If you snore when you sleep, you belong to the nearly 50% of American adults with the same problem. Air flows through your throat when you breathe in your sleep, causing relaxed tissues to vibrate and cause irritating, snoring noises. It’s an irritating problem for people who have to sleep in the general vicinity, not necessarily the snorer. Aside from the embarrassment factor, snoring can also indicate a more serious health condition.
Snoring can either be benign or more serious. You may find that you can stop snoring if you experiment with the following remedies. In some cases, however, it may be necessary for you to see a doctor to address an underlying condition.
Sleep On Your Side
It’s quite common for back sleepers to snore. When you lay on your back, it’s easy to misalign the neck with the rest of the body, leading to a blockage of air movement and causing snoring. When you sleep on your side, it’s very uncommon to snore because air flows more easily in this position. You can wedge a pillow between your knees to get more comfortable if side sleeping is unnatural.
Avoid Certain Foods
The foods you eat before bed may dictate whether you snore or not. Many doctors say that eating dairy products or spicy foods before bed increases the chance of snoring. If you’re sensitive to lactose, avoid dairy before bed to minimize or stop snoring at night. Spicy foods tend to have an inflammatory effect on the throat, which also contributes to snoring.
Get To A Healthier Weight
If you are overweight or obese, losing weight is a great first step to better overall health. Overweight or obese people have a greater risk of snoring because of the amount of tissue in the throat that may cause snoring. Additionally, overweight or obese people have a higher risk of sleep apnea, which also leads to snoring. You can promote weight loss by exercising every day for at least 30 minutes. In addition to exercise, you also need to reform your diet and focus on portion control. Consider speaking with a nutritionist for this reason.
Quit Smoking And Drinking
In addition to worsening overall health, alcohol and cigarettes also increase the risk of snoring. Smoking irritates the airways and can make snoring worse. Alcohol, on the other hand, relaxes the throat muscles, making them more prone to vibration. If you drink alcohol at night, sleep experts say to stop consuming it at least two hours before bedtime to reduce the risk of snoring.
Avoid Sedatives
Sleeping pills or other sedative medications can induce a night of long, deep sleep, which is attractive to may people with sleep troubles. Similar to alcohol, sleeping pills have a relaxing effect on the throat muscles, which can cause snoring. There are other healthy ways to relax the body and promote better sleep. Click here to learn more.
Use Nasal Strips
Stick-on nasal strips help to elevate the bridge of the nose, which increases the space in the nasal passage. This is why it’s common to use nasal strips while experiencing a runny or stuffy nose. Breathing becomes easier and more effective, which eliminates or reduces snoring. If you don’t want to use nasal strips, you can try to experiment with a nasal dilator. This is a stiffened adhesive strip that you apply on top of the nose across the nostrils. It can decrease airflow resistance, which makes it easier to breathe.
Mandibular Advancement Device
If a person’s tongue partially blocks the back of the throat during sleep, it’s common to snore. A mandibular advancement device is something that you wear in the mouth, and it helps to bring the tongue forward to create more space in the throat to reduce snoring.
