How to Stop Snoring: 10 Ways to End Noisy Nights
Snoring – it’s something we’ve all heard at some stage or another. Perhaps it has become a source of annoyance for you or your partner, disrupting sleep and creating tension in the home. But what if there were ways to halt it — or even just lessen it, so you can get peaceful, uninterrupted nights?
Snoring isn’t just annoying. It can indicate more serious health problems. The good news is there are many ways to approach it. So, if you’re ready to finally stop snoring (or, at least, take some major steps to minimizing it), here’s 10 ways you can help kick those noisy nights to the curb.
Change Your Sleep Position
Do you also notice you snore more when sleeping on your back? That’s because lying flat can cause your tongue and soft tissues in your throat to relax and partially obstruct your airway, resulting in snoring. Sleeping on one’s side may help prevent this.
Pro Tip: Get a body pillow or sew a tennis ball into the back of your pajamas to keep you from rolling onto your back while you sleep.
Lose Weight (If Needed) -
If you are overweight, particularly around the neck, this fat can press on the airways and promote more snoring. To be clear, losing weight does not automatically resolve snoring, but it can decrease the severity of it.
So eat healthily and follow an exercise regimen, which can not only help you with your waistline but can have a positive impact on your sleep as well.
Avoid Alcohol Before Bed -
That glass of wine or bottle of beer before you go to bed might feel calming, but alcohol can be a muscle relaxant, and it can relax the muscles in the throat too much, making snoring more likely. Avoiding alcohol (and sedatives) at least two hours before bedtime is advisable.
Practice Good Sleep Hygiene -
Keeping regular hours might further help consolidate your sleep, and thereby reduce snoring, he added. Try to sleep 7–9 hours every night. If you're well rested, your body and muscles are less likely to over-relax and snore.
Open Your Nasal Passages -
Snoring frequently happens when airflow is obstructed in the nose, particularly when you’re congested. Using a saline nasal spray, nasal decongestants or even a humidifier in your bedroom can help open your nasal passages and make breathing easier.
Tip: Sleep with an elevated head to help gravity help get the air in better.
If you’re dehydrated, the tissues in your throat can become tacky and lead to snoring. So be sure to drink a lot of water throughout the day to keep everything moving and functioning properly.
If you suffer from allergies, they may be behind your snoring as well, as they are known to cause nasal congestion. Antihistamines, allergy medicine, or even natural solutions like essential oils can help clear your sinuses and reduce snoring.
Smoking irritates the airways and can cause inflammation in the throat, which can make snoring worse. Giving up smoking is not only good for your general health, it may well help to tone down the volume and frequency of your snoring.
Wear an Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece -
An oral appliance, or mandibular advancement device (MAD), functions by realigning your jaw and your tongue to keep your airway open while you sleep. These devices can be adjusted to match your mouth, which can cease the fluttering sound that pushes warning signals.
If you've attempted all of the above and your snoring is still giving you grief, it might be time to speak with a healthcare professional. Certain conditions, such as sleep apnea (which is a serious condition in which a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep), can play a factor in snoring. A sleep study or something medical may be needed for any underlying issues.
Snoring doesn’t have to be a lifelong habit. With a little work and some life changes, you can drastically cut or even eliminate those noisy evenings. There are plenty of solutions out there, from changing your sleep position to seeking medical advice. Try these tips out and pick and choose what works best for you!