Many a time my husband has prodded or pushed me, so I would stop snoring when we are in bed at night. Of course the first thing I do is change the position I am sleeping in. My children even say they can hear me snoring through the floor sometimes and that it sounds terrible at night. Sometimes I have a nap while watching TV on the couch in the family room and my older son says he can hear me all the way from the garage, when he has just come home from work. How embarrassing!

What causes snoring and how can it be stopped?

It is caused by too much throat and nasal tissue or "floppy" tissue that is prone to vibrate. The position of the tongue can also get in the way of smooth breathing. The other causes for snoring are: weight gain, allergies, alcohol and sleeping pills, smoking, sleeping position to name but a few. Some of the causes can be changed for example weight gain especially around the neck, you will find that during sleep it squeezes the airway and prevents air from flowing in and out freely.

If weight gain is the cause you can lose the weight and all being well, this will stop the snoring. For allergies see your doctor or pay a visit to your local chemist to get an over the counter antihistamine and see if this helps just before bedtime. Alcohol and sleeping pills, try if you can to avoid these as they can also be known to contribute to sleep apnea. Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder where one or more breaths are missed during sleeping. Try to elevate the head with a pillow so that it takes pressure off the airway and therefore makes breathing easier at night.