Is it snoring or sleep apnoea?
Not everyone who snores has sleep apnoea, but most people with sleep apnoea snore. What separates them is not how loud it is — it is whether breathing pauses at night and how you feel during the day. That distinction cannot be settled at home; the points below only help you recognise when it is time to see a doctor.
What simple snoring looks like
A steady, continuous sound, often depending on position. Airflow is not interrupted, there is no long cycle of silence followed by gasping, and the person usually wakes up reasonably rested. Most of the suffering belongs to whoever shares the bed. In that picture, working on position, alcohol and nasal congestion is a sensible plan.
The signs that change the picture
It is no longer just noise if any of these are present: breathing pauses someone else has noticed, waking up gasping or choking, getting up to urinate several times a night, morning headaches and a dry mouth, falling asleep during the day despite enough hours in bed, drowsiness at the wheel, or high blood pressure. None of these is a diagnosis; each is a reason to book an appointment.
What a recording can and cannot tell you
A night recording shows when the noise happened and how much of it there was; you may hear a long silence after a run of snoring. But a phone app does not measure whether breathing actually stopped, and it knows nothing about your blood oxygen. Treat the recording as a concrete observation to bring to a doctor, not as a diagnosis.
| Simple snoring | Worth checking | |
|---|---|---|
| Sound | Steady and regular | Loud, with long silences |
| Breathing | Uninterrupted | Pauses, gasping awake |
| Mornings | Usually rested | Headache, dry mouth |
| Daytime | Normal alertness | Heavy sleepiness, poor focus |
| What to do | Position, alcohol, nose | See a doctor |
Frequently asked questions
Can an app diagnose sleep apnoea?
No. Diagnosis comes from a sleep study and a clinician. Apps only offer an observation about sound.
Can someone quiet still have apnoea?
Yes. Snoring is a common companion but not a requirement, so the absence of noise is not reassuring on its own — especially with heavy daytime sleepiness.
What should I bring to the appointment?
How long it has been going on, what your partner has observed, how sleepy you are during the day, and a summary of any recordings. Mention the medication you take.
This page is for information only and is not medical advice. If your snoring is loud and constant, if anyone has seen you stop breathing, or if you are sleepy during the day, talk to a doctor.
Find out in the morning what happened at night. Snorely listens through the night, catches the snoring, and hands you a Snore Score plus clips of the loudest moments when you wake up. Free, no ads, and nothing leaves your phone.
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