The person sleeping next to you usually notices snoring first. The NHS explains snoring as the noise made when your tongue, mouth, throat or the airways in your nose vibrate as you breathe. These relax and narrow when you’re asleep, and snoring can sometimes be a sign of sleep apnoea. It lists being overweight, smoking, drinking too much alcohol and sleeping on your back as things that make snoring more likely. What you can try: lose weight and sleep on your side. What to avoid: smoking, too much alcohol and sleeping pills. If you’re sleepy in the day, your breathing stops and starts, or you gasp or choke in your sleep, see a GP. This sets out the NHS page “Snoring”.
1. Lose weight if you’re overweight, and sleep on your side.
2. Don’t smoke, drink too much or take sleeping pills — the NHS says sleeping pills can cause snoring.
3. Sleepy in the day, breathing stops and starts, or gasping in your sleep: see a GP.
Why it happens — NHS
The NHS explanation is short. Snoring is the noise of your tongue, mouth, throat or nasal airways vibrating as you breathe. It happens because these relax and narrow when you sleep. Sometimes it can be a sign of sleep apnoea, where your breathing stops and starts while you sleep.
The page names four things that make snoring more likely: being overweight, smoking, drinking too much alcohol and sleeping on your back. Three of the four pair up directly with the dos and don’ts below (our reading).
Do and don’t — NHS
| Type | What the NHS says | Worth noting (our gloss) |
|---|---|---|
| Do | Lose weight if you’re overweight | Pairs with the “overweight” risk |
| Do | Sleep on your side — tape a tennis ball to your sleepwear, or use a special pillow or wedge | Pairs with “sleeping on your back” |
| Don’t | Smoke | — |
| Don’t | Drink too much alcohol | See alcohol units |
| Don’t | Take sleeping pills — they can cause snoring | For trouble sleeping, see insomnia |
We read the tennis ball as a way to stop you rolling onto your back (our reading). Alcohol amounts are in alcohol units, and trouble sleeping in insomnia.
When to see a GP — NHS
| When | Where | Worth noting (our gloss) |
|---|---|---|
| Lifestyle changes haven’t helped | GP | — |
| Snoring has a big impact on your life or your partner’s | GP | The other person’s sleep counts too |
| You’re very sleepy in the day, your breathing stops and starts, or you gasp or choke in your sleep | GP | Links to sleep apnoea |
The page has no separate pharmacist section.
Treatments by cause — NHS
The NHS lists several options depending on the cause: a mandibular advancement device worn in the mouth to hold the lower jaw forward; a chin strap or vestibular shield to keep the mouth closed; and, where the nose is the problem, nasal dilators or strips, or decongestants and sprays. Surgery is not widely available on the NHS and, the page says, “does not always work”.
Checklist
- ☐ Lose weight if you’re overweight
- ☐ Sleep on your side (tennis ball, special pillow)
- ☐ Cut down on smoking and alcohol; no sleeping pills
- ☐ Daytime sleepiness, pauses in breathing or gasping: GP
Questions that remain
Does all snoring mean sleep apnoea?
The NHS only says it can “sometimes” be a sign. Its line for seeing a GP is daytime sleepiness, breathing that stops and starts, or gasping and choking in your sleep.
How many hours should I sleep?
The page doesn’t cover sleep length. Recommended hours by age are in how much sleep.
Sources
- NHS — Snoring — source (page shows: reviewed 4 August 2023, next review 4 August 2026; checked 13 October 2026 — the review date has passed and we quote the page as shown). Causes, 4 risk factors, 2 dos and 3 don’ts, 3 GP reasons, treatments by cause.
- Not read. Korean agency guidance on snoring or sleep apnoea.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column.
Where else to check
- Your GP — if you’re sleepy in the day or told your breathing stops at night.
Written on 13 October 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours.
