Like the sound of a pesky alarm clock, snoring is one of the off-putting sounds that no one wants to hear when they're trying to sleep.

That telltale noise emitting from an open mouth is not exactly the sound or image we want to display when a friend or romantic partner sleeps over, either. It's also one of the top reasons more than a third of American couples opt to sleep separately, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Wondering if you (or someone you know) can ever stop snoring? The good news is that, in many circumstances, it's common, treatable, and preventable. More serious outcomes associated with snoring, like sleep apnea, can also often be avoided. Here's what to know.

Is snoring common?

The first thing to understand is that snoring "affects billions of people globally," said Patrick McKeown, an advisor of the International Academy of Breathing and Health and the author of "The Breathing Cure: Develop New Habits for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life."

He previously said that for many of those people, snoring is little more than a mild inconvenience, but for others, it can be a contributing factor of serious underlying health issues. "Nearly one billion people worldwide suffer from obstructive sleep apnea - a condition that is often associated with heavy snoring," he said. Sleep apnea is linked to numerous health complications such as high blood pressure, cognitive impairments, and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Whether you are dealing with mild or severe snoring, "prevalence increases with age and is more common among men than women - though post-menopausal women show a higher incidence," said Dr. Ann Kearney, a speech-language pathologist at Stanford University Medical Center.

What's the cause of snoring?

"In children and teens, snoring is most commonly due to enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids," Dr. Nina Shapiro, a professor emerita at UCLA and a pediatric otolaryngologist at Westside Head and Neck in Los Angeles, previously said.

In adults, snoring can be caused by allergies, dietary choices (including alcohol consumption), and the anatomy of one's mouth and sinuses. GERD or acid reflux can also contribute to snoring by causing esophageal tissue to swell, partially blocking the airway. "Elderly adults may also develop weakness of the muscles of the palate and neck, leading to blocked breathing and subsequent snoring," Shapiro said. "And one of the more notable causes of snoring is obesity," she added. She says obesity can contribute as the redundant tissues of the neck and throat area can cause the blockage in the throat, leading to snoring.

McKeown said it's also worth considering that there are two distinct types of snoring: mouth snoring and nose snoring. Some of the contributing factors behind nose snoring, he says, include nasal congestion, a deviated septum or narrow nasal passages.

How to finally stop snoring

Because of such a wide variety of contributing factors, "you must first figure out what is causing the narrowing of your air passageways," said Kearney. She says this means looking into structural/anatomical factors, obesity, nasal congestion, poor muscle tone, whether you're a mouth breather or nose breather, your sleep position at night, and medications you take that could affect how you sleep or the muscles in your mouth.

Such information can be learned a number of ways that include having your partner monitor or record you while you sleep; looking into your diet and what a healthy weight is for your age, height and gender; by using one of the many apps that monitor breathing patterns and sleep quality; or by visiting a sleep physician for a formal evaluation.

If nothing more serious is identified and it's discovered that you're a mouth snorer, McKeown said many people turn to mouth taping to keep their mouths closed at night. In a 2022 study, "participants who used mouth tape to promote nasal breathing during sleep experienced a 47% reduction in snoring," he said.

For those who instead struggle with nasal congestion, a simple nose unblocking exercise can help. Breathing techniques can also reduce turbulence in the airway by slowing and normalizing breathing volume, "leading to quieter nights," McKeown added. Shapiro said that losing weight, if needed, can help alleviate a good deal of snoring as well.

Shapiro also advised sleeping slightly elevated with an extra pillow, or switching to sleep on your side instead of on your back. Ruling out sickness or potential allergies as other contributing factors is also important.

Seeing a sleep specialist can be helpful as well as they can identify the severity of your snoring - including sleep apnea - so that treatment options can be recommended. Such treatments "may include using a CPAP machine, oral appliances, or any number of proven surgeries," Shapiro said.

"Combining measures to address the causes of snoring can lead to quieter, healthier nights and better overall well-being," said McKeown. "With the right tools and knowledge, you can transform snoring from a nightly frustration into a manageable condition to ensure you wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Good news: You can stop your snoring. Here's what to do first.

Reporting by Daryl Austin, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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