How Can exercises help with snoring
For people with mild snoring, research has shown that mouth and throat exercises can help tone the muscles around the airways so that snoring is not as frequent or noisy. The same mouth and throat exercises also improve obstructive mild to moderate sleep apnea. These oral exercises are also called nasopharyngeal therapy or oropharyngeal exercises.They are often taught by a trained myofunctional therapist. As with any type of training regimen, it takes time and effort for these mouth exercises to have an effect. When performed correctly, a significant number of snoring and those with mild to moderate sleep apnea have reported that these exercises result in less snoring and better sleep.
Mouth Exercises You Can Do to Stop Snoring
Don’t worry; none of the anti-snoring exercises you are about to learn are strenuous. In fact, some of them, such as singing, can be fun. Yes, singing! Seriously! It’s probably such a surprising idea, so let’s take a look at it first.
1. Tongue curlers
The name speaks for itself. It is necessary to slide the tip of the tongue backwards along the hard palate as far as possible, but try to keep your mouth open. It is recommended to repeat 20 times a day.
2. Vowel Repetition
Spending a little time every day repeating your vowels (a, e, i, o, u) is another good way to exercise your vocal cords and help prevent snoring. Repeat the letters slowly and clearly, with appropriate force in your voice. There is no need to whisper or scream.
3. Push it to the Left
This is another of those stop snoring exercises that force you to pull out your tongue, so be careful where your face points. Maybe people have a bad idea. Instead of pushing the tongue forward, strain it on the left. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, then repeat until you have done the exercise 10 times.
4. Tongue Push
This can look more like an exercise. Instead of using your vocal cords or making clicking noises, you sit quietly and start flexing your tongue. Start by placing the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth (hard palate), just behind your upper teeth. Then push your tongue up. Keep constant pressure for five seconds, then relax. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
5. Nose Lick
Are you one of the few people who can put the tip of your tongue at the tip of your nose? If so, place it there and hold it in place for 10 seconds. If you can’t make the connection, it does not matter. Pull out your tongue and try it. Strain to the desired point of contact, then take a few seconds of rest. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
6. Chin Lick
This is a variation in the licking the nose exercise. Instead of trying to make contact with the tip of the nose, you aim at the lower chin. Exercise a different set of muscles in the tongue. Again, you need to keep the pressure on the tongue for 10 seconds, then relax and repeat the exercise 10 times.
7. “Aahh” Effect
Try to say “Aahh” in a less comfortable way. Push the tongue along the palate or lift the soft palate and uvula. Once you practice this exercise, train to lift the uvula without making any noise.
8. Move Your Cheeks
You can involve many parts of your face to practice exercises without snoring. For example, try to pull your cheek with your finger and using your cheek or mouth muscles, try to pull your finger back.
9. Chew Evenly
This exercise involves eating, one of mankind’s favorite activities! When eating, keep in mind that we tend to prefer one side of our mouth more than the other, which can prevent one side from doing your daily workout. Therefore, do not forget to chew evenly on both sides. You may need to remember to change sides. An additional advantage is that by chewing evenly, you also make sure that your teeth are also used on both sides of the mouth, too.
10. Soft Palate Blowing
The palate, also known as the roof of the mouth, also needs some conditioning to help sleep apnea and snoring. Unlike the other two exercises mentioned above, this involves only breathing. You can do this up to four times a day, especially because it’s not as comical as the others. To begin with, breathe through the nose. Close your mouth, then push the air through your lips. When you feel resistance in the back of the throat, you know it’s worked.
11. Jaw Tension
This exercise is quite simple and does not involve much in the path of facial acrobatics. Start with a closed mouth and the tip of the tongue touching the ceiling. Start opening your mouth slowly, but keep your tongue in contact with the ceiling as long as possible. Finally, your mouth will be completely open. Repeat nine more times for a total of 10 repetitions.
12. Spoon Hold
Don’t keep the spoon too early. You’re gonna need it again. This time you work your lips, however, instead of the tongue.Place the spoon handle between the lips, grab it and hold it in place. Do not be tempted to use your teeth. This exercise forces you to use the spoon as a miniature bar, placed longitudinally in the mouth.However, there is no need to curl. All you have to do is keep it in place. Do the exercise in front of a mirror and try to keep the spoon parallel to the floor. Hold the position for 10 seconds, then rest. Again, you will have to repeat the exercise until you have done it 10 times. As your lips become stronger, you can add weight to the spoon by placing sugar cubes or other objects in the bowl.
13. Playing the Didgeridoo
In 2005, the British Medical Journal reported that regular play of didgeridoo could be an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The didgeridoo is a long wind instrument played by Australian aborigines to produce a long and deep sound. This is a great alternative to mouth tongue exercises for snoring because you have to blow and work with your lips at the same time. Depending on how you move your mouth and use your throat, the sound changes. You can even create different sounds by speaking, making noises or narrowing the tongue, cheeks, and lower jaw.These exercises for snoring problems train the throat, oral muscles and effectively help against snoring.If you don’t have a didgeridoo at home, do not worry, there are other exercises for the mouth for snoring that can be good for you
14. Singing
Singing every day can be one home exercise to reduce the severity of snoring naturally. It was tested in 2000 as part of a British study: a group of 20 snorers was assigned to singing lessons for 20 minutes a day. The experiment lasted 3 months; then the researchers compared the snoring records of participants before and after the study. The result: a sharp decrease in the snoring of each participant.
Other Alternatives to stop snoring
Weight Loss
Even being just a few pounds overweight could affect snoring and sleep apnea. The reason is that the extra weight in the neck and throat can collapse the respiratory tract, which causes snoring and sleep apnea.
Avoid Alcohol Intake
Alcohol affects our body in many different ways, including interference with sleep. It can cause snoring by dropping the body into a deeper sleep than normal. When this happens, your body is less aware of its functions and may not alert you to stop snoring.
Use a Nasal Strip
A nasal strip is an inexpensive and effective way to stop snoring on your tracks. These convenient devices work for lifting and opening the nasal passages. Increased airflow allows for better breathing and less risk of snoring.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking causes congestion, which is one of the main causes of snoring. In addition to stuffiness, smoking cigarettes also creates swelling in the throat, which means there is less room for air to pass through.
The Problem with Snoring
Approximately 37 million adults in the United States snore regularly, a problem that gets worse as you get older, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
The main culprit behind the noise is the relaxed muscles of the throat, which lead to the narrowing of the inner walls of the throat, creating vibrations when breathing.
When the walls completely collapse, they block the airway and usually surprise you so that you wake up to breathe, which is known as obstructive sleep apnea. Chronic snoring can be more than a night nuisance. “In the absence of sleep apnea, the main complication is to disrupt your partner’s sleep.”
Are There Side Effects to Mouth And Throat Exercises?
Some people may find myofunctional therapy tedious or stupid, but there is practically no physical inconvenience.
Health risks may arise if people use oral exercises instead of other treatments prescribed for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. It is recommended to talk to a doctor before starting or stopping any kind of snoring or sleep apnea therapy.