICE advises assessment for sleep apnoea when two or more of these are present (NICE NG202).

• Snoring.
• Pauses in breathing that someone else has seen.
• Choking or gasping during sleep.
• Waking unrefreshed, or with a headache.
• Unexplained sleepiness or fatigue in the day.
• Waking to pass urine, or broken sleep.
• Trouble concentrating or remembering.

The risk is higher if you also have high blood pressure that is hard to control, type 2 diabetes, atrial fibrillation, heart failure or excess weight (NICE NG202). If you feel drowsy while driving, get assessed promptly. In the UK survey, snoring and breathing pauses were both linked with drowsiness at the wheel (Ohayon, 1997). Our guide to signs of sleep apnoea in adults goes into each sign.

What will a doctor check?

A doctor will ask about your sleep, your health and your medicines, and often score your daytime sleepiness with the Epworth scale and your risk with the STOP-Bang questionnaire, as NICE recommends (NICE NG202; Chung, 2016). The account of whoever shares your room is valuable. As the authors of the UK snoring survey put it, "Doctors should ask patients and bed partners regularly about snoring and breathing pauses during sleep" (Ohayon, 1997).

If sleep apnoea is possible, the next step is a sleep study, usually at home first. We compare the options in home sleep study or overnight sleep study.

What can help?

For sleep apnoea, NICE advises support with losing weight, stopping smoking, drinking less alcohol and better sleep habits for everyone. CPAP is offered for moderate or severe sleep apnoea. A mandibular advancement splint, a dentist-made device that holds the lower jaw forward, is an option for mild sleep apnoea when CPAP is not tolerated, in adults with healthy teeth and gums (NICE NG202). NICE describes these splints as decreasing both snoring and sleep apnoea (NICE NG202).

For snoring without sleep apnoea, the same lifestyle changes are the usual starting point, and a splint is worth discussing with a doctor or dentist.

Seeing someone about snoring at The Wellness

At our Sleep Clinic, a Sleep Consultation costs £450 and tells you whether your snoring needs testing. If it does, the Home Sleep Study is £1,395, worn for one night in your own bed. The Sleep Clinic programme is £2,995 and is what most people choose, because it adds a respiratory sleep consultant, blood tests and a treatment plan, including a custom splint or CPAP where suitable, with a review at three months.

Untreated sleep apnoea can affect your heart and your safety on the road. Book a sleep consultation and find out whether your snoring is the harmless kind.

This article is general information and does not replace a consultation. If you are falling asleep at the wheel, stop driving until you have been assessed. If you have chest pain, severe breathlessness or signs of a stroke, call 999.