Snoring is a phenomenon that occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat during sleep, leading to vibration during breathing. Over 90 million Americans snore during their nightly rest, which can cause considerable strain between you and your bed partner. In fact, most snorers aren't even aware of the intensity of their snoring until they're rudely awakened by an irritated bed partner.

While snoring is a key symptom of sleep apnea, not all individuals who snore loudly suffer from this condition. Sleep apnea is characterized by several instances of breathing cessation each night due to tissue obstructing the airway. If your snoring is accompanied by symptoms such as daytime fatigue, morning headaches, frequent breathing pauses, or habitual waking with a dry mouth or sore throat, you might be experiencing sleep apnea.

Top-down view of a couple in bed, the man is asleep with his right arm around the woman, and she appears annoyed.

A woman yawning while working at a computer.