How to Stop Snoring

how to stop snoring

To address the issue of how to stop snoring, there are a variety of anti-snoring remedies from which to choose. Determining the best approach for your individual circumstance requires first identifying the root cause of your snoring.

As with any sleep-related issue, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your sleep problems.

Once your know what triggers your snoring, you and your doctor can make informed decisions and determine the best solution for how to stop snoring and improve sleep quality.

How to Stop Snoring: Mild and Intermittent Cases

Reduce Nasal Swelling.
Nasal sprays, nasal strips, and nasal decongestants can help relieve your snoring. If you have allergies, talk with your doctor about taking antihistamines.

These may help you sleep better, yet, they can also relax your throat muscles and cause snoring. So, you may want to try them to see if they help or not. Soothe dry or scratchy throat and nasal passages by using a humidifier or steam vaporizer.

Elevate Your Head During Sleep.
This helps to realign your jaw and neck during sleep and prevents your tongue from moving backwards to obstruct your throat. Typically, this method requires propping your head up about 4 inches with firm pillows or a special anti-snore pillow.

Adjust Your Sleeping Position
You're much more likely to snore if you're sleeping on your back. Therefore, learning to sleep on your side can help significantly.

Lose Weight
Excess weight contributes to snoring. Losing even a few pounds can help and losing 10% of your body weight could make all the difference.

Watch What You Ingest
Certain foods, drinks, and medications can increase your likelihood of snoring. Medications with sedative effects (such as antihistamines, muscle-relaxants, and antidepressants) can relax muscles and tissue at the back of your throat that may lead to snoring. Ironically many sleeping pills have the same effect. Dairy foods can also cause increased mucus production, which causes congestion in the throat and chest.

Don't Drink Alcohol or Smoke
Alcohol also relaxes the airways so avoid it as much as possible. Men should have no more than two alcoholic drinks per day, women no more than one - and make your last drink at least four hours before bedtime. Of course, no alcohol at all is preferable. Smoking is a leading cause of respiratory problems and irritation, which can cause snoring.

Get Fit

Rather than simply taking steps to eliminate things that cause the muscles in your throat to relax, it can be helpful to be pro-active in terms of improving your overall muscle tone. Strengthening your muscles by exercising regularly will have a beneficial effect on your general health and improve your quality of sleep.

When you consider the many ways for how to stop snoring, the simpler the solution the more likely you are to stick with it. With the variety of available stop-snoring methods, most people with a mild condition can find a viable snoring cure.

Yet, if your snoring doesn't respond to these simple remedies and you find yourself waking up gasping for breath during the night - or are still exhausted after a full night of sleep - then you may be suffering from a serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea.

This is a dangerous condition where you actually stop breathing for a few seconds frequently during the night. If left untreated, sleep apnea can affect your health, raising your risk of heart problems, stroke, hypertension, and other life-threatening conditions. Click for more on the symptoms of sleep apnea.

How to Stop Snoring: Treating Sleep Apnea and Other Chronic Cases

Note: Before trying any method to stop snoring, discuss your snoring issues with your healthcare provider.

Snoring Mouthpiece
A snoring mouthpiece can help stop snoring in moderate cases. The mouthpiece is a removable oral appliance that, once in place, helps re-align your jaw and/or tongue so your airway is kept open and unobstructed. Learn more about snoring mouthpieces.

CPAP Machine
For moderate to severe sleep apnea, the most commonly doctor-recommended treatment is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). This involves using a machine during sleep that blows a continuous stream of air into your breathing passages to keep them open and prevent sleep apnea episodes. There are a variety of CPAP machines available. 

Surgical Options
For some individuals, surgery may provide the best solution to how to stop snoring. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a specialist who can examine you and determine whether corrective surgery could help.

There are a couple of different surgical options. Sometimes simply removing enlarged tonsils or adenoids may be the answer. Other times a more extensive procedure may be recommended. Only a specialist can make this determination.

To find out more about snoring remedies and anti-snoring products that are on the market, click on the article links below. 

Related Information - How to Stop Snoring

Causes of Snoring
Snore Pillow
Sleep Apnea Pillow
Anti-Snoring Devices
Snoring Cures
Snoring Mouthpiece

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