Is snoring getting you – or your partner – down? While pretty much everyone snores now and then, some people snore so seriously that it makes them tired, irritable and can even add to your existing health issues – not to mention drive the occupant of the other side of the bed absolutely mad! But what’s the solution on how to stop snoring? The way you sleep? Your nasal passages? Giving up alcohol? One of those nifty mouth guards for snoring you’ve heard about?
First, let’s try to understand what snoring even is. Sure, we know what it sounds like, but it’s caused because air is struggling to freely move about through your nose and throat. The result is a vibration of the surrounding tissues – especially if your own tissues are particularly narrow, fatty or ‘floppy’.
Some people are more susceptible to snoring because of their:
Age: Your throat gets narrower, and the muscles get weaker, as you get older.
Weight: Excess weight – even around the throat or neck – can exacerbate or cause a snoring problem.
Sex: Men tend to snore more than women because their air passages are narrower.
Lifestyle: Drinking alcohol and smoking are also linked to worse snoring outcomes, while certain medications can relax the muscles in the throat.
Sleep apnoea: This serious sleep disorder, and other night-time breathing problems, are commonly associated with excessive snoring.
Can a simple lifestyle tweak or device stop your snoring?
There’s nothing we can do about our age and sex, while sleep apnoea can be a serious health condition that causes you to stop breathing, gasp and even choke at night – so make sure you get in touch with a doctor if you’re worried.
But is there anything you can start doing that could help you to stop snoring or reduce it? Why not try the following things … RIGHT NOW!
1. Use a mouth guard for snoring
One of the easiest ways to quit snoring is to immediately thank the advances of technology – because the latest snoring-specific oral appliances work by slightly adjusting the position of your lower jaw to open the airways. Made with 3D digital technology the best appliances are tailored to your mouth and your mouth alone – and you don’t even need a GP referral to get a custom mouth guard for snoring!
2. Drink less
If you snore and you also drink, that could be because the booze is relaxing the muscles in your throat and affecting your breathing. Sleeping pills and sedatives can have the same effect.
3. Stop smoking
Cigarette smoke and the delicate membranes in your nose and throat do not play nicely together.
4. Lose weight
Losing even a few kilograms can make the difference so that there is less fatty tissue in the back of your throat. Quitting those midnight snacks – particularly if it’s dairy – can also result in an immediate improvement to your snoring.
5. Exercise
Firstly, it helps you lose weight, but secondly, it tightens up all the muscles throughout your body – including the ones in your throat.
6. Change your sleeping position
Slightly elevating your head can help to open up the airways, but it could be that your favourite sleep position is on your back – which is bad for snoring.
7. Clear your nasal passages
If you tend to be sniffly or congested, look up some ways to effectively clear those crucial nasal passages before bed.
8. Improve the air
It could be that the air in your bedroom is too dry, so try adding some moisture to it with a humidifier.
Search Frog can help you stop snoring, too!
Hopefully, by doing no more than tweaking your lifestyle and maybe even getting in touch with a local sleep clinic, you (and your partner!) can be on the way to a quieter, more restful night soon. Search Frog can help you find the best local businesses with the best Google review ratings, so start searching today – and stop snoring tomorrow!
