A Pill taken at bedtime could stop snoring for good.  

The new tablet eases the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) — which affects up to millions  people around the world, causing heavy snoring and, sometimes, interrupted breathing.

U.S. scientists developing the new pill say the initial  results from clinical trials suggest the night-time pill may ease these problems by up to 74 per cent.

Both men and women can get OSA, but it is most common in men over the age of 40;obesity is one of the main risk factors. It occurs when the muscles in the airway, which naturally relax as we fall asleep, completely collapse.

The snoring sound is caused by air being forced through a smaller gap in the throat and, when the muscles collapse completely, this can shut off breathing for ten seconds or more.

When the brain realizes breathing has stopped, it sends out a signal to contract the airway muscles, which normally makes the person wake with a jolt.

In severe cases, sleep can be disturbed every couple of minutes.

The new tablet, currently code-named AD109, contains two existing medications.

The first, atomoxetine, has been around for nearly 20 years and is widely used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, by increasing levels of a brain chemical called noradrenaline, which helps to improve concentration.

The other drug, oxybutynin, is usually prescribed to patients with urinary incontinence, stopping embarrassing leaks by reducing spasms in muscles thatcontrol the bladder.