The snoring reaches window-rattling volumes, and then suddenly there is silence. The silence is the time of the no-breathing episodes. Apnea rouses the snorer from sleep so breathing can resume. The price paid for those arousals is daytime grogginess. A portrait of a person with sleep apnea is that of a slightly overweight person with a short, thick neck.
Weight loss does reduce the frequency and length of the apneic episodes.
Redundant tissue in the back of the mouth and throat blocks air passage to the lungs. In addition to weight loss, abstinence from alcohol and sleeping pills lessens the problem. Both relax throat and mouth tissues, adding to the obstruction of airflow. Sleeping on the side is another way to control sleep apnea. Devices that hold the tongue in place or that bring the jaw slightly forward are other ways to combat sleep apnea.