Snoring Care in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Snoring is very common in Grand Rapids and across West Michigan. It’s estimated that around 20% of adults snore at night, and snoring is more frequent in men than women. While occasional snoring is often harmless, loud or chronic snoring can disrupt sleep for you and your partner and may be a sign of a more serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

In Grand Rapids, residents can access evaluation and treatment for snoring and sleep apnea through major health systems such as Corewell Health (Spectrum Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, and Mercy Health, as well as specialized sleep clinics.

What Causes Snoring?

During sleep, the muscles in the back of your throat relax. This includes the:

  • Soft palate (the soft part at the back of the roof of the mouth)
  • Uvula (the small, fleshy structure hanging at the back of the throat)
  • Surrounding throat tissues and tongue

When these relaxed tissues partially block or narrow the airway, air passing through causes them to vibrate. This vibration creates the familiar snoring sound. Snoring can occur whether you breathe through your nose or mouth.

Is Snoring Always Harmful?

Mild, occasional snoring is not usually physically harmful. However, it can:

  • Disturb your own sleep, especially if you snore loudly enough to wake yourself
  • Lead to long-term sleep deprivation and daytime fatigue
  • Strain relationships if a partner is kept awake and needs to sleep in another room

In some people, snoring is a key symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder that needs medical attention.

Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the walls of the throat repeatedly collapse or come together during sleep, blocking airflow between the back of the nose and the voice box. When this happens:

  1. Breathing stops for several seconds (an “apnea” event).
  2. Oxygen levels in the blood drop.
  3. The brain briefly wakes the person up just enough to reopen the airway.
  4. Breathing resumes, often with a loud snort, gasp, or choking sound.

A person with untreated OSA may wake up hundreds of times per night without realizing it. This can cause:

  • Severe daytime sleepiness
  • Morning headaches
  • Irritability or mood changes
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes

If you live in the Grand Rapids area and notice loud snoring, pauses in breathing, or gasping during sleep, talk with your primary care provider or ask for a referral to a sleep disorder clinic at a local hospital such as Corewell Health or Trinity Health Grand Rapids.

Who Typically Snores?

While anyone can snore, habitual snorers often share certain characteristics. The “typical” snorer is:

  • Male
  • Between 30 and 65 years old
  • Overweight or obese
  • May have high blood pressure or other cardiovascular risk factors
  • Sleeps on their back
  • Uses alcohol in the evening

In West Michigan, where cold winters and indoor heating can dry out the air, nasal congestion and dry throat are also common contributors to snoring.

Common Triggers for Snoring in Grand Rapids

Snoring is more likely when you have:

  • A cold or sinus infection
  • Seasonal allergies (common in Michigan’s spring and fall)
  • Nasal congestion from dry indoor air in winter
  • Structural issues like a deviated septum or nasal polyps

Lifestyle factors that can worsen snoring include:

  • Sleeping on your back
  • Drinking alcohol in the hours before bedtime
  • Using sedatives or certain sleep medications
  • Weight gain, especially around the neck

Simple Home Remedies for Snoring

Many people in Grand Rapids can reduce snoring with simple, non-surgical steps. These are often tried before more advanced treatments.

1. Change Your Sleep Position

  • Sleep on your side rather than your back.
    When you sleep on your back, gravity pulls the tongue and soft palate backward, narrowing the airway and increasing snoring.

Tips:

  • Use a body pillow to help maintain a side-sleeping position.
  • Some people sew a tennis ball into the back of their pajama top to discourage back-sleeping.

2. Maintain a Healthy Weight

  • Excess weight, particularly around the neck and upper body, can narrow the airway.
  • Losing weight often reduces the severity of snoring and may improve mild sleep apnea.

Local support:

  • Grand Rapids offers many options for weight management, including nutrition counseling and medically supervised programs through Corewell Health, Metro Health, and Trinity Health Grand Rapids.

3. Avoid Alcohol Before Bed

  • Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat, making snoring more likely and more severe.
  • Try to avoid alcohol for at least 3–4 hours before bedtime.

4. Avoid Sleeping Tablets (Sedatives)

  • Many sleeping pills and sedatives relax throat muscles and can worsen snoring and sleep apnea.
  • Never stop prescribed medications without talking to your doctor, but ask whether alternatives are available if you snore heavily.

5. Treat Nasal Congestion

Nasal congestion is common in Grand Rapids due to:

  • Winter colds and flu
  • Seasonal allergies
  • Dry indoor air from heating systems

To improve nasal breathing:

  • Use saline nasal sprays or rinses.
  • Consider a humidifier in the bedroom during dry winter months (but keep it clean to prevent mold).
  • Talk with your doctor about allergy treatment or nasal steroid sprays if needed.
  • Avoid overusing decongestant nasal sprays, which can cause rebound congestion.

6. Optimize Your Sleep Environment

  • Keep the bedroom air not too dry and not too humid.
  • Maintain a comfortable room temperature (not overly warm).
  • Reduce exposure to allergens such as dust mites and pet dander with regular cleaning and mattress covers.

Oral Appliances: Mandibular Advancement Splints

For many Grand Rapids residents with mild to moderate snoring or sleep apnea, a mandibular advancement splint (MAS) can be very effective.

What Is a Mandibular Advancement Splint?

A MAS is a custom-fitted dental device, similar to a mouthguard, worn during sleep. It:

  • Gently moves the lower jaw (mandible) forward
  • Helps keep the tongue and soft tissues from collapsing backward
  • Keeps the airway more open, reducing snoring and apnea events

Key points:

  • Must be professionally fitted by a dentist or specialist trained in sleep medicine.
  • Often covered by insurance when used to treat diagnosed sleep apnea (coverage varies).
  • Can be a good option for people who cannot tolerate CPAP.

What Usually Does Not Help

Many over-the-counter products marketed in stores and online in West Michigan are not supported by strong evidence, including:

  • Chin straps
  • Special “anti-snoring” pillows
  • Herbal sprays or “drops” under the tongue

These may be safe but often do not address the real cause of snoring. Always discuss new devices with your healthcare provider.

Surgical Options for Snoring

Surgery is rarely the first choice for snoring treatment and is generally reserved for severe cases after other options have failed. It is important to understand that surgery is not always a permanent cure, and snoring can return.

If surgery is considered, you will typically be referred to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist at a local hospital such as Corewell Health or Trinity Health Grand Rapids.

Common Surgical Procedures

  1. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)

    • Removes or reshapes tissues in the back of the throat, such as the uvula, part of the soft palate, and sometimes the tonsils.
    • Performed under general anesthesia.
    • Usually requires a hospital stay.
    • When the tissue heals, it becomes stiffer due to scarring, which can reduce vibration and snoring.
    • Painful recovery for at least 10 days is common.

  2. Laser Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (Laser UPPP)

    • Uses a laser to remove or reshape parts of the soft palate and uvula.
    • Often done as an outpatient procedure, so the patient can usually go home the same day.
    • Once promoted as a quick fix, but now generally discouraged by experts because long-term success rates are low.

  3. Somnoplasty (Radiofrequency Ablation)

    • Uses radiofrequency energy to create controlled burns in the soft palate.
    • As the tissue heals and scars, it becomes stiffer.
    • This piecemeal burning of the soft palate is also now discouraged by many specialists due to limited benefit and potential discomfort.

All these techniques can be painful for at least 10 days, and none are guaranteed to stop snoring permanently. Careful evaluation by a sleep specialist and ENT surgeon is essential before considering surgery.

When to See a Doctor in Grand Rapids

Contact a healthcare provider if:

  • Your snoring is loud and nightly.
  • Your partner notices pauses in breathing, gasping, or choking during your sleep.
  • You wake up frequently, feel unrefreshed, or have morning headaches.
  • You are excessively sleepy during the day or have trouble staying awake while driving.
  • You have high blood pressure, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes along with snoring.

Local Resources

In Grand Rapids, you can seek help from:

  • Your primary care provider (family doctor or internist)
  • Sleep disorder clinics at:
    • Corewell Health (Spectrum Health)
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
    • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
    • Mercy Health
  • Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialists
  • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health resources for general health education and referrals

Key Points About Snoring in Grand Rapids

  • Snoring is common and often harmless, but it can seriously disturb sleep and relationships.
  • Snoring may be a symptom of sleep-disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea, which can increase the risk of serious health problems.
  • Simple measures—sleeping on your side, losing weight, avoiding alcohol before bed, and treating nasal congestion—can significantly reduce snoring.
  • Mandibular advancement splints are effective for many people and should be professionally fitted.
  • Surgical procedures exist but are not a guaranteed or permanent cure and are now used more selectively.
  • Residents in the Grand Rapids, MI area have access to high-quality evaluation and treatment through local hospitals, sleep clinics, and public health resources.

If you or your partner are concerned about snoring, schedule an appointment with a local Grand Rapids healthcare provider to discuss evaluation and treatment options tailored to your needs.