You may be among the 45% of normal adults who snore at
least occasionally or you likely know someone who does. He
(or she) may be the brunt of jokes at family gatherings but
snoring is serious business. For one, a snoring spouse often
keeps the other person from a good night's sleep, which can
eventually lead to separate bedrooms. "Snoring can create real
problems in a marriage," says Daniel P. Slaughter, MD, an
otolaryngologist and snoring expert at Capital Otolaryngology
in Austin, Texas.
Not only is snoring a nuisance, but 75% of people who snore
have obstructive sleep apnea (when breathing is disrupted
during sleep or short periods), which increases the risk of
developing heart disease.
Try these natural solutions and lifestyle changes which may
help you stop snoring.
1. Change Your Sleep Position.
Lying on your back makes the base of your tongue and soft
palate collapse to the back wall of your throat, causing a
vibrating sound during sleep. Sleeping on your side may help
prevent this. "A body pillow (a full-length pillow that
supports your entire body) provides an easy fix," Slaughter
says. "It enables you to maintain sleeping on your side and
can make a dramatic difference."
Taping tennis balls to the back of your pajamas can also stop
you from sleeping on your back, Chokroverty says. "Or you
can recline the bed with the head up and extended, which
opens up nasal airway passages and may help prevent snoring.
This may cause neck pain, however." If snoring continues
regardless of the sleep position, obstructive sleep apnea may
be a cause. "See a doctor in this case," Chokroverty says.
2. Lose Weight.
Weight loss helps some people but not everyone. "Thin
people snore, too," Slaughter says.
If you've gained weight and started snoring and did not snore
before you gained weight, weight loss may help. "If you gain
weight around your neck, it squeezes the internal diameter of
the throat, making it more likely to collapse during sleep,
triggering snoring,"..
3. Avoid Alcohol.
Alcohol and sedatives reduce the resting tone of the muscles
in the back of your throat, making it more likely you'll snore.
"Drinking alcohol four to five hours before sleeping makes
snoring worse," Chokroverty says. "People who don't
normally snore will snore after drinking alcohol."
4. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene.
Poor sleep habits (also known as poor sleep "hygiene") can
have an effect similar to that of drinking alcohol, Slaughter
says. Working long hours without enough sleep, for example,
means when you finally hit the sack you're overtired. "You sleep hard and deep, and the muscles become floppier, which
creates snoring,".
5. Open Nasal Passages.
If snoring starts in your nose, keeping nasal passages open
mayhelp. It allows air to move through slower, Slaughter
says. "Imagine a narrow garden hose with water running
through. The narrower the hose, the faster the water rushes through."
Your nasal passages work similarly. If your nose is clogged or
narrowed due to a cold or other blockage, the fast-moving air
is more likely to produce snoring. A hot shower before you go
to bed can help open nasal passages. Also, keep a bottle of
saltwater rinse in the shower. "Rinse your nose out with it
while you're showering to help open up passages," Slaughter
says.
6. Change Your Pillows.
Allergens in your bedroom and in your pillow may contribute
to snoring. When did you last dust the overhead ceiling fan?
Replace your pillows?
Dust mites accumulate in pillows and can cause allergic
reactions that can lead to snoring. Allowing pets to sleep on
the bed causes you to breathe in animal dander, another
common irritant.
"If you feel fine during the day but obstructed at night, these
things may be contributing to your snoring," Slaughter says.
Put your pillows in the air fluff cycle once every couple
weeks and replace them every six months to keep dust mites and allergens to a minimum. And keep pets out of the bedroom.
7. Stay Well Hydrated.
Drink plenty of fluids. "Secretions in your nose and soft
palate become stickier when you're dehydrated," Slaughter
says. "This can create more snoring." According to the
Institute of Medicine, healthy women should have about 11
cups of total water (from all drinks and food) a day; men require about 16 cups. Overall, get enough sleep, sleep on your side, avoid alcohol before bedtime and take a hot shower if nasal passages are clogged, Slaughter says. "These simple practices can make a huge difference in reducing snoring."
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