Three-quarters of Britons snore
| Published: 6th July 2007 16:39 |
Three-quarters of Britons snore
Snoring can be a serious problem
Three-quarters of British adults are snorers, and one in three snores so badly it stops their partner from sleeping, research has found.
The study, commissioned by hotel chain Travelodge, named Coventry as the nation's snoring capital, with 90% of the locals afflicted by the habit.
This was followed by Sheffield, Glasgow and Plymouth.
The poll, of 1,788 adults, found 21% blamed snoring for making them feel less sexy in the bedroom.
SNORING HOTSPOTS
1. Coventry (90%)
2. Sheffield (87%)
3. Glasgow (86%)
4. Plymouth (82%)
5. Leeds (82%)
6. Newcastle (79%)
7. Bristol (79%)
8. Manchester (78%)
9. Liverpool (77%)
10. Belfast (75%)
One in 10 said the embarrassment of snoring had stopped them sleeping with a new partner.
And one in five of those with partners said snoring had had a negative impact on their relationship.
Famous people renowned for their snoring include Winston Churchill, Michael Douglas, film director Ken Russell, and TV pundit John McCririck.
Former US President Teddy Roosevelt's snoring was so bad that when he stayed in a Washington hospital all the other patients had to be relocated to a different floor so that they could sleep.
Chris Idzikowski, a sleep expert from Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said: "Modern lifestyles can be blamed for this increase in snoring, with boozing and unhealthy eating to blame.
"Our research shows that although snoring is often made fun of, it's a real problem that can have important effects on our wellbeing and lifestyle.
"Apart from lack of sleep and tiredness, snoring can cause intimacy issues and put an unnecessary strain on relationships.
"But there are a number of things people can do to prevent and/or reduce snoring."
Snoring can often be caused by reduced airflow to the nasal passages, so sleeping with your head raised off the mattress, or on your side or stomach can help.
Losing weight, and cutting alcohol consumption can also work for some people.
The survey identified five distinct types of snorer:
The Snorter (18%): Distinguished by a rapid blowing of air through the nostrils and mouth, similar to the sound of a horse snorting.
The Snorchestra (12%): Typified by long, low snores that gradually build into a deafening crescendo.
The McEnroe (10%): Distinguished by violent grunting sounds, similar to the noise made by tennis stars when competing.
The Walrus (8%): Typified by continuous groaning noises when sleeping.
The Old Banger (5%): Sounds like a broken car with a spluttering engine.
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