Hey there, viewers! Don’t be disheartened if you snore. Around 40% of men and 24% of
women snore on the regular. But if snoring is disturbing your sleep and your relationship,
you HAVE to do something about it.
Snoring is a sign that there is a problem with airflow in your body. Either your airway
is too narrow, or the flow has been obstructed so that air flows through your throat. Relaxed
tissues in your throat vibrate and cause snoring.
In today’s video, we will be discussing ways to stop snoring. Can changing your pillow
be helpful? What about losing weight? What devices can you use?
We will be talking about all of this AND more…
Change your sleeping position
Have you ever been to a riverfront where water flows through a crevice? Even calm, silent
water makes noise when flowing through narrow passages. The same happens with the air coming
in and out as you breathe.
It could be your genetics making your airflow passage more narrow. Or perhaps your age is
causing less muscle tone in your throat. You can’t help these two factors unless you
get some intervention through surgery.
But there’s something you definitely can change. And that is your sleeping position.
Experts say many people have positional snoring. That is if you snore because of the way you
sleep. Your sleeping position obstructs the airflow and correcting it will solve your
snoring troubles.
The biggest culprit in such cases is sleeping on your back. This makes your tongue and the
soft tissues at the back of your throat slide back. As a result, your airway is blocked.
So what would be the ideal sleeping position?
Sleeping on your side is great. It becomes easier for the air to flow in and out without
having the tongue or tissues block your throat.
Try changing your pillow
Elevating your head can help keep your airways open. Various studies have found that doing
this while sleeping can cause drastic changes in your snoring and sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that causes your breathing to stop and start repeatedly
during your sleep. In case bending your neck is causing a restriction in the airflow, lying
flatter can help.
These days there are even anti-snoring pillows available on the market. There is a type of
pillow to encourage side sleeping. They have ridges to make you want to roll over on your
side.
Then there are foam wedge pillows that let you sleep on your back without waking you
or your partner up. You will be positioned in such a way that your airways will no longer
be obstructed by the tongue or soft tissues.
And of course, the realignment pillows are great options as well!
Are you finding the list useful so far? Well this next point will surely surprise you.
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Lose weight
I know how irritating it is to hear about going on a diet or exercise regimen every
time you have a health problem. But being within a healthy BMI range is definitely good
for your sound sleep.
When you are overweight, you have excess fat around your neck and chest. This puts pressure
on the muscles used for breathing. Even if you’re not obese, just having poor muscle
tone and fatty tissues around the neck and throat cause snoring.
Time to start jogging and lose some extra weight.
Nasal strips
Here is a simple and quick way to find temporary relief from snoring. You can get nasal strips
from a pharmacy.
These strips are placed on the bridge of your nose and stick onto either side firmly. Nasal
strips increase the air passage space, making it easier for you to breathe.
In case sticking on nasal strips isn’t your thing, you can try nasal dilators. They are
stiffened adhesive strips that decrease airflow resistance.
Before we move ahead, here’s another video you might like. Watch this to learn what which
foods you can eat to promote better sleep.
Watch your alcohol intake
A few drinks can definitely make your night fun. But unfortunately, those tall glasses
of wine and relaxing beers cost you sleep by worsening your snoring.
Alcohol slows down your brain, helping you sleep faster. But if you’re a habitual drinker,
it can cause snoring. As soon as the alcohol hits your system, it relaxes your throat and
neck muscles too.
As a result, your airways get blocked and it becomes difficult for the air to reach
your lungs. Now there’s an insufficient supply of air in your lungs, which causes
you to forcefully inhale. This means more vibrations and snoring.
Still not convinced?
If we dig deeper, alcohol will present more problems leading directly to snoring. You
might feel alcohol is making you sleep faster. But in reality, it blocks you from attaining
the special deep sleep that is the REM sleep.
The fast sleep triggered by alcohol goes in as quickly as it came. You’re more likely
to wake up in the middle of the night. It also causes dryness in your throat muscles
and mouth. This dehydrating effect of alcohol makes you snore even louder.
Treat your allergies
If you’re not breathing properly through your nose, you are more likely to snore. So
you need to solve nasal congestion first and give the air a clear passage to reach your
lungs.
Long term congestion caused by cold, allergies and sinus makes it harder to breathe. You
will end up forcing suction. This contributes to snoring.
Get medication for your allergies. Use decongestants or products that open up your nasal passage.
Anything that helps your allergies is great for your snoring too!
Address structural problems in your nose
Unfortunately, snoring can be caused by structural problems. If that’s the case, nothing else
will help. No matter how costly your pillow is, or how many sleeping positions you try,
you will still snore.
The only way out of snoring is by correcting the structural problems. And this often is
indicated through a deviated septum.
A deviated septum is the misalignment of the center wall of your nose that separates both
nostrils. This can be caused by an injury or present by birth. Due to the misalignment,
the airflow from your nose will be restricted.
This means you will be breathing from your mouth during sleep, leading to snoring. In
such cases, surgery will be needed to correct this condition.
Your muscle relaxants might be the culprit
Are you taking medications for pain, anxiety, or sleep? All of these meds contain muscle
relaxants that cause obstruction in the airflow.
This happens because they relax the muscles in your throat as well. And when the back
of your throat is way too relaxed, it gets difficult for air to get through during sleep.
Talk to your doctor if you are taking these meds and you’ve started noticing your snoring
getting worse. It can also cause irregular breathing patterns while you’re asleep.
Your breathing will start and stop irregularly throughout the night.
Quit smoking
If you smoke, you snore. It’s that simple.
If you are a long-term smoker, the fumes and chemicals will irritate the lining of your
throat and nose. The airflow passage gets blocked, causing snoring every time you sleep.
It is easier said than done to quit smoking. But isn’t a snore-less sleep worth it?
Increase Humidity
Before going to bed, check the humidity in your room. When humidity is too low, it can
cause dryness and stuffiness in your nose. This of course leads you to snore.
Dry air irritates the lining of your nose and increases allergy symptoms. You can combat
this problem by installing a humidifier, which easily maintains humidity levels between 40
to 50%. This will soothe your airways.
The inflammation in your air passage will reduce, and the snoring will stop or be considerably
less.
Oral Appliances can help
There are oral appliances available on the market that keep your air passage open. These
are usually dental mouthpieces that make it easier for you to breathe. You can take an
appointment with your dentist and get one of these devices.
They can be super helpful in stopping your snoring.
Continuous positive airway pressure machine
If you have tried almost every other trick, continuous positive airway pressure machines,
also known as CPAP machines, can be used.
You will have a pressurized air mask to wear over your nose. This mask will keep your airways
open and allow an easier passage for air.
Somnoplasty
Never heard of it? I was in the same boat. It turns out this is a new treatment available
to correct snoring. Low-intensity radio waves will be used to shrink the soft tissues located
in the back roof of your mouth. This helps reduce snoring.
Do you snore? Would you consider any of these tips in order to stop it? Let us know in the
comments below. We would love to hear from you!