Snoring is a very common problem. Three out of ten adults suffer from it, and with them their loved ones, who are forced to sleep to this sound accompaniment. Only a few turn to doctors to get rid of snoring. The rest consider it harmless (and therefore do nothing) or seek to get rid of it on their own – in the vast majority of cases, unsuccessfully.
So that you do not waste your energy in vain, in this article we have collected recommendations that will tell you how to deal with snoring at home. If these remedies prove ineffective, it makes sense to turn to somnologists.
Weight loss
Fat people snore more often because fat deposits accumulate not only under the skin, but also between the internal organs. With obesity, a fatty “clutch” is formed around the pharynx, which compresses it. The lumen of the upper respiratory tract decreases as a result. During the day, this is imperceptible, but at night the tone of the muscles of the body falls, the walls of the pharynx become less elastic and elastic, they begin to approach and vibrate under the air current, creating the sound of snoring.
If you started snoring after gaining weight, losing weight will surely help you stop snoring. If you are not sure that fullness is the only reason for your snoring, losing weight will still have a beneficial effect on breathing.
Reducing body weight by only 10% from the original by 50% improves breathing parameters during sleep. For people who are slightly obese, this means that it is enough to lose only 5-7 kg (and this is not such a big deal!) To stop snoring.
Healthy lifestyle
Alcohol and cigarette smoke tar are strong snoring triggers. Smoking irritates the mucous membrane of the mouth and respiratory tract, provokes inflammation and swelling, causes hypotension (strong relaxation) of the muscles of the respiratory tract. Alcohol is a strong muscle relaxant, in addition, it suppresses the respiratory center.
People who snore on the background of smoking and alcohol, it is better to give up these habits altogether. At the very least, you should not drink alcohol and smoke 3 hours before bedtime. As for alcohol, it must be borne in mind that in an hour the body neutralizes 15 ml of pure alcohol (this corresponds to half a glass of dry wine).
The “correct” sleeping position against snoring
If you only snore on your back, change your body position while you sleep. For most people, the airway is more open in the side position. So that after falling asleep you do not roll back onto your back, use a simple “home” method of prevention. Sew a small pocket to your pajamas so that it is in the area between the shoulder blades, and put a small object (for example, a tennis ball) in it at night. You will not be able to fall asleep on your back, so you will sleep in the “correct” position and without snoring. Of course, it will take some time to get used to this addition, but after 3-4 weeks you will forget about the discomfort and begin to sleep peacefully – on your side and without snoring.
Snoring exercises
Decreased strength and tone of the muscles of the pharynx is a common cause of snoring. For example, when people first start snoring after 40, it is often due to age-related decline in muscle tone.
Targeted and regular strengthening of the muscles contributes to quiet sleep. Here are three simple exercises with which you will get rid of snoring at home:
- Push your tongue forward and down as far as possible, then return it to its usual position. Repeat for 1-2 minutes in the morning and evening.
- Move the lower jaw from back to front and back, resisting your movements with your hand. Repeat 20-30 times.
- Hold a small spoon or stick in clenched teeth for 2-3 minutes.
Doing such exercises for only 10 minutes a day, you will notice improvements after 3-4 weeks. If you wish, you can find other exercises on the Internet to diversify the complex.
An important point: it is better to do exercises from snoring before going to bed. After performing the exercises, even if they have not yet had time to give a stable effect, tonic muscle tension remains for 30-40 minutes. This means that within 30-40 minutes after the end of gymnastics, you will definitely not snore, which will give your loved ones the opportunity to sleep peacefully.
Intraoral devices
In some cases, special mouthguards help with snoring. The best and most expensive are made individually, in several stages and for quite a long time. Their cost can reach tens of thousands of rubles. Of course, no one wants to allow such expenses when it is not even known whether the device will be effective.
Mouth guards are best for those whose snoring is caused by a decrease in the size of the lower jaw, its slight shift back. This anatomical feature is almost always associated with a decrease in the lumen of the pharynx (and, therefore, with prerequisites for snoring). For other causes of snoring, they can also help, but to a lesser extent.
Snoring bracelet
You can use a special electronic device – an anti-snoring bracelet that looks like a wristwatch. The inner side of his “strap” contains several electrodes. When snoring occurs, an electrical impulse of low intensity is applied to the skin. It is practically not noticeable and does not cause awakening, but a person’s sleep goes from deep to superficial. The snorer turns to the other side, and the snoring stops. In many cases, the regular use of the bracelet causes a conditioned reflex, when, at the first sounds of snoring, the sleeping person already independently, without waiting for the bracelet to “work”, changes the position of the body, and the snoring subsides.
Why doesn’t self-treatment help?
We have listed some ways to get rid of snoring, but did not mention sprays, pills, clips, folk recipes, and so on. This is because our article is devoted to potentially effective remedies, and the rest help only in isolated cases or do not help at all.
On the other hand, some readers have already used remedies from among those that we have called effective, and they did not help. Why?
If getting rid of snoring does not occur, then:
- The cause of your snoring can only be eliminated with the help of a doctor, for example, snoring is caused by nasal polyps or enlarged tonsils. It is treated with surgery.
- You have not one, but several reasons for snoring. This happens, and often enough. For example, fullness is combined with a deviated septum. For example, you are trying to lose weight, but you simply don’t know about the second reason, so you don’t do anything about it.
- You have complicated snoring – obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. With this disorder, problems with nighttime breathing are so severe that when a person snores, they often stop breathing. Even if the cause of this condition is known, it is impossible to get rid of it without the help of a specialist. You can take a sleep apnea test here.
If you are unable to overcome snoring on your own, consult a doctor – a somnologist knows how to help you quickly, effectively and definitively.