For people who want to stop snoring, it often helps if they sleep on their side or with their upper body in a slightly raised position, the German Otolaryngologists Association noted. Losing weight can also help and snorers should refrain from a nightcap before going to bed, it said.

If these measures prove ineffective, the snorer may be suffering from sleep apnoea, a disorder marked by dangerous pauses in breathing. Should this be the case, a doctor can prescribe nighttime use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which

comes with a special mask.

Sometimes a minor operation is advisable to stiffen soft palatal tissue. The German ear, nose and throat doctors said the procedures significantly increased the quality of patients' sleep -- they wake up rested again and are no longer so tired during the day.