What is snoring?
Snoring is the sound produced when tissues in the upper airway vibrate as air moves through during sleep. Snoring can occur without obstructive sleep apnoea, so hearing someone snore does not by itself establish a diagnosis.
What is obstructive sleep apnoea?
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) occurs when the upper airway repeatedly becomes blocked during sleep, reducing or stopping airflow. Breathing then restarts, and this pattern can repeat through the night. OSA requires proper clinical evaluation and objective testing for diagnosis.
When is snoring more concerning?
Snoring deserves particular attention when it occurs alongside other warning signs. These can include:
- Breathing pauses witnessed by another person
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness or persistent tiredness
- Waking unrefreshed despite enough time in bed
- Morning headaches or dry mouth
- Difficulty concentrating during the day
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute lists frequent loud snoring, breathing that starts and stops, and gasping for air among symptoms that can occur during sleep in people with sleep apnoea.
Can someone have sleep apnoea without noticing it?
Yes. People are asleep when many breathing events occur, so they may be unaware of them. Sometimes a partner or family member notices breathing pauses, gasping or loud snoring first. Daytime symptoms such as sleepiness, fatigue or concentration problems may be the reason a person seeks help.
How does a doctor tell the difference?
A healthcare professional considers the pattern of symptoms, medical history and clinical findings. If OSA is suspected, objective sleep testing may be recommended. Comprehensive polysomnography (PSG) records several physiological signals during sleep and can provide detailed information about sleep and breathing.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine states that medical conditions such as OSA and primary snoring should be diagnosed by an appropriate medical provider and that diagnostic decisions should not rely solely on automatically scored home-test data or questionnaires.
What should I do if I snore?
If snoring is frequent, very disruptive, or accompanied by breathing pauses, gasping, choking or significant daytime sleepiness, discuss it with a doctor. If you simply want to organise the symptoms you have noticed before that conversation, you can use our adult sleep questionnaire, remembering that it cannot diagnose or rule out a sleep disorder.