f you or your spouse is plagued by snoring, heave a sigh of relief. A surgical procedure called somnoplasty may be the answer to your nighttime prayers. People snore because floppy tissue in their airways relaxes and vibrates during sleep. If you snore loudly and frequently and don't have any other breathing disorders, you may be a candidate for somnoplasty. Somnoplasty uses radio frequency energy to stiffen and reduce the area of tissue that vibrates. This outpatient procedure is painless, and recovery is quick. However, it may need to be repeated to eliminate snoring altogether. If you'd like to learn more about somnoplasty, see your doctor. Before the procedure is done, it's important that sleep apnea (episodes of breathing cessation during sleep) be eliminated as the cause of your snoring. Somnoplasty doesn't cure sleep apnea. © Your HealthStyle, 1999.