Different Methods to Alleviate Snoring

Snoring is a common condition that affects billions of people across the globe. While it seems impossible to control (or stop) your snoring habit, some easy remedies may alleviate this condition. Many common reasons for snoring are easy to address with simple changes in your lifestyle or altering the way you sleep.  

Here are some methods that you need to try to get rid of snoring:

1. Change the Sleeping Position:

One of the simplest ways to relieve snoring is to sleep on the side rather than sleeping on the back. It may take some time to get used to this. But you must lie down in a comfortable position while sleeping. Hugging your pillow or keeping one behind the back to prevent rolling over while sleeping may help. When you sleep on the side, it reduces airway pressure and further stops it from closing and leading to snoring. 

If you cannot sleep on your back, it’s best to raise your head while sleeping. For this, you need extra pillows to raise your head. It ensures your throat remains open during sleep at night. 

2. Clear Out Blocked Nasal Passages:

The blocked nasal passages also lead to snoring. At times, the nasal blockage is due to a cold. But many people get bunged quite easily than others. So, a hot shower before bed can help in opening the nasal passages. It is one of the best solutions for snoring if your nose often blocks at night and stays normal throughout the day. It often happens due to the presence of allergens in your room. So, do regular dusting and cleaning of your bedroom, keep your pets out of the bedroom and even replace regular bedding with better hypoallergenic models.

3. Avoid Drinking Alcohol Before Bedtime: 

Alcohol may make the throat muscles relax and it further leads to the closing of the throat while sleeping. When it happens, your throat muscles come in close contact and cause snoring. So, it is best not to have alcohol before your bedtime to prevent such a situation. Always try to moderate your drinking habit and avoid having alcohol around 3-4 hours before bedtime.

4. Stop Smoking:

If you smoke or spend your time in a smoky environment, it may have a significant impact on the airways. Hence, you are likely to suffer because of nasal congestion. Plus, your airways become narrower because of inflammation. When you quit smoking, you can see a difference in snoring. It is best to consult a specialist physician to help you quit smoking.

5. Use Anti-Snoring Nasal Spray, Nasal Strip or Mouth Guard:

Sometimes when you do simple remedies, those are not enjoyable to relieve snoring. So, you need other options like anti-snoring sprays, nasal strips or mouth guards. For instance, if you tend to snore when your mouth falls open during sleep, it is best to use a mouth guard to keep your mouth closed. 

Likewise, if snoring is related to nasal passage blockage, use an anti-snoring nasal spray or nasal strip to clear out the blockage. If you feel that you have tried all these options and still there is no result, consult an ENT doctor. A specialist will diagnose the root cause of your snoring. 

What Else to Do?

Many people can reduce their snoring habit by following the given remedies. However, these remedies are not helpful for everyone. Therefore, it is best to see a doctor when none of the given remedies works for you. In such conditions, you may be suffering from sleep apnoea, which is not easy to tackle with simple changes in the sleep position.  

However, it does not mean you may put up with snoring. There are several other treatments to help you get a quiet and better night’s sleep. Your doctor will prescribe you the apt medication or surgical treatment to cure the snoring cause. It may even prevent other issues like breathing issues at night. Some of the mentioned remedies given above may help you a bit. So, do try them out. These remedies can help you treat snoring. 

Do you have some other tips for stopping snoring? If so, share them with us in the comments before.