Snoring is annoying. When the sound is loud, it can annoy your partner, roommates, and (in extreme cases) even neighbors. Snoring is common: The Sleep Foundation estimates that 90 million American adults (37% of the adult population) snore, and 37 million of them are regular snorers. If you or your partner is working on a snoring problem, read on. You can reduce the intensity of snoring by changing your habits.
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Method 1 of 4: Changing Habits
Step 1. Understand first, why you snore
There are various causes of snoring, and you need to understand the root of the problem if you want to find the right solution. First of all: ask your partner or roommate if you snore with your mouth open or closed.
- If you snore with your mouth wide open, your windpipe may be partially blocked. When you sleep, the muscles in your throat relax--and sometimes so weak that air can't flow. You are not aware of the stutter reaching for the air, this is what causes snoring. An obstructed throat passage can be a symptom of a variety of health problems, from sleep disturbances to sinus infections.
- Snoring with your mouth closed indicates that your tongue may be blocking the airway in your esophagus, especially if you sleep on your back.
Step 2. Block the sleeping position
If you like sleeping on your back, buy extra pillows and back support when lying down, rather than lying on your back. This helps keep the esophagus unobstructed.
- Consider elevating the head of the bed. There is a mattress and bed frame that can be adjusted in position or the seat, so that the head can be lifted with the press of a button. If you have an adjustable bed like that, use it!
- If you don't have such a bed, consider elevating the headboard yourself. Place a 2x4 plank or brick under each foot of the headboard. Make sure the slope is not too steep so you don't slip, and also make sure the bed is stable before trying to sleep.
Step 3. Try sleeping on your side
If you sleep on your back, your tongue will fall over your throat, blocking your airway and causing snoring.
Experiment with different sleeping positions on your side and stomach. Find out which one is the best. If you feel comfortable in that position, you are less likely to go back to sleeping on your back
Step 4. Sew a tennis ball on the back of a shirt and wear it to sleep
So, when the body rolls to your back, the tennis ball will wake you up. In this way, you will slowly be able to train yourself not to sleep on your back.
Step 5. Don't drink alcohol before bed
Alcohol weakens the muscles, weakens the muscles that keep the airway open, and thus blocks the intake of air. Your body compensates for this blocking by inhaling too much air, this is what causes snoring.
After all, alcohol makes sleeping uncomfortable and easy to startle
Step 6. Avoid consuming cannabis before bed
Marijuana, like alcohol, weakens the throat muscles and causes snoring. The effect is also similar to alcohol if used before bed, which makes people unable to enter the deep (REM) zone, tend to be surprised, nervous and restless when the morning comes.
If you smoke cannabis like a cigarette, the smoke can also be a contributing factor to your snoring problem. Smoking habits can irritate the skin in the nose and throat. This makes it dry and blocks the air passage
Step 7. Avoid using prescription sleeping pills
Sleeping pills and anesthetics relax the throat muscles, just like alcohol and cannabis, blocking the airway and stimulating snoring.
Step 8. Avoid eating heavy meals before bed
It can also relax the esophageal muscles, causing you to snore.
Step 9. Consider losing weight
Weight gain can add to the skin and fat tissue in the neck. This tissue strangles the air spaces, creating the vibrations we know as snoring. Weight loss has many health benefits, not just eliminating snoring!
Step 10. Don't smoke
Smoking can irritate the skin in the nose and throat, blocking the airways. If you are a heavy smoker with a chronic snoring problem, consider quitting or cutting down on smoking.
Smoking can block the airway, swell the mucous membranes in the nose, swell the tissue in the throat, and block small blood vessels in the lungs
Step 11. Sing
We snore when the loose muscle tissue in the esophagus relaxes and blocks the airway. Regular singing practice can strengthen the muscles of the esophagus and mouth, making the esophagus not easy to close at night.
- This method can be especially good for elderly snorers whose throat muscles weaken with age.
- If you don't like singing, consider doing some tongue and throat stretches. How: stick out the tongue as far as possible, then relax. Repeat 10 times. Stick out your tongue again, then try to touch your chin with the tip of your tongue. Stand. Repeat, but now try to touch the tip of the nose. Repeat 10 times.
Method 2 of 4: Solving Sinus Problems
Step 1. Treat nasal congestion
If your nose is stuffy and it's hard to breathe, you may be snoring at night to compensate for the lack of airflow. If you have a severe sinus infection, talk to your doctor about treating it.
Step 2. Try taking a medication containing a decongestant or antihistamine if you suspect a nasal blockage is causing your snoring
Use this as a temporary solution only as prolonged use can trigger health problems.
- Gargle with a peppermint-flavoured mouthwash to shrink the lining in your nose and throat. This is especially effective if your snoring is temporary, due to the flu or allergies.
- Change sheets and pillowcases frequently to get rid of allergens in the bedroom. Clean the floor from dust with a vacuum, lower and wash the curtains, clean the whole room from dust. Many respiratory infections are caused by germs flying around us.
Step 3. Use a humidifier to humidify the bedroom
When you breathe in dry air, the airways tighten, reducing the amount of air that can pass through. If your bedroom is very dry, you will snore to compensate for the situation.
Step 4. Use a sinus/nose rinse to remove any dust and mucus that has built up in the nose
Most pharmacies sell saline solutions in bottles, and some of these solutions are medicated with decongestants to amplify their effects. Use this decongestant spray or nasal decongestant infrequently, as it can dry out your nose if you use it too often.
- Take a shower or take a warm bath before going to bed so that your airways don't dry out. Hot and humid air will help loosen mucus from the sinuses and keep it from blocking the airway.
- As previously suggested, elevate the head of the bed or sleep with an extra pillow. This helps reduce the amount of mucus that drains and blocks the airway.
Step 5. Consider using nasal strips or nasal tape to reduce snoring noise levels while treating sinus problems
This adhesive tape can make snoring smoother, but it doesn't really solve the problem.
Nasal pads are available at many pharmacies. Follow the directions for use on the packaging box and apply the tape to the outside of the nose. It works by lifting and opening the nostrils to increase air traffic
Method 3 of 4: Discuss with your partner about the habit of snoring
Step 1. Carefully speak
If you talk to your partner or roommate about their habit of snoring, try to do so in a constructive manner. Make an offer to help. Give advice, but don't force yourself to change immediately.
- Be aware of a deeper problem. Talking about the root cause of your snoring problem can reveal underlying smoking, drinking, weight, or other sensitive issues, and this can have a huge impact on the state of your relationship with your partner. Be aware of what sensitive areas your speech touches. Respect your partner's choice.
- It sucks being kept up all night by someone snoring--but try not to be curt. Keep the conversation light and positive. Make it clear that you are sincere and happy to be a part of the solution.
Step 2. Raise the issue as soon as possible
Your partner's snoring problem may just be a temporary side effect of a sinus infection, or the long-term frustration that is building up behind your relationship. Try to clear things up and work with your partner to work things out together.
Timing or momentum is very important. Try not to confront your partner about their snoring in the middle of the night or as soon as they wake up. You yourself will also be calmer if you wait until morning. Couples will be in better condition to consult
Step 3. Remember that snoring is a physical disorder with practical solutions
It doesn't matter if you are a snorer or live with a snorer, there is no need to feel ashamed or angry. The snorer himself doesn't really want to snore, really.
If you always snore and your partner complains, take it seriously. You won't be bothered by your own snoring, but if you let it drag on, it will create tension in the relationship
Step 4. Remember that generally solutions take time to work
Meanwhile, if your partner snores, consider buying a pair of earplugs for a better night's sleep.
If you start wearing earplugs, don't mention snoring, or you don't want to embarrass your partner. Use earplugs only as a temporary solution. Be proactive, but not possessive-aggressive
Method 4 of 4: Talk to Your Doctor About Your Snoring Problem
Step 1. Determine if your symptoms match those of obstructive sleep apnea
Frequent, loud snoring may be a symptom of sleep apnea--especially if your snoring is characterized by pauses, followed by choking or gasping. Sleep apnea causes short, breathless breathing, making it difficult for people to enter the deep, or REM, zone, which restores energy each day. About 1/2 of loud snorers suffer from sleep apnea.
- You're more likely to have sleep apnea if -- in addition to snoring, you feel very sleepy, more than usual, during the day. Reflexes and concentration can be severely impaired. Keep in mind that some of these symptoms stem from many other problems.
- Sleep apnea can be treated. Identify the symptoms and talk to your doctor.
Step 2. If you regularly take prescription medications, check the medication bottle to see if snoring is listed as a side effect
Medications you take may make your snoring worse. If unsure, ask your doctor.
Step 3. Ask your doctor if your age affects your snoring
Snoring tends to get worse with age. Many of the remedies described above can still be applied to elderly snorers.
As you reach middle age, your airways become narrower, and you gradually lose strength and flexibility of the muscles in your esophagus. Perhaps this effect can still be reversed by doing esophageal exercises
Step 4. Ask your doctor if your body type has an effect on your snoring problem
There is a strong relationship between habitual snoring and diabetes: people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are nine times more likely to develop diabetes.
Step 5. Ask your doctor about the possibility of using an anti-snoring mouthpiece if the problem doesn't respond to sinus medications or lifestyle changes
This "dental device" is specially designed to prevent the soft tissue in your esophagus from relaxing until it blocks your airway.
- Some devices make your lower jaw move forward, some lift the roof of your mouth, and some prevent your tongue from rolling down your airway.
- Be wary of using commercial sleep aids. Ask your doctor about the risks, costs, and benefits. Also decide wisely whether the mouth device is right for you.
Step 6. Consider sleeping with an Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) tube in your nostril
This device harnesses the power of your breathing to create gentle pressure that helps keep the airway open.
Again, be wary of using commercial sleep aids. Ask your doctor about the risks, costs, and benefits. Also decide wisely whether using EPAP is right for you
Step 7. Consider wearing an anti-snoring device only in extreme situations
Before you buy an expensive tube or mouthpiece, try to identify the habits or environmental factors that may be causing you to snore. Please refer to the "quick lifestyle remedies" at the top of this page, and try to solve the root cause of your snoring.
Tips
- Consider the underlying cause. Ask your doctor if you have a serious sleep disorder, beyond just snoring -- like sleep apnea, for example. If you've been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, ask your doctor if it's okay to use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device, which opens the airway with compressed air delivered through a mask or other nasal device.
- If the problem persists, consider consulting a specialist in sleep medicine or sleeping pills. Look for the American Dental Sleep Academy at ([1]) or [sleepeducation.com].
