Jane Elliott BBC News Online health staff

Pauline has snored for 20 years

And was so embarrassed by the snoring that she could not go away to stay with friends, in case they heard.

"The snoring was so loud my daughter said she could hear it when she was outside.

Shame

"I had black bags under my eyes and I would not feel as if I had had a sleep.

"I felt so ashamed by my snoring that I would not go and stay with friends.

"It is alright staying in a hotel though because you can pretend that the snoring is someone else."

I felt so ashamed by my snoring Pauline Mills

Eventually after 20 years of snoring Pauline heard about Chin-up strips, which close her mouth when she is sleeping and eliminate the snoring.

"I had tried various things and the doctor had said to me that if I kept my mouth closed that I would not snore.

"I had even tried tying a scarf around my mouth, but the scarf had fallen off.

"I am very much overweight, but I have found it very difficult to lose weight.

Relationships

"I am sleeping better now and I am able to tackle things a lot better.

"Before I could feel myself wanting to drop off to sleep all the time.

"I can't recommend these strips highly enough they have made such a difference to my life and to my husband's."

What can cause snoring Overeating and lack of exercise Alcohol, smoking and sleeping pills Sleeping position and allergies to dust and dust mites

As part of National Stop Snoring Week the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association are hoping to alert other snorers and their families to the fact that there could be an end to their torment.

A spokeswoman for the association explained that snoring, which affects 30 million people in the UK, was wrecking relationships.

"We get quite a lot of calls from men who say that their first marriage ended in divorce because of their snoring and that now they have a new partner and they don't want the same thing to happen again.

"Without sleep you are irritable and that does not help relationships.

Treatment

"Snoring is a treatable complaint but people do not realise that.

"People think that it is something that everybody does and that they need to put up with it."