Snoring isn't just hard on the ears. Chronic form of snoring, known as obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, is hard on the heart as well. The good news is, curing chronic snoring dramatically reduces the patient's risk of serious heart problems, according to a team of researchers from Germany's University of Bochum.

"Treating sleep apnoea reduces the cardiovascular risk by 64 percent," said lead researcher Nikolaus Buchner. "And that's regardless of the degree of apnoea, the subject's age or any history of cardiovascular problems."

People with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome stop breathing for at least 10 seconds, five times an hour or more. The sound that sometimes rival a chainsaw going through wood is produced when the breathing resumes. But a more serious problem develops not only from chronic fatigue due to poor sleep, but also from the stressful effect it has on the cardiovascular system.

The standard treatment for sleep apnoea is called continuous positive airway pressure. It is a nose and mouth mask that delivers air continuously to keep the airways open. The mask has become an alternative course of action for tracheostomy, or creating a temporary opening in the windpipe.

At the world's first snoring farm, the UK's loudest snorers were recorded with one volunteer emitting a 103 decibel snore - beating the previous world record of 98 decibels.