ANYONE who has lived – or even shared a room – with a snorer will be all too aware of the desirability of a peaceful night’s sleep.

With an estimated 15 million people in the UK who snore, National Stop Snoring Week (running until May 13) highlights the impact on the quality of life for both snorer and those around them.

A number of problems can arise as a consequence of snoring. For example, 40 per cent of people feel resentment toward their partner because it has affected their sex life. Research also reveals it has a detrimental effect on people’s social lives, has caused irritability and arguments with loved ones.

Careers are also affected by snoring. Poor work performance, lack of energy or difficulty concentrating, are all side effects according to Asonor, manufacturer of an anti-snore nasal spray. The sound of snoring is caused by vibrations within the mouth, nose and throat. The most common reason is that muscles in and around the throat relax too much during sleep, obstructing the entrance to the throat.

As air tries to pass through, the soft palate vibrates and produces the snoring sound. It can sometimes reach 69 decibels which is around the level of a pneumatic drill.

Psychologist Donna Dawson, who specialises in personality and behaviour, knows only too well of the impact snoring can have. She says: “My husband has been snoring for 30 years. You go though cycles of sheer frustration followed by a determination to find a solution.”

A large percentage of people who live with a snorer have reverted to sleeping in separate rooms just so they can get a good night’s rest.

Richard Killer, a family solicitor at Dickinson Manser in Poole has dealt with a number of clients who claimed snoring was partially responsible for the break-up of their marriage.

“Where one person cites unreasonable behaviour, we take into account four or five complaints. As part of that matrix, I’m afraid to say that snoring does come up.”

“It is one of the factors which leads to a husband or wife realising their relationship is over, particularly if one of the party has had to leave the marital bed.”

Mr Killer added that other “unreasonable behaviour” claims have included flatulence, bad breath and squabbles over the remote control for the television.

Sadly, snoring cannot be “cured”, but it can be successfully controlled.

“The important thing is to find the cause and then treat it appropriately,” a spokesman for the British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association (BSSAA) told the Daily Echo.

“If the patient is overweight, smokes or drinks, these lifestyles must be addressed, and if there is an abnormality in the airway such as nasal polyps, you must seek help and advice from your GP.”

Small or collapsing nostrils can be helped with snoring strips, while nasal sprays can ease stuffiness caused by various allergies.

There are numerous devices including an oral vestibular shield which keeps the mouth closed and can control snoring caused by “mouth breathing”. If a weak chin causes the mouth to drop open, “chin-up strips” can help to keep the mouth closed.

According to the BSSAA, the most popular device is the Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) which is suitable for a snorer whose tongue drops to the back of the throat causing an obstruction.

Snoring Facts

• 41.5 per cent of the UK adult population snore.

• There are approximately 15 million snorers in the UK.

• Snoring affects 30 million people in the UK.

• There are 10.4 million males and 4.5 million females who snore • Men are louder snorers than women.

• 58 per cent of snorers are between 50-59 years of age.