Myth. Up to half of adults snore regularly, but only about 2%-4% have obstructive sleep apnea. The big difference between the two is that if you have apnea, you stop breathing over and over through the night, sometimes hundreds of times. Things like nasal congestion or the shape of your mouth and throat can cause run-of-the-mill snoring. Apnea is much more serious — it’s linked to health problems like heart disease, and it needs a doctor’s treatment.

Fact. People of any age, even kids, can snore. But as you get older, your throat muscles and tongue relax even more while you’re sleeping. That makes them vibrate as you breathe — and that’s what causes snoring.