How to Stop Snoring
Snoring can bother your bed partner and can sometimes be a wake-up call for a medical condition (particularly obstructive sleep apnea). But sometimes you have a habit of snoring that is harmless and drives your partner crazy anyway. Here are some of the ways you can get more restful sleep.
Change your sleeping position
For many people, snoring is more likely when they lie on their back than on their side. (Gravity pulls on some tissues in the body, constricting the airways, and this is most noticeable when you are standing face up.)
The traditional solution to this problem is to sew a pocket on the back of your nightgown and put a tennis ball in it so you don’t roll over on your back in the middle of the night. An even easier way is to sleep on your side with a pillow behind you to prevent rolling. There are also anti-snoring pillows that gently encourage you to tilt your head to the side.
Quit smoking
Easier said than done, but if you need another reason to quit smoking, consider this one. Smoking irritates and constricts the airways, which can cause or worsen snoring. (If you’re not the snorer, we have a guide on how to support a loved one who wants to quit .)
Consider alcohol and medication use
Some medications can cause the muscles around the airways to relax, which can lead to more snoring. Alcohol is one of them, so if you drink a lot or tend to drink before bed, cutting back on alcohol can help.
Some medicines may have a similar effect. If you have been prescribed a sedative, talk to your doctor about alternatives or whether you can take your last dose well before bed.
Take care of medical conditions
Many medical conditions can cause or exacerbate snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea is the biggest of these. You should definitely ask your doctor about this if your snoring is especially loud and frequent, and especially if your snoring sounds like shortness of breath or choking.
But other conditions can also increase snoring, so mention this if you’re being tested for another medical problem. Hypothyroidism, for example, may have snoring as one of its symptoms.
The Sleep Foundation recommends getting tested if you snore more than three nights a week, if you’re sleepy or have trouble concentrating during the day, or if you’ve recently gained weight to snore, just to name a few of the sleep apnea warnings. signs. Check out the full list here .
Eliminate congestion
If you have a stuffy nose, you are likely to breathe through your mouth. In this case, congestion treatment can reduce your snoring.
If you have a cold or a respiratory infection, you will get better soon; in the meantime, decongestants may help a little. If nasal congestion is caused by another factor, such as an allergy, consider eliminating allergens or taking allergy medication. (As someone with a dust allergy, I love my allergenic pillowcases, and I have an air purifier by my bed—I don’t think I snore, I just talk.)
Open up your airways
There are devices that can help keep your airways open at night. The simplest option is a nose sticker , which keeps your nostrils a little more open. There are also nasal dilators that you wear inside .
If things are a little more serious, you may even need a mouth guard. There are tongue-retaining devices to keep your tongue from slipping back into your throat, mandibular advancement devices that slightly change the position of your jaw, and devices that combine both of these devices. The Sleep Foundation offers an overview of the pros and cons of several different models.
If your airway tends to become blocked for anatomical reasons, such as if you have a deviated septum, nasal polyps, or unusually large tonsils, surgery may help. Consider this another reason to seek medical attention if your snoring is particularly bothersome.