Snoring Home Remedies: 3 Simple Ways To Stop Snoring
Snoring not only can disrupt a good night’s sleep for the people who snore, but also of those they share the room with. We snore because our airways tend to partially block and narrow for various reasons. Usually, soft palate at the back of your mouth and the tongue, are those that contribute to narrowing your airways. Then, we must know that the narrower the airways, the louder becomes the snoring noise. Although snoring is quite common, its causes are usually not that serious. National Sleep Foundation, reports that around 90 million American adults snore periodically, while 37 million people snore regularly. Moreover, the condition of snoring is more likely to occur in men.
Sometimes doing some small changes in your lifestyle or trying some helpful snoring home remedies can largely improve your sleep. However, there are other rarer cases when loud snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea or other health issues and you need medicine to treat it. Therefore, if you are told to be a person who snores, is better to first detect the cause of it.
Science backups that drinking alcohol before sleep can make people snore. This because alcohol relaxes the mouth and throat muscles more than normal, so they may collapse while you sleep. These muscles may release tones as you sleep and make your snoring even worse. It is usually recommended to avoid alcohol intake two to three hours before sleeping.
Smoking can also partially block the airway canals and it might lead to snoring. Our sleeping position also matters. Train yourself NOT to sleep on your back but on sides. When sleeping on the side, the air can flow more freely, the throat is not narrowed and snoring is prevented. Another form you can try is also to prop up your head in the pillow a few inches. There are some pillows designed extra for this purpose that you can buy in the market.
Another indicator of snoring can be excessive weight. Experts believe that the extra fatty tissues in overweight people can compress the air passages and lead to snoring. However, there is hope for snorers. Scroll down to find more about some home remedies you can try and combat the battle with snoring:
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1. Use Peppermint products
These are herbal home remedies that are proven to effectively treat snoring. You can use a peppermint mouthwash or peppermint oil to silence mild snoring, especially for those who snore because of allergies. All you have to do is gargle peppermint mouthwash in your mouth but don’t swallow it. It can help shrink tissues in the throat and open up your nasal passages. Another form is to take a glass of cold water and mix it with a drop of peppermint oil, then gargle this mixture on your mouth. Or you can rub one or two drops of peppermint oil around your nose and leave it like that as you sleep.
2. Use nasal strips
Nasal strips can be another effective option to help you prevent snoring. Apply a nasal strip to the bridge of your nose before sleeping and you’re good to retire. It will decrease airflow resistance and enhance an easy breathing. These devices lift the bridge of the nose, therefore help to relieve any obstruction along the way. Older people do not like these kinds of devices, because they might damage their skin. It should be noted that these devices aren’t effective for people suffering with sleep apnea.
3. Use a humidifier
If you think that your snoring is coming as a consequence of allergens or cold, or because the room you sleep in is too dry, try to use a humidifier. Even a stuffy nose can close up your airways and you might end up snoring. However, before using a humidifier you must figure the cause first, we don’t want to end up using a humidifier when we already have a humid room.
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Below you can find some helpful tips to prevent snoring:
1. Smoking boosts your odds of snoring through the night. People who smoke are twice more likely to snore than those who don’t, an Harvard study found. Since smoke irritates nasal passages, it will make it harder to breathe with your nose and lead you to snore.
2. Reducing alcohol intake is another important factor that helps you to prevent snoring. If you’re one of those people who likes to imbibe before sleep, try to avoid its consumption 3 to 4 hours before hitting the hay. Since alcohol relaxes way too much your throat muscles, it happens that they block the air passage in your throat, therefore it might lead to loud snoring.
3. Unbelievable as it might seem, singing is a tongue exercise that helps to strengthen the muscles in your soft palate and upper throat so they are less likely to collapse. You don’t have to be Elvis Presley, just sing your favorite song as you drive to work or while in the shower, and presumably it will help to prevent snoring at night.
4. Keep a healthy weight – Research has shown that people who weight more are also more prone to snoring than those who are in a normal weight. Since New Year is almost here, you can try and commit yourself into some new resolutions and lose some pounds.
6. Get enough sleep – Not getting enough sleep can lead to snoring. Try to sleep 6 to 7 hours each day.
Remember – sleep is an essential component for our well being, don’t neglect the above advice!
You might also be interested in: How To Stop Snoring: 4 Lifestyle Changes To Help You Sleep Better