The sleep and snoring survey results come in advance of World Sleep Day, which is March 18
NEW YORK—March 9, 2022—The American Northeast is known for being home to Niagara Falls, beautiful fall colors, and delicious clam chowder. According to new research, it is also home to more snorers than any other region of the country.
Commissioned by Rhinomed nasal dilator brand Mute and conducted by OnePoll, the survey of 2,000 Americans found 53% of residents in New York, Washington, Connecticut, and the surrounding states keep their partners and housemates awake with the annoying nocturnal noise more than any other region in the country. While it can sometimes be seen as something to laugh about, 46% of the region’s adults who snore or live with a snorer have been left so tired it has affected their day-to-day life, with 25% having snapped at someone and more than one in 10 (11%) having turned to high fat or sugary foods to stay awake.
Conversely, those in the American West are least likely to snore, with just 47% admitting to the aggravating habit. On average, the study shows that 51% of American adults snore, and it’s rattling nerves. In fact, according to the survey, 21% of those who live with a snorer think snoring is their partner’s most annoying trait. This is closely followed by leaving clothes and shoes lying around and spending too much time on their phone, each of which garnered 20% of the responses.
In a battle of the sexes, it turns out that 57% of men are snorers as compared to 46% of women. And when it comes to age, it’s a close race. The study shows that 59% of snorers are aged 45 to 54, 56% are aged 35 to 44, and 54% are aged 55 to 64.
Just what does all that droning din sound like? Twenty-one percent of snorers say their snoring has been compared to a growl, 16% a saw, 10% a roar, another 10% a train, and 8% Darth Vader.
“Sleep is critically important for our physical and mental health,” explained the “Sleep Doctor” Dr. Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., campaign ambassador for Mute. “While snoring might seem like a light-hearted and funny occurrence it can have a significant impact on the quality and length of people’s sleep, and it seems those in the Northeast are faring worse than most. If you are the one being kept awake by snoring, it can be infuriating and leave you struggling the next day due to the time spent 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.”
Nudging – and kicking and elbowing, it turns out, is the most common action partners of snorers take when trying to catch some z’s (39%), followed by waking the snorer up (31%), moving to a different room (23%), and using ear plugs (13%). For nearly one in 10 (9%) survey participants, the noise is so bad, they have sought help from a medical professional for their own or their partner’s snoring.
Mute’s survey also revealed that Americans get an average of less than six hours of sleep per night, which is much less than the seven to nine hours recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); and 37% are unhappy with the quality of the limited sleep.
“Snoring can be so disruptive to our sleep, whether we’re the snorer or our partner is,” said John Ende, executive vice president for Mute. “In fact, our global report, designed to get under the skin of snoring and sleeping habits across the UK, US and Australia, shows snoring is rattling nerves – and perhaps windows—in households around the globe. Millions of people worldwide are affected by snoring, and many aren’t aware that there are a wide range of all-natural and drug-free solutions that can help. Freeing up the airways with a nasal dilator like Mute to improve breathing during sleep is one way some snorers, and their partners, can enjoy a quieter night’s sleep.”
About Mute
Mute is an FDA-approved nasal dilator that sits comfortably inside the nose, increasing airflow, improving breathing, and reducing snoring. The winner of a 2021 Health Sleep Award, Mute improved breathing for 78% of users in a product trial and reduced snoring for 75% of users. Mute is available in three sizes and can be adjusted to each nostril so it fits noses of virtually any size or shape. Mute costs around $20 and is available online at www.mutesnoring.com and www.amazon.com and in select Rite Aid, Walgreens and CVS locations. The Mute brand is owned by Rhinomed, a global medical device company enhancing respiration, sleep, the diagnosis of upper respiratory disease, and nasal drug delivery.