If you snore or know someone who does, there is a wide range of treatment options that can help. My practice is dedicted to the surgical evaluation and treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, and anyone should feel free to contact me via e-mail or finding more information about seeing me as a patient here. In addition to conservative treatment options, there are procedures such as the Pillar Procedure and palate radiofrequency that have relatively little pain and can make major improvements in snoring in certain patients. The keys to achieving good results with these treatments are experience with performing the procedure and–just as important–the evaluation to determine whether they are good choices for an individual patient.
Snoring can be a major issue, as those who snore can present major problems for anyone in the bedroom–or anyone within earshot–who might be awakened from sleep by the loud, irregular sound that can occur. However, I have always been struck by patients who report that they wake up because of the sound of their own snoring. The accepted thinking among sleep experts is that there could be a number of reasons that patients who snore may awaken from sleep but that the snoring sound itself was likely not one of them. This seemed unlikely based on studies suggesting that during sleep the brain becomes used to one’s own snoring (a process called habituation) and based on the experience with countless patients with sleep studies and no obvious awakenings with snoring unless there was also blockage of breathing, as in obstructive sleep apnea. But the widespread rejection of snoring sound as a cause of sleep arousals was simply an educated guess, based on years of experience but not much concrete evidence.
First study to address this question systematically
A study published in this month’s issue of the medical journal SLEEP included a study specifically examining whether snoring sound wakes up the snorer. Researchers at the University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Center enrolled 400 patients who were getting sleep studies in their laboratory. One-half of them randomly received earplugs to wear during their sleep study (and before, to get used to them) in order to reduce the loudness of their own snoring. The sophisticated part of the study was their use of a previously-tested complex analysis of brain waves to determine subtle awakenings from sleep not visible to the naked eye. They were able to analyze periods of snoring without obstructive sleep apnea events (apneas and hypopneas) using an electronic algorithm they had previously developed and tested. This allowed them to determine 5 different types of respiratory-cycle related electoencephalographic changes (RCREC), with arousals from sleep reflected most in 2 types (increase in 1 and decrease in the other).
Sound of snoring may be waking up snorers
The group wearing the earplugs had slightly less of the latter key type of RCREC, suggesting that the sounds of snoring may wake up snorers themselves. The effect was mainly seen in men, and there was the suggestion that it was more of a factor in those who were not obese (body mass index less than 30 kg/m-2) and those who also had some degree of obstructive sleep apnea (apnea-hypopnea index > 10 events/hour). The study had a number of other limitations that the authors raised in the paper, such as the lack of comparing the same person on 2 different nights, with and without earplugs. Importantly, the effect was only seen in 1 type of RCREC, albeit 1 of the 2 types that appears to be most important for sleep quality. The authors also point out that the arousals may not be due to the snoring itself but may be related to the increased breathing effort that often occurs with snoring.
The bottom line: more research is needed to examine the impact of the sound of snoring
To some extent, it may not matter if snoring wake you up from sleep because of the snoring sound, increased work of breathing, or something else. If snoring without sleep apnea interferes with the ability to obtain refreshing sleep, it could explain sleepiness and fatigue and would argue for more-aggressive treatment of snoring. However, this initial study does not prove that we need to be over-aggressive in treating all snoring, as physicians must consider whether individual patients have snoring that affects themselves and/or others. Nothing has changed there. Nevertheless, this study is the first to examine whether the snoring sound might be waking up the snorers themselves and should lead us to question what had been the conventional wisdom that overlooked this possibility.
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Richard Owen says:
Waking yourself up with loud snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea, always good to mention this to your doctor, apnea can be a potentially serious disorder.
Michele says:
My loud snoring wakes me up and who ever im with tells me i was snoring.
Dr. Deb says:
I don’t really understand this study. when you wear earplugs and you speak, your own voice is actually quite loud in your head. they are assuming that earplugs will reduce the snorer’s perception of the sound of their own snoring, when to me, someone who wears earplugs daily, it seems obvious that the earplugs will INCREASE their perception of the sound of their own snoring.
Dr. Kezirian says:
Great point. Clearly we do not understand entirely how the sound of snoring affects the snorer. Earplugs would be expected to change the sound characteristics of your snoring, not simply lower the volume, but some of these changes are also not well understood. The basic premise behind the study is that it was always assumed that someone would not have sleep disruption related to their own snoring because, effectively, they would be accustomed to their own snoring and have no sleep disruption. This study showed that differential sound characteristics created by earplugs (vs. no earplugs) were associated with changes in arousals from sleep.
Mona noweir says:
I believe what you suggest, I suffer destructive sleep apnea which was diagnosed through out 2 night of sleep study.
I wear ear plugs for more then 10 years, I hear nothing but my own snoring, which wakes me up the second I go in stage one sleep which cause me sleep deprivation, dangerously I get sleep attak sleep/ driving to work, sleep attached at work etc
astrovart says:
My own snoring wakes me up and I’m exhausted.
The thing is, I have a really hard time trying to fall asleep because just when that happens, I start snoring so it wakes me up. My brain can remember the sound of the snore, so I know. Also, I snore with my mouth closed. My current doctor doesn’t believe it, he says that is impossible, but it is not. This has been happening for a week and it is actually driving me crazy because as soon as I feel I’m falling asleep, I get nervous because I don’t want to snore so I wake up. I’m exhausted. I am a slim man, 40 years old.
Although I used to snore, this waking up thing never happened before. It started only a week ago and I SUSPECT it’s related to a pill called neugeron, which my neurologist gave me. I have stopped taking this pill only five days ago, for which I hope I will return to snore “normally” when my body gets rid of this chemical. If not, I should consider other measures.
Do you have any advise for me in the meantime? I would very much appreciate it. Thank you.
C
Dr. Kezirian says:
First, it is definitely possible to snore with your mouth closed. Although mouth opening typically makes snoring worse, most of my patients also snore with their mouth closed.
There are many medications that can contribute to snoring or obstructive sleep apnea. While there is a medication called Neugeron that has a generic name of carbamazepine, that is not a brand name used in the United States. This medicine can affect your brain and nervous system, possibly contributing to snoring and sleep apnea. Obviously, one way to learn its effects is to wait to see what happens when you have been off the medication for some time.
Finally, as far as waking yourself up when you start snoring, everyone is a little different. Many people will snore or have a startle/jumping movement as they fall asleep, and this is normal. The name for these is hypnic jerks, and they are neither worrisome or treatable. While many people are distressed by this, reassurance that these are normal and common hopefully can let you just continue to fall asleep and not let this bother you as much.
Rob says:
astrovart,
I know exactly how you feel – the same thing happens to me and it’s become a really, really bad pattern for me over the last 6-12 months. As soon as I am in that “la la land” right before actually sleeping, I snore just a little … and it yanks me back to consciousness. It’s like getting poked by someone as soon as you start dozing off, over and over again! I am currently trying to get a sleep study done, although really think mine is not a full blown apnea, or even close to that. It’s tough being in that gray area – and wonder if a cpap machine would actually help with this this condition.
Anyway – my two cents.
Deano says:
I know exactly how you feel! I do the same thing. As soon as I’m falling asleep, I snort/grunt and am jolted right back awake. I begin to snore before I’m even asleep and it startles me.
Seems to be worse if I’ve consumed alcohol but even then it’s very random.
Joe says:
Hello my name is Joe and I have been experiencing these symptoms too! I would like to ask you if you got some relief and if you could share your experience with me .. thanks would appreciate your feedback
Dr. Kezirian says:
I am not sure what you are asking. Patients often get major improvements in snoring with these treatments, and the nice thing is that it also helps out anyone sleeping in the same bedroom–or, in some cases of loud snoring, anyone in neighboring rooms!
Jim Bob says:
No you not alone brother. I either snore myself awake at the precise moment I fall asleep or I make a kind of popping sound that wakes me up. It’s not like perpetual sleep deprivation torture. It is sleep deprivation torture. Going on for 2 years now and I now have all the symptoms of PTSD and GAD. It has destroyed my life and is close to destroying my marriage. ENT Doctors haven’t been much use. I just want to sleep!! I’m now considering the final option.
Michele says:
When my snoring wakes me up I’m exhausted too
Karen says:
I often wake myself up with the sound of my snore. I snore with my mouth closed. As I have gotten older and heavier, I can identify the mechanical action of my dropped palette surrounded by fat that has resulted in new snoring. My snores will sometimes get into my dreams and become some other noise I try and try to turn off, or I will struggle to wake myself up, and get very frustrated failing to get to consciousness before I succeed. I think I am getting acclimated to the sound, since I’m pretty sure I snore more than I hear it.
Jochen says:
There have been a few rare occasions on which I managed to notice my own snoring during sleep and to force myself to wake up. When I do, it is out of a concern about bothering my wife who has enough trouble sleeping. As a child, I grew up listening to my mother complain about my father’s snoring, so I am terrified of causing that kind of distress to my wife.
And when I do succeed in interrupting my own snore, it is with a sense of accomplishment, especially when my wife stayed asleep throughout.
Bernadette says:
Through all my pregnacies I snored I believe it was from the weight gain. I always put like 5 lbs on over the winter and this winter probably 8. And I find myself waking myself up from snoring for one it is embarrassing , I thought only men did this, can it be from my weight gain
Dr. Kezirian says:
Absolutely. For a number of reasons, including weight gain, snoring and sleep apnea commonly develop in pregnant women. Any woman who develops snoring or other signs of sleep apnea during pregnancy should discuss this with their team caring for them during the pregnancy.
gregg says:
I don’t snore thru my nose. When I sleep I breath thru my mouth and sometimes that area closes and I make a snoring sound. i wake up cause my breathing is obstructed. At the time it happens i wake up thinking a loud noise just happened and that is what woke me up. However, I meditate and the lighter state of rest allows me to be aware of suddenly having a closing feeling in the back of my throat, uvula, and I feel strangled for a second. I struggle to breath, make a snoring sound and snap out of a meditative state.
Dr. Kezirian says:
Thank you for sharing your experiences. These feelings are common with obstructive sleep apnea, and you should see a sleep specialist for an evaluation and possible sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea. Many patients who do not have sleep apnea do have feelings of strangulation or other times of struggling to breathe. There are a number of things that can be done to help, and you should see someone who focuses in this field to discuss the options, including possible sleep apnea or snoring surgery.
Arthur Contreras says:
I wake myself up from,my own snoring And on,occasions wake up gasping for air ha e tried to do a sleep study but need a doctor’s recommendation,but,it’s hard due to being a Traveling tech
Dr. Kezirian says:
I understand the difficulty in coordinating your schedule, but try to make it a priority to get an evaluation.
Robin says:
I seem to wake myself up only during the initial few seconds of falling asleep. I wonder if I’m snoring and my sleep is so light that it wakes me. I’m by myself, so I don’t have anyone to tell me what’s going on. It’s very annoying when this happens because sometimes I have a difficult time falling back to sleep because my heart is racing from the surprise of waking up.
Roberta Siena says:
For the last week a new symptom: nasal snore wakes me up as I am dropping off to sleep. I’m an anxious person, late 60’s, with a history of insomnia so this is awful. Is surgery the answer to narrow nostrils? Could it be a polyp? I have an ENT apptmt. in Sacramento in a month or so. Not getting much sleep. I’m thinking about turning up the volume and watch a movie on my Kindle.
Dr. Kezirian says:
Surgery can address narrow nostrils, but the key is the cause of trouble breathing through your nose. This is something you can discuss with your physician.
Chris says:
Saline nasal sprays before you nod off. Make sure you are hydrated. Sleep propped upright at around a 40 degree angle with your head tilted to one side and aiming down. In my case it’s my left side. If I try my right side it doesn’t work.
Karolyn Bedford says:
Yes my snoring always wakes me up, particularly if i take a nap. I am constantly tired and just dont slepp well. I work shift work and so i dont get regular sleep and i also suffer from PTSD which also wrecks havoc on my sleep.
Daniel Cheong says:
I have been having this snoring issues since as a teenager . I am now 53 and still having the same issue. I remember doze off sleeping when iwas young. However an outing with a friend who told me that I snore make me conscious about it that I tried not snore when I sleep. It started off when I was finding a sleeping position that I could doze off easily wihout hearing my own snore.
I found that sleeping on my stomach was the best position as I was producing the least noise. However as times pass, when I tried to sleep supine, I found that I cannot fall asleep as my own snore or snort would wake me up the moment of falling asleep. This can go own the whole night and I will not be able to fall asleep until I change back stomach sleeping position. As age grows, I am finding that stomach sleepong position also is now working anymore and now I am having falling asleep issue due to the snort. I thougut I am the only unique one but was surprise to see the comments here there many people who are having the same issues as me.
I done 2 sleep test with mild apnea with good oxygen reading. Both nite also cannot sleep on supine. Ivam baseline BMI 30 and have done sub mucous resection on turbinate and straighten septum. No help. Tried radio frequency ablation. No help. Tried mandibular jaw advancement. Still snort awaken with device. Tried tongue retainer. Better result after dozing off on stomach postion I dun wake up that often in the middle of the night. But still cannot sleep supine.
Try CPAP. Thru mouth and nostril and full mask. Cannot sleep because awaken by own snore or snore the whole night. CPAP only help when I am able to doze off and it kicks in during the night.
My issue here is I wanted to sleep supine like everyone does but I cannot as my own snort or snore woild wake up me immediately the moment on the verge of dozing off. I am also having problem with hand finger numbness owing to sotmaxh sleeping position where I am a hand sleeper.
I guess it is my uvula or palate giving me the loud snoring problem. I dont have daytime slepiness issues.
Tried radio frequency ablation of palate or uvula but result is not good. Snore vibration is slower nut I can still my snort thatvwakes me up.
Whay do you think is the problem? Can it be my sub conscious issue as I know alot of my friend who snore louder than me can sleep and snore easily. I wont snore and sleep as. Long as I can doze off easily without waking me up.
Appreciate ur kind comments. Thanks
Dr. Kezirian says:
Thank you for sharing your experience, which certainly sounds frustrating. It is not really possible for me to discuss what might be occurring without having the chance to examine you. Would you be able to come see me for a proper evaluation in the office?
Johnny says:
I’m John,28, this past months. I wake myself up from my own snoring. It is very frustrating hearing your own snore. What the best thing I can do? Than you.
Dr. Kezirian says:
If the snoring is consistently happening and waking you up (and others), you probably need a formal evaluation, including a sleep study.
Ramos C says:
Started like a clock around April following two events a septoplasty- which seemed ok, and 12 hours after removing the packing a posterior epistaxis that continued, controlled with balloons 5 days until the camera went in and then i in surgery for cauterization. Was initially told that my fatigue was related to iron levels following the bleeding.
Then the zombie feelings begun- 1-2 hours post wakeup, yawning. Usually a coffee wires me up for 8 hours, and 8 hours of sleep wires me up for a day, NO COFFEE needed. two coffees now and I fall asleep everywhere.
I also had a feeling of inhaling less air post ops, and if I tried harder something in the back the nose, between the uvula and the nose (so much higher than the uvula, it just snorts snorts. Same sound when snoring on recordings, mouth closed, and it wakes me up- indeed two causes: I sometimes hear it. And often as try harder and harder the effort wakes me up. I estimate that the longest stretch of no snoring I had was 1.5 hours in 7 full night recordings. Am presently booked for new ENT and a sleep study.
Dr. Kezirian says:
I am sorry that this septoplasty you had made things worse. You may have had some scarring after your bleeding, with narrowing of the space for breathing. It is great that you are not giving up. I wish you all the best.
Janice says:
How can I not hear my own snoring, when I always hear when my husband snores. It wakes me. I am a light sleeper who has difficulty staying asleep because of little noises during the night. Doors being opened, someone walking past my bedroom door, someone coughing will wake me. I’ve always said I don’t snore, but my husband said I snore all the time. Why don’t I hear it and wake up?
Dr. Kezirian says:
People generally do not wake up to their own sounds, whether something like coughing, sniffling, or snoring. It is just that they are asleep and not awakened.
Colin says:
Beg to differ. My snoring wakes me up way too often. Mouthpiece and side-sleeping helps to a point but still not the answer. Slowly ruining me.
Laurel says:
Hello,
For the past month, I have been experiencing this same thing. The minute I start to drift off, I jolt myself awake with a snort, snore or squeal. Did anybody find a solution to this medical challenge? Also, what is causing it? Please help! Thank you
Enoch Graham says:
More research needs to be done on this more specific type of sleep abnormality. No one seems to be getting any good sense on what is going on.
I have been dealing with this for over 4 months now. And it seemed to suddenly come on. I haven’t been able to get to sleep without some sort sleep aid, like melatonin or Benadryl. Then after I “awake” I can not get back to sleep. Because of the snoring/snorting jolting me awake. I haven’t been able to nap in 4 months for the same reason.
I feel like even the vibration of the snore might trigger my brain to wake me. Also waking me with a jolt. It seems that there is a lot of focus on the sound of the snore waking people, but I feel it’s more the vibration.
It has been very stressful as this is like sleep torture. I want to nod off but am jolted awake right as I am falling asleep. To the point that I might be now also dealing with an underlying mental fear that is causing anxiety that also triggers my mind to jolt awake right at the point of sleep.
Dr. Kezirian says:
First, have some snoring or snorting when you fall asleep is very common and not dangerous. You describe a common fear that people have about dying in their sleep and not being able to get past what is often just snoring or snorting right when you fall asleep. I would recommend seeing a sleep physician and maybe having a sleep study to see if blockage in breathing (obstructive sleep apnea) might be going on repeatedly through the night instead of just occasionally while you sleep.
simon mcfarland says:
is there any information out there on this subject i have been unable to sleep for the last 7 days every time im about to drop off i can here a snort or snoring noise it dont matter witch way i lay .is there any advice sleeping pills are not working is it all just a mental thing or can it be fixed
Dr. Kezirian says:
Snoring as you fall asleep is very common and almost always not worrisome. The best thing to do is to try to ignore it, but I understand that can be difficult. The problem is that trying to get rid of it entirely may or may not work without treatments that are not truly necessary. We are much more worried about snoring and blockage of breathing that is occurring throughout the night.
Robert Gai says:
I see that many people, including me, are experiencing difficulty FALLING ASLEEP, because just at the threshold of drifting to sleep state, their own snoring wakes themselves up, and prevents them from entering the sleep state. Although this problem has been clearly stated by many, Dr. Kezirian’s responses seem to dismiss this problem by comments like “snoring as you fall asleep is common and not worrisome”, or “we’re more worried about snoring throughout the night”, etc. While snoring throughout the night is also an important issue, it’s a different problem. Not being able to ENTER the sleep state due to one’s own snoring IS worrisome to those unable to fall asleep. I’m sure Dr. Kezirian wants to help, but a clear answer/solution to this particular problem would be helpful to those who are suffering from it. Or an honest “I don’t know how to fix this” would at least suggest that we look elsewhere for a solution. I do appreciate the doctor taking the time to try to help people without getting paid in return.
Dr. Kezirian says:
Snoring as you fall asleep is entirely normal. It is not of any serious consequences, other than being disruptive to the person experiencing it. Many people who have this have no problems entering into a sleep state like anyone else, so it is not something that truly prevents someone from falling asleep. It is more that it is disturbing or unsettling. I have found that many patients who report this are reassured by learning that it is normal and not a sign they are going to stop breathing if they do not awaken. They can then fall asleep more easily because they are less worried by it. The other issue is that it is often not treatable (again, it is normal) or something that you would not want to chase completely (it can involve unnecessary treatments).
Karen says:
Hello. I’m a 55 year old woman pretty much post menopausal and am having many problems with sleep. I always used to be somebody who pretty much slept through the night but over the past few years I’m waking up 5,6 ,7 times a night with jaw clenching and snoring which I never used to do. I had a sleep study a couple of years ago which showed that I have a kind of apnea when on my back but whatever I tried I cannot keep myself from going on my back during the night. I think I have started snoring on my side now too which wakes me up; I am not overweight at all and take no drugs but can feel that my throat has changed ; I used to be able to sing but now can’t reach any low notes so am wondering if this is related and if so what can be done? I feel completely exhausted and am getting night sweats , occasional nightmares and these constant episodes of waking up. I just want to sleep this night through like I used to!
Dr. Kezirian says:
These are definitely changes that can happen as women go through menopause, sometimes starting as the first sign of menopause and sometimes only occuring later in menopause (or after it seems to have been completed). I would recommend seeing a sleep medicine physician and, possibly, a voice specialist.
Farah says:
As I try to fall asleep, my own snoring or sometimes snorting wakes me up. I don’t know if its a sleep apnea or just due to increased weight. I am still carrying my pregnancy weight. I sleep on my side and this happens often but not daily…..also, I have nosebleeds often.
Dr. Kezirian says:
You should see a physician related to the nosebleeds and the possible obstructive sleep apnea.
Person says:
Anybody found any solution for the being awoken by one’s own snoring problem yet ? Literally can’t find anything anywhere else on the internet any search for it gives me results like “why snorers don’t hear their own snoring” instead it’s driving me crazy just how rare is this problem ?? How rare must it be if there are literally no solution for it available anywhere what is even going on anymore why am I this unlucky I just want to sleep
Dr. Kezirian says:
It is unclear how rare or common this is. The typical treatment usually is to try to reduce the snoring and, of course, to treat any underlying obstructive sleep apnea.
Tony from Baltimore says:
This is definitely a thing! I’ve had it since 2017. In my case it’s definitely from weight gain. Just as I’m drifting off to sleep I’ll make a snorting sound in my nose and wake up. It’s causing great anxiety but I have found some things that do help. It might be placebo affect but it has helped me. Keep in mind I’ve been dealing with this since 2017 and have tried everything from different pillows to gadgets and oils and have had a sleep study and was prescribed a Respironics Resmed air sense Cpap with an air fit f20 face mask (that did not help).
It was giving me so much anxiety I was actually gaining more weight as a result and found myself drinking heavily since that was what helped me pass over the threshold into sleep without my own damn snore waking me up right as in drifted off into sleep. I knew drinking wasn’t sustainable so I started doing research and trying different things. Keep in mind not sleeping enough can actually make you gain weight because of the stress hormone cortisol building up in your body. It becomes harder for you to shed weight. Drinking was making it worse but it was the only thing I could do for a few hopeless months there!
What finally worked (cpap with full pressure set to 13.0 AHI didn’t work) was
1. Anti-inflammatory diet – big thing for me. Alcohol causes inflammation which you don’t want to definitely avoid that and avoid eating anything 4-6 hours before bed. Water is ok. The problem with obstructive sleep apnea is your airway constricts or your tongue or uvula collapse and basically choke you, or in my case my sinuses or my nasal passages would close causing me to make that odious snore that kept me from sleep. I would Mitigate the constriction of your airways by taking an anti inflammatory if to reduce swelling. I actually noticed how some foods or alcohol would cause my uvula to swell and I avoided that. It worked for me.
2. A diffuser with some kind of mentholated oil. This is definitely a placebo but for me it helped calm an anxious mind. This condition we are describing is mental turmoil and takes its toll and causes us to have anxiety about even having to sleep. Any little calming or relaxing thing helps!! The menthol diffuser helped for me.
3. Sleeping on my stomach. As a lifelong side sleeper I just couldn’t go to sleep on my side or back anymore so I got comfy on my stomach using my forearms to kind of prop my head up. I think that also helped keep my airways open a little easier. Which leads me to my next thing that helped
4. A pregnancy/full body pillow!! It gave me the neck and head support I needed to keep my airways from collapsing before I could get to sleep. You can get one on Amazon for cheap.
5. A nasal saline spray.
6. Ok – for me this is the biggest one and like I said I don’t know if it’s a placebo or not but he’ll it worked for me and has been the answer after months of anguish and existential dread over not being able to fall asleep – Magnesium Glycinate. There is a lot of information online about magnesium and how essential it is for our bodies and how it helps facilitate proper sleep so I’ll let you go and do that research yourself because trust me there’s tons of accredited medical data on it. But not just any magnesium but magnesium glycinate.
I’m not a doctor like our good doctor here but I did have this same condition we are all describing and it really does rob you of the quality of life you need. Sleep along with oxygen food and water are vital to our survival. I hope this can maybe help.
Sorry for typos I’m typing on my phone!
JG says:
I experience what everyone here experiences. I would love to know if anybody has a solution.
Person says:
After months of horror I finally found out the source of the snoring for me and the solution, the source : post nasal drip due to allergies, the solution : nasacort (or any other nasal spray of this sort) after using it for 3 or 4 days in a row the post nasal drip was reduced to the point where I started to be able to sleep without being awoken by my own snoring anymore! I’ll try immunotherapy to get rid of the allergy, hopefully It’ll work and I won’t have to ever worry about this ever again, I recommend anybody who has this same problem to try out corticosteroid nasal spray and see if it works for you it may save your life
Dr. Kezirian says:
Being conservative with nasal steroid spray is always a good first step if you have trouble breathing through your nose. I am glad it worked for you.
Dee Lea says:
I’ve had the problem of my own “Nasal Snore” and other weird nasal noises that sound like a squeals, a car driving past or a door being dragged along the floor! Every single time I’ve started to doze off! Often repeatedly, until 7,8,9am in the morning. I’ve been extremely upset and often crying tears of frustration as sleep deprivation is a form of torture. It’s like being prided or given an electric shock each time I start to drift off.
Maybe if it only happened on occasion once or twice when dozing off it wouldn’t be such a worry as the doctor mentioned, but, if it’s happening repeatedly all through the night. Then it’s obviously a very serious problem!
I finally got help from using a cpap machine as I was at my wits end being sent back and forth from ENT to Sleep clinics. I also have mild sleep apnoea so I pushed for a cpap machine for it, although the sleep specialist said it was only for the sleep apnea and that it was for the ENT to deal with the Nasal snore. I was lucky it helped with both problems, but there seems to be no proper help for it.
Dr. Kezirian says:
I am so glad you are doing well with CPAP. Nasal blockage can absolutely contribute to snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Ben says:
Hi all who have the issue of being woken up the moment they try to fall asleep due to snoring sounds.
I too have been having this problem, and the solution I’ve been using is to clear my nostrials before I sleep.
What I do is that I inhale strongly, widening my nostrils when I do it to open up the canal, and try not to move too much from that sleeping position and go to sleep.
Most of the time, it works as it gets rid of snoring. I hope this helps.
Nick says:
I have noticed this happening to me lately as well. That’s what brought me to this page. I can relate to what someone said about not waking his wife and I think that our bed partners have been nudging and poking us for so long to get is to stop snoring, we subconsciously anticipate the nudge and wake ourselves up automatically when we let out a loud snore. Just a theory of mine.
alejandro cantos says:
From Spain. I’ve been waking up by my own snoring for three months now. It just started all of a sudden: I was about to fall sleep and then my very first snore would wake me up and that could last the whole night. After three days I went to the doctor. Since then I’ve visited different physicians, 2 neurologists, 2 psiquiatrists, physiotherapists… I’ve run two sleep monitorings at the hospital, blood tests, brain scanning, everything. They tell me I don’t suffer apnea nor any other kind of physiological or psicological disorder, my body weigh and breathing system are normal… Medication has helped me a little but this week the ‘snore jalt’ is being really exhausting. This is ruining my life and is driving me crazy. This is the first place where I find people with THE SAME problem. Honestly I don’t think the doctor is really grasping what is happening to us although I appreciate his willingness. If someone comes us with some trick please share it. Thanks!
Dr. Kezirian says:
I understand that it can be extremely scary when this happens, but the important and reassuring thing is that it is normal for people to have this kind of jolt or snoring right as they fall asleep. The problem is much more serious when it is occurring through the entire night. Fortunately, you have seen multiple providers and had sleep studies showing that it is not happening throughout the night (they did not show sleep apnea). I know it is difficult, but try to ignore them.
Pruthvi Netheti says:
Hi,
I recently started experiencing the same problem. The moment i try to fall asleep I hear my own faint snore that wakes me up or I am not sure if I am asleep. This happen 3-4 times before falling asleep. I sleep 7-8 hours a day, feel refreshed and have mild snoring and when the episode happens I
do not gasp for air or choke. ENT examination rev-elated a very mild deviated nasal septum and no other abnormalities seen in throat and nose.
My BMI is currently 27 and I am working on to reduce weight. This issue makes me anxious when I think about it. Need help on how to overcome this problem
John says:
Same problem here. As soon as I start sleeping a short snore wakes me up. Driving me crazy.
Anybody out there found any solution?
Thanks
Aaron S. says:
I am going through this exact thing for a month straight now. No reason at all for it to start. I am 41. I have always slept good, then all of a sudden I started being jerked awake or hearing myself start snoring at the moment I am dozing off and it reawakens me all night long. Literally, all night long that make you feel hopeless. It is like some have explained. It would be no different than someone yelling in my ear every moment that I am about to doze off. Pure torture. The first time it happened, i was so miserable that I had like 2 panic attacks in the middle of the night from the constant jolt of not being able to go to sleep. I have been to the doctor and he gave me an EKG and ruled out all heart related issues. He thinks it is mostly mental and has given me seroquil to help knock me out every night until “he claims” it will go away once I get my body and mind readjusted to sleep. I am doubting this, which is why I am here. I am going to try the tips I have seen above and see if it helps. I WILL update everyone on this as it has affected my life over the last month drastically!
Paul says:
I’ve been having the immediate snoring startle me out of the first moment of sleep for a month now. I don’t know why. I’m 43. It happens on my back. Some nights I can eventually fall asleep, like after just a few startles, 20 minutes, or once 2 hours. Otherwise I switch to my side and that helps a lot, but I can’t stay on my side all night because of bad hips. Also, I notice the startle snore preventing sleep is almost impossible to overcome after the first sleep cycle on my side, if I try to switch to my back. So now I’m making do with much less sleep many days. I’m trying SnoreGym (an app connected to SnoreLab), and getting a cpap soon for mild apnea. I think benzodiazepines have helped me some nights but they are addictive and prevent deep slow wave sleep. Someone please help all of us! What do we search for anywhere else online?
Dr. Kezirian says:
Get started on the CPAP. SnoreGym is not proven to help treat sleep apnea, so you may not want to waste your time with it. I would not start on benzodiazepines either.
Barry Hogue says:
CPAP helps me, but with it comes it’s own problems about keeping me awake. I feel the snore comes from the obstruction where my tongue closes at the soft palate. I’m trying to get approved for Inspire and I hope that works as I’m getting very desperate. My life is falling apart and nobody seems to understand.