Are you always being kept awake by a snorer?
Getting the right snoring treatment means both of you could get say goodbye to sleep problems and hello to a good night’s sleep again – and our snoring test will help you identify what is right for you.
There are several different reasons for snoring – the key to getting your partner to stop snoring or stopping yourself could be to find the cause of the snoring and get the right product.
We’ve teamed up with the British snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association to bring you this snoring test that you can give a try – and once you’ve identified the reason for your/their snoring, you can see what the best products are for you to try out.
This could give you the solution on how to finally find a way to stop snoring!
Keep reading for tests for tongue snorers, multifactoral snorers or palatal flutters!
Mouth breathing snoring test
Open your mouth and make a snoring noise. Now close your mouth and try to make the same noise. If you can only snore with your mouth open then you are a ‘mouth breather’.
Is this you? Try strips mouth guards or a nasal spray.
Tongue snoring test
Stick your tongue out as far as it will go and grip it between your teeth. Now try to make a snoring noise. If the snoring noise is reduced with your tongue in this forward position then you are probably what is known as a ‘tongue base snorer’.
Is this you? Try a snoring mouth guard.
Nose snoring test
Credit: Getty
Looking in a mirror, press the side of one nostril to close it. With your mouth closed, breathe in through your other nostril. If the nostril tends to collapse, try propping it open with the clean end of a matchstick. If breathing is easier with the nostril propped open, nasal dilators may solve your snoring problem. Test both nostrils.
Is this you? Try nasal dilators or nasal strips.
Now, with your mouth closed, try breathing in through your nose. If you can’t breathe well through your nose, you may be suffering from nasal stuffiness caused by allergy. You may wish to consider the following causes: Feather pillows & bedding, pet hair, house dust mite, allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies, perfumes and body sprays, household cleansers such as bleach.
Is this you? Try a mouth and nose spray.
Palatal flutter snoring test
If none of these tests has helped it is possible that your soft palate is vibrating. ‘Palatal flutter’ is the vibration of the soft palate and uvula. This is often the cause in snorers who are of normal weight.
Is this you? Try a spray for mouth and nose that is designed to tighten the tissue of the soft palate or strips to keep your mouth closed.
Multifactoral snoring test
You may find that you fit into more than one of these snoring categories. In which case your snoring is probably originating from several areas. For example, you may suffer from both palatal flutter and tongue base snoring.
Is this you? Try a mouth guard and spray for mouth and nose.
Still not sure why you snore?
You could also be suffering from sleep apnoea – which is when the muscles in your throat relax too much and block your airways. This forces you to wake up to start breathing again – and also causes snoring.
Lifestyle factors can cause snoring too – things like being overweight, drinking lots of alcohol and so on.