How To Stop Snoring - Naturally, With Devices & With Treatment

How To Stop Snoring – Snoring disrupts more than a good night’s sleep. It can also be a sign of a medical condition called apnea. Apnea is a sleep disorder in which the person affected stops breathing temporarily. Apnea can be aggravated by nasal congestion, making breathing difficult at night. People who snore are are at higher risk for sleep deprivation. About 18 million American adults have obstructive sleep apnea. According to The National Sleep Foundation, this is when breathing stops for a few seconds or up to a minute ^[1].

There are many factors that can trigger apnea including: allergies, weight gain, a stuffy nose, and drinking too much alcohol. These factors can loosen throat muscles causing the tongue to fall back down and create a blockage or obstruction. The snoring sound can also affect the sleep patterns of others.

How To Stop Snoring
Tips For How To Stop Snoring
How To Stop Snoring Naturally Lifestyle Tips
How To Stop Snoring Devices
If You’re Still Snoring Seek Treatment
A Last Word About How To Stop Snoring Naturally

Tips For How To Stop Snoring

In some cases, it may be impossible to stop snoring without medical intervention, but here are a few preventative measures you can before calling your doctor.

Nasal strips

How to stop snoring immediately? Find a way to breathe easier. Nasal strips can open the space in your nasal passages to help improve your breathing and reduce snoring. A nasal dilator may be used as well. Simply apply the adhesive strip on top of your nose across your nostrils to minimize airflow resistance.

Cut down on alcohol

Decrease or eliminate your alcohol intake before bed. Alcohol interrupts the natural sequence and length of sleep cycles by changing both the time it takes the fall asleep and the total amount of sleep. It also helps relax the throat muscles causing your air passage to narrow ^[2].

How To Stop Snoring Naturally: Lifestyle Tips

Weight loss

Your sleeping can be affected by weight gain. When a person is overweight, there is an excess of tissue in the mouth and throat. When sleeping, the throat muscles relax and the soft tissues can cause airway blockages. Obstructed breathing during sleep can make it difficult for you and your partner to get a good night’s sleep. If you are overweight and looking for a way to stop snoring naturally you may want to try to lose weight.

Side sleeping

This method for how to stop snoring naturally can be aided by placing a body pillow against your back so that you cannot lie flat. Sleeping on your back increases the chance of sleep apnea osa which can make it difficult for you to sleep throughout the night. This can result in daytime sleepiness which is a problem. Training yourself to sleep on your side can help open your nose and throat making it easier to breathe without disruption ^[3].

Clear your nose

If your nose is clogged, you will have a hard time breathing well at night. If you are looking for treatment for snoring, consider using a neti pot with saline solution to cleanse your nasal passages. Add a humidifier in your bedroom to increase moisture in the area. Nasal spray can help you increase your ability to breathe by helping clear nasal passages but should only be used as directed.

Remove allergens

If your snoring is triggered by allergens, you will need to keep your living area as clean as possible. Dust regularly, shake your pillow and bedding to remove dust mites and dander, and consider keeping pets out of your bed.

Exercise

Another trick to alleviating snoring is to make exercise part of your daily ritual. Exercise strengthens overall muscle tone including the muscles in your throat. This can help prevent throat muscles from becoming too loose and obstructing your airway during sleep ^[4].

How To Stop Snoring: Devices

If the above methods don’t work, try these tips to stop snoring.

Avoid mouth breathing while sleeping

Mouth breathing is a common problem that triggers snoring at night. It is also quite unhealthy, especially when compared to nasal breathing. One way to treat this problem is to use a snoring mouth guard or mouth shield. This device will help keep your mouth closed and support nasal breathing.

Fix your jaw position

Your jaw position can also lead to sleep apnea especially when the tongue relaxes too much and falls back into your throat. This is more likely to occur when you are sleeping on your back. Doing a mandibular advancement, or moving your jaw forward a bit with the help of a mandibular advancement device can alleviate the issue ^[5].

If You’re Still Snoring, Seek Treatment

If you tried these and other lifestyle tips and still can’t sleep, it’s time to talk to your doctor. Your doctor will do a complete examination. Your doctor may also send you for a sleep study or refer you to a sleep specialist. Sometimes the problem is nasal in origin and can be remedied by a special nasal spray or procedure. Sleep medicine devices such as chin straps or oral remedies, may be recommended to alleviate snoring in some instances. For more serious problems such as obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. This machine increases the amount of air that flows through your nasal and breathing passageways ^[6].

A Last Word About How To Stop Snoring Naturally

Very often children who have who have breathing difficulties are diagnosed with enlarged tonsils or have a problem adenoids which requires surgical intervention. If your child sounds like they have a nasal problem, have them assessed by a pediatrician.

Nasal issues can be more than just an inconvenience. Snoring and sleep apnea go hand-in-hand. It’s important to determine whether your snoring is a sign of a more serious problem such as sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure or even a heart attack. Your doctor can help you find ways to promote sleep. Determining how to stop snoring is key to maintaining good health.

How To Stop Snoring Resources:
[1] National Sleep Foundation; Sleep Apnea.
[2] Very Well Health; How Alcohol Affects Sleep Apnea and Snoring by Relaxing Airway Muscles, Brandon Peters, MD, December 09, 2018.
[3] Health 24; A sleep doctor reveals the 4 fastest ways to stop snoring, March 08, 2018.
[4] Sleep; Get rid of the earplugs and get ready to rest easy with these 10 tips to put snoring to rest.
[5] WebMD; 7 Easy Fixes for Snoring, Linda Melone.
[6] WebMD; The Basics of Snoring, Louise Chang, MD, July 08, 2018.