Chance of snoring increases as a person ages

DEAR DOCTORS: My husband has always snored, but lately it’s gotten a lot worse. Would gaining weight have anything to do with it? He just turned 67 and put on about 5kg during the pandemic. Sometimes his breathing stops, and I’m worried it might be sleep apnea. How do we find out?

DEAR READER: It’s estimated that at least half of all adults snore on occasion, and up to one-fourth are regular snorers. As people reach older age, these percentages rise.

When someone snores, it means the air they inhaled is meeting resistance within the throat as it moves to the trachea. Sources of obstruction include the tongue and the various tissues of the throat, which relax during sleep. These tissues can sag enough to narrow, or even block, the various passageways leading into…