Snoring is a sign of inefficient sleep. Over time, it can be hard on your brain and your heart if you are a heavy snorer or suffer from severe sleep apnea. For best results, you may eventually need surgery or a mouthguard, but the tips below are a great start to controlling your snoring on your own.
Manage Your Allergies
Allergies can lead to inflamed tissues in your throat and sinuses. Reducing your allergic response may include medication before bed, a change in your bedding or an air filter near your bed. If you can cut back on the inflammation of allergies, there will be more room for any sinus drainage that needs to move at night.
If you smoke or your partner smokes, your allergies may be primed to overreact each time you’re exposed to fragrances, dust mites or pollen. A simple way to reduce this risk of nighttime allergic reaction or inflammation is to store the dirty clothing of the smokers in the house outside the bedroom.
Cut Back on Smoking
If you’re not sleeping well and you’ve been instructed to lose weight, being encouraged to quit smoking may not be welcome advice. If possible, try to cut back your smoking until it’s a treat. For example, if you love to unwind after work with a cigarette, make it an event. Sit in your favorite chair, get a soda or a drink, and enjoy it. Then put your cigarettes away and get on with your life.
As you cut back on your cigarette consumption, you may find that there is one cigarette you just can’t give up. It may be the first smoke of the day, it may be the one you love after dinner, or it could be that post-work cigarette. Carefully consider other ritual behaviors you could use to replace that critical smoke.
Don’t Drink Alcohol Right Before Bed
Drinking alcohol right before going to bed can increase your risk of snoring. It can also lead to reflux, which increases throat inflammation, which increases your risk of snoring! When working out your personal journey of how to stop snoring, try prepping for bed an hour before you turn in. Put on your pajamas and clean your teeth an hour before bed. If you need liquid, drink water to calm your stomach.
Remember that alcohol is a depressant. Does it help you fall asleep? Yes, but it can’t help you stay asleep. Alcohol can also alter your sleep cycles and prevent you from falling into the most cleansing level of deep sleep. Consider keeping a journal to help you track the quality of your sleep and your energy upon waking as you change your drinking habits.
Try Mouth Exercises
Snoring sometimes occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat become lax or overburdened if you are overweight. There are mouth exercises you can use to firm up the back of your mouth and open up this passageway.
In all honesty, these exercises include sticking your tongue out and pulling on your cheek. You’ll need to do them in front of the mirror, and they may hit your funny bone. Exercise in the morning or during an afternoon energy slump. Laughter is energizing, so don’t do it before bed.
Lose Weight
Obesity and being overweight is a common contributor to snoring. Often, that’s the first advice that a snorer gets. However, the idea of losing weight will be impossible because you’re already
- tired because your sleep is inefficient
- trying to quit smoking
- trying to cut back on drinking
Make weight loss your last target. Consider life treats that you love that doesn’t include junk food. Set up a system of rewards that helps you skip the candy machine or the chip aisle. Get a quality water bottle, so you always have something to drink and don’t need to stop at a convenience store that also sells junk food and cigarettes.
Extreme snoring and apnea can be a misery. You will be more tired when you wake up. You may wake up to a grumpy partner. The tips above can help you gain control of the condition on your own.
