8 Ways To Stop Snoring Naturally

1. Try to lose weight if you're obese

Losing weight can help reduce the amount of fatty tissue around the neck and the muscles of the throat and tongue, thus reducing your likelihood of snoring. 

2. Avoid consuming alcohol after 6pm

Alcohol can cause both excessive muscle relaxation and swelling of the soft tissues. Alcohol can also change the sleep architecture (pattern) of sleep and cause frequent awakenings and sleep disruption.

3. Avoid taking sleeping pills

Ce​rtain sleeping pills may cause the upper airway to relax and lead to snoring.

4. Quit smoking

Smoking can cause swelling and irritation of the airway soft tissues which causes snoring.

5. Treat nasal congestion

Having a stuffy nose makes inhaling difficult, creating a vacuum in your throat that could lead to snoring. For patients with nasal allergies, reducing allergens like dust-mites and pet dander around the bedroom is important.

Bedsheets, pillows, fans & air-conditioning units should be cleaned regularly. Excessive decorations and carpets should be avoided in the bedroom. Initial treatment of allergic rhinitis with nasal sprays or oral antihistamines can be done by a family physician.

Treatment of nasal congestion can improve the severity of snoring, subjective sleep quality and reduce sleepiness, but snoring in adults is often due to obstruction at multiple levels including the throat and tongue, which will require further evaluation and treatment.

Over the counter nasal breathing strips and nasal dilators may help improve nasal airflow in some patients, but do not adequately treat snoring or sleep apnoea for most patients.

6. Exercise regularly and adopt fixed sleep patterns

Following a routine of exercising regularly and going to bed at the same time may help minimise snoring.

7. Sleep on your side.

Sleeping on your back is more likely to cause your tongue and soft tissues to drop backward and obstruct your airway. In some patients, sleeping on the side, or slightly propped up can reduce this collapse and relieve symptoms.

Ensuring that the pillow and mattress is of the right height and consistency can help with side sleeping. Positional therapy devices such a tennis ball or pillow strapped to the back of the shirt may help maintain side sleeping.

However not all patients respond to positional therapy, nor can everyone maintain side or propped up sleeping positions. Thus, patients should still seek evaluation if they symptoms and follow up with their healthcare provider to monitor for symptom response to positional changes.

Try myofunctional therapy exercises

Myofunctional therapy is a set of exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of the tongue and throat. These exercises are thought to improve muscle tone and thus reduce collapse due to muscle weakness of the tongue and the throat in some people.

Though response to myofunctional therapy varies from individual to individual, the exercises can be done safely and easily. 

When is snoring dangerous? Find out in this video!

If you snore, these small steps may ease your partner’s sleep:

• Allow your partner to fall asleep first.
• Offer ear plugs.

If YOU are the affected partner, this is how to use ear plugs effectively:

• Roll ear plug into a narrow cylinder.
• With opposite hand, pull ear upwards to straighten canal.
• Insert ear plug fully and hold 30 seconds to expand.