Deafening, draining and potentially deadly: are we facing a snoring epidemic?

When Matt Hillier was in his 20s he went camping with a nurse friend who was shocked by how loudly he snored. “For a 25‑year‑old non‑smoker who’s quite skinny, you snore pretty loudly,” she said. The comment stayed with him, but he didn’t seek help until a night of extreme snoring and a racing heart at age 30, when a doctor diagnosed him with moderate, supine sleep apnoea – the most common form that occurs while sleeping on the back.

Why the Rise in Snoring Matters

Experts say a snoring epidemic has taken hold over the past decade. The British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association estimates around 15 million snorers in the UK. While occasional snoring can be harmless, chronic loud snoring is linked to fatigue, low mood, poor concentration and brain fog, and it may raise blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.

“Snoring still carries a lot of embarrassment and humour, so people tend to joke about it instead of seeking help,” says Professor Ama Johal, clinical lead at Aerox Health. She adds that chronic snoring can be an early warning sign for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which affects an estimated eight million adults in the UK, according to NHS consultant Ryan Chin Taw Cheong.

Did You Know? The “supine” form of sleep apnoea, like Matt’s, is the most common type and is triggered when throat muscles relax while sleeping on the back.

OSA causes repeated breathing pauses that lower oxygen levels and increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, heart disease and sudden death. We see also linked to about 10 % of car accidents, and emerging research suggests a possible connection to dementia later in life.

What Drives the Snoring Surge?

Genetics play a role – narrow nasal passages, jaw shape, tonsils and tongue size can predispose people to snore. Age is another factor; as we get older, airway tissues become “floppy,” and by age 70 nearly half of people snore.

Environmental changes add pressure. Pollution, especially traffic‑related fine particles, irritates the upper airway and can increase habitual snoring. Studies show higher snoring rates among residents near busy roads or in damp homes.

Heatwaves also matter. Warm, stuffy bedrooms dry out the nose and throat, promote congestion and fragment sleep, making the airway more unstable, and noisy.

A recent study from Flinders University in Australia predicts that global heating could double sleep apnoea cases over the next 75 years, because higher temperatures reduce deep sleep – the stage where the condition flourishes.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter notes that while lifestyle tweaks such as weight management and positional therapy can help, the convergence of genetics, aging populations and climate stressors means public health systems may soon face a surge in undiagnosed OSA, with significant cost and safety implications.

“The difference between snoring and sleep apnoea isn’t how loudly you snore; it’s whether you stop breathing,” explains Dr Cheong. A sleep study – often done at home – records heart rate, airflow and oxygen levels, and counts apnoeas per hour. Fewer than five events per hour is considered snoring; five or more meets the diagnostic threshold for OSA.

Current and Emerging Treatments

Standard treatment in the NHS is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which delivers air through a mask to keep the airway open. CPAP can improve quality of life, lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular risk, but masks can be uncomfortable and not all patients can tolerate the device.

Surgical options exist for a minority with structural issues such as a deviated septum or large tonsils, though outcomes are unpredictable.

New technologies are emerging. A hypoglossal nerve implant – dubbed the “sleep pacemaker” – stimulates the tongue muscle to keep the airway open and can be controlled via smartphone. For those who cannot use implants, mandibular advancement devices (custom‑fitted mouthguards) shift the jaw forward during sleep.

Non‑invasive approaches include myofunctional therapy (oral muscle exercises) and positional therapy devices that nudge sleepers off their backs. Apps like SnoreLab and its companion SnoreGym help users track snoring intensity and practise tongue‑curling exercises.

Researchers are also testing a medication that increases upper‑airway tone, but it could be at least eight years before any drug reaches the market.

When to Seek Help

If snoring is loud, regular, or accompanied by symptoms such as frequent waking, daytime fatigue, headaches, dry throat or choking pauses, it should be discussed with a GP. Early identification can prevent progression to OSA and its associated health risks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the key difference between snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea?

Snoring becomes obstructive sleep apnoea when Notice repeated pauses or major reductions in airflow, often accompanied by gasping or choking, indicating that breathing stops during sleep.

How many people in the UK are estimated to have obstructive sleep apnoea?

Experts estimate that about eight million adults in the UK have obstructive sleep apnoea.

Why might snoring rates be increasing?

Snoring rates appear to be rising due to a combination of genetics, aging populations, weight gain, air‑pollution exposure, heatwaves, and lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption and smoking.

What steps could you take tonight to reduce your snoring and protect your health?

Deafening, draining and potentially deadly: are we facing a snoring epidemic? | Sleep