When you visit your GP, they will ask you some questions about your snoring. For example, they may ask you:
- How often do you snore?
- Is your snoring loud enough to wake other people?
- Is your snoring worse when you are lying in any particular position, such as on your back?
- Are there any underlying factors that may be contributing to your snoring, such as alcohol, smoking or medication?
- Do you feel properly refreshed after sleeping or do you still feel very sleepy the following day?
- Have other people noticed that you make snorting or gasping noises in between snores?
If you answer yes to the last two questions, it may be a sign that you have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Your GP may weigh and measure you to assess your body mass index (BMI) and they may also measure the circumference of your neck.
They may also examine your mouth and throat in case an abnormality, such as swollen tonsils or a non-cancerous growth, is contributing to your snoring.
Further testing is usually only required if your symptoms suggest that you have OSA. This may involve referring you to a specialist sleep centre so that you can be monitored while you sleep. Or you may be given a monitoring device to wear at night while you sleep at home. This is known as a home sleep study.
See Sleep apnoea – Diagnosis for more information about how OSA is diagnosed.
