These are the top 20 cities in the UK with the most snorers

Brighton is the snoring capital of the UK, according to research.

A study of 2,000 UK adults found 67 per cent of residents in the south east city keep their partners and housemates awake with the nocturnal noise – significantly higher than the national average of 53 per cent.

But while it can sometimes be seen as a funny occurrence, 72 per cent of adults who snore or live with a snorer in Brighton have been left so tired it has affected their day-to-day life.

Of those, 40 per cent have snapped at someone and the same number have turned to high fat or sugar foods to keep them awake the next day.

Second place went to Glasgow with 63 per cent of its residents admitting to being a snorer, followed by Chelmsford, Aberdeen and Leicester (all 58 per cent).

But Liverpool was found to be the ‘quietest’ city with just 44 per cent of people being snorers.

Men snore more

It also emerged that of the UK adults who snore, men are the biggest culprits, with 59 per cent of guys admitting to being a snorer, compared to just 46 per cent of women.

While those aged 55-64 are most likely to snore (64 per cent), followed by 65 and overs (57 per cent) and 18-24-year-olds (53 per cent).

Dr Ellie Cannon, GP and Campaign Ambassador for nasal dilator www.mutesnoring.com, which commissioned the Global Snore Censuzz, said: “Sleep is hugely important for our physical and mental health.

“While snoring might seem like a light-hearted and funny thing, it can have a huge impact on the quality and length of people’s sleep – and it seems those in Brighton may be faring worse than most.

“If you are the one being kept awake by the snoring, it can be infuriating and leave you struggling the next day thanks to the time spent lying there trying to nod off.

“But it can also mean the person snoring is not getting the best quality sleep either – whether that’s from waking themselves up or from having their partner nudge them in the night.”

Growling and roaring

The study also found ‘a growl’ is the most common way people have had their snoring described to them (22 per cent), while 16 per cent have been told it resembles a roar.

Others have had comparisons with a train (13 per cent), thunder (15 per cent) and even Darth Vader (13 per cent).

But snoring has seen 51 per cent elbowed or kicked by their partner in bed in a bid to get them to stop, while 33 per cent have simply been woken up to quieten the noise.

Others have moved to a different room (25 per cent) or the sofa (16 per cent) to sleep or have used ear plugs (20 per cent).

The study, carried out via OnePoll, also found more than a third (35 per cent) of adults think snoring is the most annoying noise when you are awake at night or trying to get to sleep.

While snoring also topping the list of a partner’s most annoying habits, ahead of leaving clothes lying around, spending too much time on their phone and leaving lights on.

For one in 10, it has been so bad, they have even sought help from a medical professional for their or their partner’s snoring.

It also emerged Brits get an average of nearly six-and-a-half hours sleep a night, with 32 per cent also unhappy with the quality of it.

They also suffer broken sleep on four nights a week.

Steve Smith, UK director for www.mutesnoring.com, said: “Snoring can be so disruptive to our sleep – whether it’s you who snores or someone you live with.

“And our global report, designed to get under the skin of snoring and sleeping habits across the UK, USA and Australia shows that it is a widespread issue.

“Millions of people around the world are affected by it, and it is often wrongly regarded as something you have to put up with, despite there being different things you can try to help.

“Freeing up the airways with a nasal dilator like Mute to help your breathing while you sleep can really help some snorers to give them – and their partner a quieter night.”

Find yours at Boots, Amazon, Holland and Barrett online or www.mutesnoring.com

Cities with the most snorers (percentage of the population who snore)

1.            Brighton (67 per cent)

2.            Glasgow (63 per cent)

3.            Chelmsford (58 per cent)

4.            Aberdeen (58 per cent)

5.            Leicester (58 per cent)

6.            Cambridge (56 per cent)

7.            Cardiff (56 per cent)

8.            Norwich (54 per cent)

9.            Bristol (53 per cent)

10.          Southampton (52 per cent)

11.          Birmingham (52 per cent)

12.          Newcastle (51 per cent)

13.          Edinburgh (50 per cent)

14.          Leeds (50 per cent)

15.          Sheffield (50 per cent)

16.          London (49 per cent)

17.          Manchester (48 per cent)

18.          Plymouth (47 per cent)

19.          Belfast (47 per cent)

20.          Liverpool (44 per cent)

Dr Ellie Cannon's top five tips

1. Moving more can help you sleep better, but if you are a poor sleeper, exercise is best in the morning.

2. Regulate your sleep - sticking to a set bedtime and morning alarm can help fix a sleep routine for your body and teach your body when to rest.

3. Quiet, dark and cool is how your bedroom needs to be for the best night's sleep.

4. Snorers should sleep on their side to keep their breathing passages open and to help free up your airways. You can use a pillow to keep you on your side.

5. Smoking and drinking make snoring worse, so cut down for a better night’s sleep.

Top 10 ways people have had their snore described

1.            A growl

2.            A roar

3.            A train

4.            Thunder

5.            A saw

6.            Darth Vader

7.            A bumblebee

8.            A drill

9.            A jackhammer

10.          A car

Top 10 things people have done as a result of their partner's snoring

1. Kicked/ nudged/ elbowed them

2. Woke them up

3. Moved to another room to sleep

4. Gone to bed at a different time to them

5. Worn ear plugs/ used a noise cancelling machine to block out the noise

6. Videoed/ recorded them to prove they have been snoring

7. Made them sleep somewhere else

8. Shouted at them

9. Pinched their nose to wake them up/ stop them snoring

10. Slept on the sofa

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