Practical Tips to Stop Snoring and Sleep Better

Snoring is a common problem that affects both the snorer and their partner. While it's often harmless, chronic snoring can disrupt sleep, lead to fatigue, and strain relationships. The good news is that there are practical, easy-to-implement tips to help reduce or eliminate snoring and improve nighttime rest.

Why Do People Snore?

Snoring occurs when airflow is partially blocked during sleep, causing soft tissues in the throat to vibrate. This blockage can result from relaxed throat muscles, nasal congestion, excess weight, or the way someone sleeps. Pinpointing the cause is the first step in choosing the most effective strategy.

Simple Tips to Reduce Snoring

Some lifestyle adjustments and minor changes to your sleep environment can have a big impact. Here are a few tips to help reduce snoring naturally:

• Change your sleep position: Sleeping on your back can cause the tongue and soft palate to collapse backward into the throat. Sleeping on your side may help keep the airway open.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Excess tissue around the neck can narrow the airway and increase the likelihood of snoring.
• Avoid alcohol before bed: Alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat, making snoring more likely.
• Establish a regular sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can help reduce the risk of overtiredness, which can worsen snoring.

Clear Nasal Passages

For some, snoring is caused by nasal congestion or blocked airways. Taking steps to breathe easier through the nose can significantly reduce snoring:

• Use saline nasal spray: This can help rinse out allergens or irritants that cause inflammation in the nasal passages.
• Try nasal strips or dilators: These aids open up the nasal passages and make breathing easier.
• Shower before bed: A warm shower can reduce sinus congestion and allow clearer airflow.

Improve Sleep Environment

Environmental factors such as dry air, allergens, or bedding can contribute to snoring. Making your sleep space more comfortable and healthier can help:

• Use a humidifier: Dry air can irritate the throat and nasal passages, leading to snoring. A humidifier helps add moisture to the air.
• Wash bedding regularly: Dust mites and allergens can clog nasal passages, especially in pillowcases and sheets.
• Adjust your pillow: Elevating your head slightly or using a pillow that supports proper neck alignment can reduce snoring.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can cause the mucus in your nose and soft palate to become stickier, which may increase the chance of snoring. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day helps keep the tissues in your throat moist and healthy.

Practice Throat Exercises

Strengthening the muscles in the throat and tongue can help reduce snoring over time. These exercises, known as oropharyngeal exercises, can improve muscle tone and reduce airway collapse during sleep.

Examples of throat exercises:

• Repeat each vowel (A-E-I-O-U) out loud for a few minutes daily.
• Slide the tip of your tongue backward along the roof of your mouth and forward again, repeating 20 times.
• Press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth and hold for several seconds.

Try Anti-Snoring Aids

If home remedies aren’t enough, various over-the-counter snoring aids may provide additional help. These include:

• Mandibular advancement devices: These are mouthpieces that move the jaw forward slightly to keep the airway open.
• Chin straps: Help keep the mouth closed and promote nose breathing.
• Smart pillows: Some pillows are designed to encourage side sleeping or automatically adjust when snoring is detected.

It may take some trial and error to find the combination of changes that works best. Even small adjustments can make a meaningful difference in reducing snoring and improving the quality of your sleep.