How to stop snoring: the three changes to make

Snoring is annoying, but it’s usually not a big deal.

If snoring is affecting your quality of life, there are many changes you can make to stop snoring.

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Most solutions for snoring are simple lifestyle changes.

What causes snoring?

Snoring is very common and is usually caused by things that you can change.

Snoring occurs when the tongue, mouth, throat, or air passages in the nose vibrate as you breathe. These vibrate when you sleep because these parts of your body relax and tighten.

You’re more likely to snore if you’re overweight, smoke, drink too much alcohol, or sleep on your back.

Sometimes your snoring is caused by conditions like sleep apnea, which is when your airway becomes temporarily blocked while you sleep.

how to stop snoring

The easiest way to stop snoring is to reverse the things that cause it.

Snoring can be caused by a multitude of factors, such as whether the snorer is overweight, has a cold, sleeps on their back, or has been drinking alcohol (all of which increase the likelihood of a noisy night).

Lose weight

If being overweight causes snoring, losing weight is a magical solution.

Exercise and a healthy diet can reduce weight around the neck and throat. This weight can put pressure on the airways and cause snoring.

It is unlikely that changing your diet will stop snoring on its own, physical exercise is what will help you the most.

You should also try to eat smaller meals at night and drink plenty of water.

change positions

People who sleep on their backs are more likely to snore, so it’s obvious that changing your position could help.

Change your sleeping position: If you sleep on your back, changing sides or facing may help.

This is because when you sleep on your back, your tongue falls back and can partially block your throat. This in turn restricts airflow.

Sleeping on your side will reduce airway compression and stop snoring.

You can try gluing or sewing a tennis ball to the back of your pajamas to keep it on one side.

Alternatively, purchase a special pillow or bed wedge to help you stay on your side.

cut the alcohol

Men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units per week.

This is equivalent to about seven glasses of beer, or cider of lower concentration than normal.

It also means that you should avoid drinking more than nine small glasses of wine in a week.

While alcohol can make you feel drowsy, it actually reduces the quality of your sleep and relaxes the muscles in your throat, making snoring worse.