What are the common misunderstandings about snoring?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Snoring is often dismissed as nothing more than a noise problem. In Japan, however, the number of people with undiagnosed sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) is estimated in the millions, and public information on it is growing. Here we set out the everyday measures, and the line at which you should see a doctor.
What to base your judgement on
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| How snoring happens | During sleep the tongue and soft palate drop and the airway narrows; the air makes the tissue vibrate and produce sound |
| Sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) | Breathing stops for 10 seconds or more, 5 or more times an hour during sleep. Undiagnosed cases in Japan are estimated at several million |
| When to see a doctor | You are told your breathing stops / strong daytime sleepiness / headache or dry mouth on waking / getting up to urinate at night |
| Tests | A simple test you can do at home (covered by Japanese health insurance) → an overnight hospital test if needed |
| Management | CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure therapy), a mouthpiece, lifestyle changes and so on. The doctor decides |
| Everyday measure | Why |
|---|---|
| Sleep on your side (body pillow, or a cushion behind your back) | On your back, the tongue drops back more easily |
| Avoid alcohol before bed | Alcohol relaxes the muscles and narrows the airway |
| Manage your weight | Fat around the neck narrows the airway |
| Deal with a blocked nose (hay fever, dry air) | Mouth breathing makes snoring louder |
| Re-check your pillow height | Too high, and the airway bends (see our pillow article) |
[Verify] Check the definition of SAS and the estimated number of patients against MHLW e-Health Net and the Japanese Respiratory Society's material.
Misunderstanding 1｜Snoring proves you are sleeping deeply
It is the sound of forcing breath through a narrowed airway. People who snore loudly are generally described as often having poorer sleep quality.
Misunderstanding 2｜Slim people do not snore
Many Japanese people have a small jaw and a narrow airway by build, and it is well known that slim people develop SAS too. Weight alone is no guide.
Misunderstanding 3｜Anti-snoring gadgets solve it
Nasal dilator strips and mouth tape can help with some mild snoring, but where breathing stops, it is a medical matter. Masking it with gadgets delays detection.
Misunderstanding 4｜A child's snoring is just cute
Children's snoring can be caused by enlarged adenoids or tonsils, and it can affect growth and concentration. If it continues, see a paediatrician or an ENT (ear, nose and throat) clinic.
Misunderstanding 5｜Testing means a hospital stay and a lot of trouble
A simple overnight test at home, with sensors on a finger and at the nose, is available under health insurance. Ask at an internal medicine clinic (内科, naika), an ENT clinic (耳鼻科, jibika) or a sleep clinic (睡眠外来).
---
Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, e-Health Net, "Sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS)" [睡眠時無呼吸症候群（SAS）]
https://www.e-healthnet.mhlw.go.jp/information/heart/k-02-006.html
- Japanese Respiratory Society, "Sleep apnoea syndrome" [睡眠時無呼吸症候群]
https://www.jrs.or.jp/citizen/disease/
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, *Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023* [健康づくりのための睡眠ガイド2023]
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10904750/001181265.pdf
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
This article is not meant to diagnose or manage any specific medical condition. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor rather than relying on your own judgement.
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