Snoring, and other noises at night such as gasping and choking are caused by your airways narrowing at the back of the throat as the brain is trying to rest at night.

Snoring, gasping, popping noises, choking and stop/start breathing are all part of the snoring and sleep apnoea spectrum.  They may just appear to be a nuisance to bed partners or roommates, but they are also indicative of a sleep disorder which will cause broken sleep with more awakenings then there should be, leading to lack of refreshment, tiredness and fatigue.  Conservative treatments for snoring include overcoming potentially reversible factors, such as improving nasal congestion, pursuing weight loss and modifying body positioning to more side and upright sleep.  

There are also a number of over-the-counter type treatments which can be useful.  More specialised treatments include mandibular advancement splints (custom made dental mouthguards), CPAP treatment, and selective surgeries targeting the nose or throat.  An expert assessment usually includes sleep testing to ascertain the amount of abnormality and disruption to normal sleep.  This then leads to a plan which can encompass basic manoeuvres addressing potentially reversible factors, as well as more specialised treatments appropriate for you.