Tips for Stopping the Snoring Habit
Nearly 90 million Americans suffer from snoring—approximately 40% of men and 25% of women. Snoring can severely affect the sleep patterns of both the snorer and his or her bedmate. They can find products to help stop snoring. As common as it is, snoring is a serious sleep disorder that can significantly impact a person both socially and medically. Luckily, snoring need not cause people to suffer endlessly; there are effective treatments for the disorder. Let’s investigate some of the methods known to help stop snoring.
There are many healthcare providers and clinics that specialize specifically techniques to help stop snoring. Nearly every city has a sleep clinic that will monitor sleep patterns and provide treatment options can help stop snoring. Ask your doctor for help in finding these clinics or practitioners. In addition, there are a number of tips to help stop snoring that don’t require a visit to the doctor.
It is helpful to understand the anatomy of a snore when considering how to stop snoring. Snoring occurs when tissues in the mouth and throat vibrate against one another. The tongue, uvula, and soft palette are most often the anatomical culprits. As you breathe, your airway contracts, causing the soft tissues in your throat to partially obstruct the airway. The vibrations that are created as air passes through are snores. Complete, although temporary, obstructions of the passageway leads to sleep apnea, a potentially fatal sleep disorder.
The first set of tips to help stop snoring relate to the position in which you sleep. Experts recommend that you sleep on your side to minimize snoring. Snoring is more likely to occur if you are sleeping on your back because your tongue is more of an airway obstruction. If you have trouble staying on your back, put a tennis ball-sized object in a pocket attached to the back of your pajamas. The ball should make sleeping on your back so uncomfortable that you don’t! Sleeping on an incline, with your head higher than your feet, also helps to keep your airway open, thereby minimizing snoring. Place bricks under your bedposts to create an incline (pillows don’t work because they simply kink your neck, potentially causing more snoring).
In addition to changing the position in which you sleep, making healthy lifestyle changes can also help stop snoring. Excess body weight adds pressure to the airway, increasing the chance of obstruction and snoring. The consumption of alcohol and certain medications can also increase the likelihood of snoring. These drugs relax the muscles of your throat and mouth, causing snoring. To help stop snoring, avoid alcohol and relaxant drugs four hours before you turn in. Smoking is also a no-no for those looking to kick the snoring habit. Smoke damages the respiratory system, including your nasal passages, which can lead to swelling, obstruction of the airway, and snoring.
The next set of tips that can help stop snoring relate to curbing nasal congestion. Snoring can sometimes stem from a person breathing through his or her mouth instead of the nose because of nasal congestion. If you feel unusually stuffy, have your doctor check for any newly acquired allergies. Taking a decongestant or antihistamine, using a humidifier in your bedroom, or trying an over-the-counter saline spray before bed can help minimize congestion.
Finally, there are devices that can help stop snoring. Your dentist or doctor can help find an anti-snoring mouth guard. These devices hold the teeth together, thereby keeping the lower mouth from becoming too relaxed. A neck brace or whiplash collar can also help stop snoring by keep your air passage open.
Some people may find that just one of these tips does the trick and helps you have a snore-less night. Other people may need to use a combination of tips, while still others may have to resort to a trip to the doctor.
