However, loud snoring is not a joke. Snoring can indicate a breathing problem while sleeping. It is obstructive because the muscles at the back of the roof of the mouth relax and sag during sleep. This blocks the airway, resulting in snoring.
Breathing stops when the airways are blocked.
Loud snoring is interrupted with pauses in breathing, followed by loud gasps. This results in poor quality sleep and reduced intake of oxygen. Most sleep apnea sufferers are middle-aged, overweight men. Very loud, chronic snoring is usually the first sign of obstructive sleep apnea. It will also disrupt the sleep of the snorer's partner.