How loud is the loudest snore?
Guinness World Records lists Kåre Walkert of Sweden, who has sleep apnoea, as recording peak snoring levels of 93 dBA while asleep at Örebro Regional Hospital on 24 May 1993. The page does not give the microphone distance.
- Level
- 93 dBA maxA-weighted maximum sound level
- Daily limit
- 1 h 16 min a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 1,122× energyabout 8.3× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Guinness World Records: peak levels of 93 dBA recorded while sleeping at Örebro Regional Hospital, Sweden, on 24 May 1993. Microphone distance not stated.
The record was measured in a hospital rather than at a bedside at home. Guinness World Records notes that Kåre Walkert has apnoea, a breathing disorder, and that research has linked snoring to differences in lung capacity and the shape of the pharynx, which tends to be smaller in snorers.
93 dBA is an A-weighted figure, so it can be compared with everyday noise readings. Without a stated distance it is a record claim rather than a guide to how loud a snorer is from the other side of the bed.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 1 h 16 min a day at 93 dBA. OSHA's legal limit is 5 h 17 min. This is a maximum, so a time limit based on it is a worst case.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 dBA | 1 h 16 min | 5 h 17 min | 24 min | 1 h 16 min |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
For a loud snorer's partner, well-fitted foam earplugs help. Very loud snoring can be a sign of sleep apnoea, which is worth raising with a doctor.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- London Underground (80–100 dBA): this has about 2× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Petrol lawn mower (85.5–95.9 dBA): this has about 1.7× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Tractor (91.7–100 dBA): it has about 1.9× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Leaf blower (86.4–106 dBA): it has about 2.1× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 1,122× its energy and sounds about 8.3× as loud.
Questions
What is the loudest snore ever recorded?
93 dBA, recorded by Kåre Walkert of Sweden at Örebro Regional Hospital in 1993, according to Guinness World Records.
Why are some people such loud snorers?
Guinness World Records cites research linking snoring to lung capacity and pharynx shape, with a smaller pharynx in snorers. The record holder has apnoea.
Sources
- Loudest snoring, Guinness World Records. Supports: 93 dBA.
recorded peak levels of 93 dBA whilst sleeping at the Örebro Regional Hospital, Sweden on 24 May 1993
Checked 2026-11-02.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.