Between the ages of 30 and 60 the incidence of snoring jumps from 20% in men and 5% in women to 60% of men and 40% of women.

When the soft palate, uvula, tongue, tonsils and /or muscles in the back of the throat rub against each other they generate the vibrating sound of snoring during sleep.

This is an anatomical problem and those who are obese have bulky neck tissue which increases the risk of snoring. Losing 10% of ones weight can help this anatomical problem. The number one cause of snoring is obesity.

If that breathing area is suppressed by any kind of sedation then snoring will occur which is what happens with late night alcohol consumption or sleeping pills.

If nasal congestion is causing the blockage then a steam vaporizer that clears out the passages will help.

If your physician determines that you have an overly floppy palate or larger-than average tonsils or uvula, he may recommend surgery. Only if you have sleep apnea will critical illness cover companies generally cover the procedure.

If all else fails, you can become an astronaut because they are less likely to snore when in space because in zero-G the throat muscles are less prone to collapsing!