It's a problem that nearly drove Sue (my ever-loving) to murder--me! I used to snore loudly enough to make windows rattle in the next street, and I found I was getting progressively more tired--"knackered" is a better word--as time went on. Sue said I would frequently stop breathing for a few seconds (she had no trouble noticing!).

I eventually had an operation I can't remember the name of (it includes "nasoplasty"), to stiffen the soft palate, remove my uvula and open up the nasal passages a little. The surgeon (not "doctor" in the UK) decided not to be as drastic as he would have liked in case it affected my singing voice; in fact, he said if I'd been a professional singer, he'd have advised against the op all together.

It helped to some extent, but I still snore. I use nasal splints: either the stick-on kind that goes below the bridge of the nose, or the springy plastic kind that goes in the nostrils. It helps my breathing, as my nasal passages are quite narrow. But the main problem is that my tongue ... [BTW,if this is too gruesome, feel free to skip it!! If you've got the problem, read on ...] falls back and partly blocks my airway, making the awful noise that sounds like an elephant coughing up a hairball; if it blocks the airway completely, this causes the cessation of breathing: "apnoea" (as we spell it over here). The effect is worse after drinking alcohol, because this makes the muscles even slacker. It's sometimes possible for this to happen permanently--you don't start breathing again--so you should take it seriously, just in case.

There are clever devices for keeping the jaw closed and pulled forward, which prevents the tongue falling back: masks, bandages, clamps; none of which I've tried (yet), but which seem very good for keeping you awake. In my case, it's not overweight (although I've certainly got some spare flesh); it seems to be mainly due to internal sructure, and generally getting older. Since the op, I only rattle my own windows.

Steve