Snoring may not be a problem for your own quality of sleep at night, but if you share the bed with a partner, or even if you share the bedroom wall with someone, the chances are that your snoring can prevent them from resting. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, about half of us snore at some point in our lives, with 40 percent of adult men and 24 percent of adult women snoring regularly.
If you have recently been told you sleep less than quietly during the night (also known as you snore!), here are some home remedies that can help everyone catch up with their snoring.
Home Remedies for snoring
1 Use nasal strips or an external nasal dilator
Adhesive nasal strips can be placed on the bridge of the nose to help increase the space in the nasal passage. This can make your breathing more effective and reduce or eliminate snoring.
You can also try a nasal dilator, which is a rigid adhesive tape that is applied to the top of your nose through the nostrils. This can decrease resistance to airflow, which facilitates breathing. Try the nasal strips to help reduce snoring.
2 Get anti-snoring pillows
Anti-snoring pillows often come wedge-shaped and are made of memory foam. They are designed to keep the airways open in a healthy way that aligns the jaw, neck and throat, as well as the spine and the rest of the body.
Mites, bacteria and other allergens in your room can accumulate on your pillows, so wash them and replace them regularly every 2 years.
3 Get a couple of humidifiers for your room
Although dry air is not the main cause of your snoring, it can certainly make it worse. So take a few humidifiers to keep the air in your room nice and humid. The added moisture in the air will help lubricate your throat. This facilitates the entry and exit of air without causing noisy vibrations.
4 Sleeping on one side
A person is more likely to snore if he is lying on his back, which can cause the tongue to move to the back of the throat. This makes breathing more difficult and can cause vibrations due to snoring. Sleeping on one side can allow air to circulate more smoothly, reducing vibration. This can stop the noise of snoring or make it quieter.
5 Correct structural problems in your nose
Some people are born with or experience an injury that gives them a deviated septum. This is the misalignment of the wall separating both sides of the nose, which limits the flow of air. It can cause breathing in the mouth during sleep, causing snoring. Surgery may be required to correct this condition. Talk to your doctor.
6 Work out your tongue and throat muscles
You snore when your tongue and throat muscles are too relaxed. Strengthening them would help you stop. There are a few exercises that could help you strengthen yourself by doing this. A great and easy trick to do some throat exercises is to sing. So, launch a concert in the shower or in your car. Your partner or roommate may be upset, but it will be less annoying than your snoring. To work your tongue, place the tip of the tongue behind the top of your teeth and slide it back and forth for a few minutes a day.
7 Skip the Nightcap
The solution to snoring can be as simple as skipping the glass of wine in the evening before bedtime. Alcohol can cause obstructive sleep apnea if you drink too much before bedtime, OSA causes excessive relaxation of the throat muscles, limiting air circulation. Reducing your alcohol consumption a few hours before going to sleep to reduce your chances of snoring at night.
8 Nasal sprays
When blocked or narrow airways cause snoring, a nasal spray may also be useful. Nasal sprays can help reduce inflammation in the nose and respiratory tract by opening them.
If a person is looking for a remedy for long-lasting snoring, you could consider surgery. Several types of preventive surgery are available.Â
9 Try products with peppermint
Herbal remedies, such as peppermint oil or mint mouthwash, may be able to relieve light snoring. You can try sticking a small amount of peppermint oil under your nose to open the nasal passages or use a mint mouthwash to potentially reduce throat tissues. Or, if you have a humidifier, you can add a few drops of mint oil to the water before bedtime. But, according to a research review published in the Flavor and Fragrance Journal in 2015, pregnant women should avoid the use of peppermint oil, as there is a lack of evidence on its effects, and it should not be used around children under 2 years of age because menthol can cause respiratory problems.
10 Channel That Inner Yogi
Practice Pranayama, a type of yoga exercise dedicated to learning to control your breathing. It is an amazing technique for relaxation and has been widely used for many years to relieve various sleep disorders, including sleep apnea. Watch some classes or practice at home to reduce or eliminate snoring. You will also feel more rested, rejuvenated, and energized accordingly!
11 Olive Oil
As a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, olive oil soothes tissues along the airways to reduce swelling and clean ducts for air. It can also reduce pain and has proven to be a fantastic remedy to use regularly to decrease vibration in the throat and stop snoring. Try to take two or three sips of olive oil before bedtime every day. Or, for a softer combination, mix half a teaspoon of olive oil and honey.
12 Lose some weight
People who are overweight are twice as likely to snore as those who are not. The reason is simple: overweight people carry extra fat around the neck, which narrows their airways and makes them snore. So lose a few pounds and lose the noisy night companion. Change your diet, exercise and ironically enough, sleep will help you lose weight.
13 Elevate Your Head
Similar to changing your sleeping position, staying a little higher while you sleep can stop snoring. Put small blocks on top of the mattress or use a wedge pillow to keep the upper body (not just your head) slightly raised — about four inches should do the trick. This will remove airway pressure and make it easier for you to breathe while you snooze.
14 Quit smoking
Tobacco smoke irritates the mucous membranes, so the throat swells, narrowing the respiratory tract. Smokers also have more problems with nasal congestion.
15 Treat nasal congestion to prevent snoring
If you are one of the millions suffering from allergies, you are familiar with nasal congestion. If snoring is a problem, your stuffy nose might be to blame. When you are stuffy, you breathe through your mouth during sleep rather than through the nose, which increases the likelihood of snoring.
16 Change your pajamas
If the idea of anti-snoring pillows surprised you, you will love this: you can also buy pajamas and anti-snoring accessories.
These usually have a tennis ball or a similar item sewn inside that fits between the shoulder blades. You can also use an inflatable belt to create the same effect. The idea is that the tennis ball or the air from the belt causes discomfort that rolls you to your side while you sleep.
What type of doctor treats snoring?
Many doctors treat snoring, depending on the underlying cause. You can first consult your primary care provider (PCP), such as a family doctor or internist, or a child’s pediatrician. For more testing and management of snoring or sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, you can turn to a specialist in sleep medicine. Allergies can be treated by an allergist, and asthma can be treated by a lung specialist (pulmonologist) or respiratory therapist. If you have nasal deformities, such as a deviated septum or nasal polyps, you can consult an ear, nose and throat specialist (otolaryngologist ), and if you need to remove your tonsils or adenoids, you can be referred to a surgeon. Sometimes, an oral apparatus is useful to help stop snoring. This can be adjusted by a dentist.
how do I know which remedy will work best for me?
Try them all. One after the other until you find one that sticks. Instead of getting stuck in an endless loop of trying different remedies, keep track of your sleep. It will help you get a better idea of your sleep habits.Â
Living with a snorer?
If you live with someone snoring, it is possible that night sounds fray your relationship. But remember, other spouses and couples have solved this and survived. So before heading for the hills, consider some practical methods to treat your bedmate’s noises in another adorable way.Â
Method 1:Â Earplugs
They are cheap and quite comfortable, once you get used to them.
Method 2:Â White-noise
These electronic devices produce a consistent sound that cushions other noises.
Method 3: Turn in well before your snoring spouse
This way, at least, you have the advantage of a good night’s sleep.
Why do people snore?
If you snore, you are not alone: up to half of American adults snore. This happens when air flows into your throat when you breathe in your sleep. This causes vibrations in the relaxed tissues of the throat and causes aggressive and irritating snoring noises.
Snoring can disrupt your sleep or your partner’s sleep. Even if it does not bother you too much, it is not a condition to ignore. In fact, snoring can be a sign of a serious health problem, which includes:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Obesity
- Problem with the structure of the mouth, nose or throat sleep
In other cases, snoring can be caused simply by sleeping on your back or drinking alcohol too close to bedtime.