How loud is snoring?
Snoring typically peaks at about 45 to 60 dB. In a 2020 study in the journal Sleep, snoring exceeded 45 dB(A) in 66% of 162 habitual snorers and passed 53 dB(A) in 14%, measured 65 cm above the bed to match a bed partner's position. Mean maximum levels ranged from 46.3 dB in people without sleep apnoea to 60.5 dB in severe cases.
- Level
- 45–61.7 dBA maxA-weighted maximum sound level
- Distance
- 0.65 m65 cm above the bed (bed partner's head)
- Daily limit
- No daily limitNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 1/8.2 energyabout 1.9× quieter
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Peak sound of snoring breaths in sleep-lab studies. Sowho et al. (2020) measured dB(A) 65 cm above the bed; Maimon and Hanly (2010) report mean maximum levels (weighting and distance not stated); a 1999 study measured 50 cm in front of the mouth (weighting not stated).
Snoring is the sound of soft tissue in a partly blocked upper airway vibrating as air is drawn in. Sowho and colleagues (Sleep, 2020) measured each breath with a calibrated A-weighted meter fixed 65 cm above the head of the bed, to approximate the distance to a bed partner, in rooms with background noise of 35 dB(A) or less. Two thirds of habitual snorers produced snoring above 45 dB(A), a level linked with sleep disruption, and 14% exceeded 53 dB(A).
Loud snoring often points to obstructive sleep apnoea. In 1,643 habitual snorers studied by Maimon and Hanly (Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2010), mean maximum snoring intensity rose steadily from 46.3 dB in people without apnoea to 60.5 dB in those with very severe apnoea. Snoring was louder in men, in people with a higher BMI or larger neck, and when lying on the back.
Position makes a clear difference. A 1999 study measuring 50 cm in front of the mouth found an average of 61.7 dB lying on the back and 53.7 dB lying on the side.
Is it safe?
Below 85 dBA, the level NIOSH allows for a full 8-hour day. At this level, sound is not a hearing risk however long it lasts, though it can still disturb sleep or concentration.
Protecting your hearing
For bed partners, foam earplugs or a quiet masking sound help. Side-sleeping reduces snoring for many people. Very loud or gasping snoring is worth raising with a GP, as it can be a sign of sleep apnoea.
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).
- Private office (32–34.8 dBA): this has about 99× its sound energy and sounds about 4.0× as loud.
- Refrigerator (40–43 dBA): this has about 15× its sound energy and sounds about 2.3× as loud.
- Classroom (35–77 dBA): it has about 1.8× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Microwave oven (55–59 dBA): it has about 2.3× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): conversation has about 8.2× the energy of this.
Questions
How loud is loud snoring?
Above about 53 dB(A) at the bed partner's position is loud: only 14% of habitual snorers in a 2020 Sleep study reached it, and almost all of them had sleep apnoea.
Is snoring louder on your back?
Yes. One study found 61.7 dB on the back versus 53.7 dB on the side, measured 50 cm from the mouth.
Sources
- Snoring: a source of noise pollution and sleep apnea predictor, Sleep. Supports: dB_low: 45 dB(A); 53 dB(A).
Snoring intensity exceeded 45 dB(A) in 66% of the 162 participants studied, with 14% surpassing the 53 dB(A) threshold for noise pollution.
Checked 2026-11-02. - Snoring: a source of noise pollution and sleep apnea predictor, Sleep. Supports: distance: 65 cm.
Sound was measured by a monitor mounted 65 cm over the head of the bed on an overnight sleep study.
Checked 2026-11-02. - Does snoring intensity correlate with the severity of obstructive sleep apnea?, Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. Supports: 46.3 to 60.5 dB mean maximum.
Snoring intensity increased progressively across all 5 categories of AHI frequency and ranged from 46.3 ± 3.6 db in patients with AHI < 5 to 60.5 ± 6.4 db in those with AHI > 50.
Checked 2026-11-02. - Intensity of snoring in patients with sleep-related breathing disorders, Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. Supports: dB_high: 61.7 dB at 50 cm.
The mean intensity of snoring at 50 cm in front of the mouth was 61.7 dB in the supine position and 53.7 dB in the lateral position.
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.