Forty-five percent of normal adults snore at least occasionally, and 25 percent are habitual snorers. The problem is more frequent with males and those who are overweight, and worsen with age.

Cures for snoring vary widely, ranging from sewing a tennis ball into a snorer's pajama back to electric shock mechanisms that give the snorer an unpleasant jolt. Most of these remedies and devices are based upon some sort of sleep behavior modification, with the presumption that a person can be trained or conditioned not to snore. Unfortunately, the snorer has no control whatsoever over snoring, and if these devices do work, it is probably because they keep the snorer awake.