Experts say that IF your partner is a snorer, you will probably try anything that might muffle that frustrating sound

IF your partner is a snorer, you will probably try anything that might muffle that frustrating sound so you can catch a few Zs.But it turns out that TAPING their mouth shut may be the answer.
A new device which sticks to the outside of the mouth and keeps it shut during sleep is being trialled in a US study involving 30 patients.
Experts say that the approach forces people to breathe though their noses - which could help tackle sleep apnoea.Sleep apnoea is where the tissues in the throat collapse repeatedly during the night, blocking the airways and often causing a snoring session.As a result, people with the condition can also stop breathing for up to 10 seconds at a time.

The theory behind the method is that breathing through the mouth can be a main factor behind apnoeas (the period when someone stops breathing) as well as snoring.This is because when you sleep with your mouth open, the inward air is cold and hits the back of the throat at high speed. This combination can then make the soft tissue at the back of the throat vibrate and constrict.

roll of tapeDon't whip out the sellotape just yet: the method is still being trialled and the special tape has a small hole in to let some air through  AlamyOn the other hand, air breathed in via our noses is warmed up in the nasal passage way – meaning that it isn’t as ‘turbulent’ when it hits the back of the throat.Scientists believe that the new treatment will encourage patients to breathe through their noses – which could overcome this problem.

Sleep apnoea is thought to affect around one in five adults in Britain; it deprives the body of oxygen and, if left untreated, can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart failure and even tumour growth.

People who are overweight, have a large neck and those who smoke are also at higher risk of the condition, but some medications, as such sleeping pills, are also linked to it — as are hormonal changes during the menopause.

The typical treatment is with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) — a face mask the patient wears while sleeping, which delivers pressurised air to prevent the tissues of the throat collapsing and the airway closing.

While effective, almost half of CPAP users abandon the treatment as they find the bulky equipment unbearable in the long-term.