Aaand breathe...

Can a magnetic nasal strip open your airways, improve your breathing and stop you snoring?

- IAN TAYLOR

You've always made a lot of noise in your sleep," my adoring wife tells me as we get ready for bed. “That's why I have to wear these.”

Over on her side of the bed, she's fitting industrial-grade plugs into her ears. On mine, I'm placing a magnetic strip over the bridge of my nose to see if it'll help with the decibel levels. I'm a snorer (or so she tells me). The reason I'm fixing magnets to my face is, hopefully, to do something about it and improve my sleep and hers.

The strip is called Airo and costs £60. It's a curved piece of hard plastic with magnets on both ends. These attach to smaller magnets that I've just stuck to my face, one on either side of my nose, just above the nostrils. As they clip together, the magnets lift my nostrils slightly. It feels weird, but not in a bad way. It's like my airways have been opened up, mechanically, to make it easier to breathe.

THE PROBLEM'S UNDER YOUR NOSE

Why might I need such a device? Well, one of the charming physical quirks I was born with is a deviated septum. It's probably the reason my wife resorts to expensive ear defenders to help her sleep. A deviated septum (which as many as 70 per cent of people have) is linked to snoring, sleep apnea, breathing problems and disordered smell.