12 Natural Remedies to Prevent Snoring and Improve Sleep Quality

Snoring is a common condition among adults. Some people snore frequently, whereas others snore occasionally. As per a study, approximately 45% of adults snore habitually. Around 95% of snorers have admitted that their snoring causes disturbance to their family members and partner. Plus, snoring affects their regular sleep schedule.

Understanding Snoring – Causes and Effects

Snoring happens when airflow is disrupted due to narrow airways and partial obstructions in the throat. That causes the soft tissues in the throat to vibrate causing the noise. Usually, the causes of snoring are:

• Sleeping position
• Nasal congestion
• Intake of alcohol and smoking habit
• Misaligned jaw
• Physical anomalies – enlarged adenoids/tonsils and deviated septum
• In some cases, sleep apnea

While the effects of snoring are wide ranged such as:

• Disrupted sleep for snorer and bed partner leading to personal relationship issues
• Daytime drowsiness and sleep deprivation
• Fatigue
• Poor concentration putting you at risk of accidents
• Cognitive and behavioral issues
• High risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, stroke and hypertension

Why Do People Snore?

Snoring happens when there is partial blockage in the throat or in the nasal passages and the flow of air through the narrow respiratory passages, vibrating the soft tissues to vibrate, causing the noise, termed as snoring. The blockages in the nasal passages are caused due to:

• Poor muscle tone of the tongue and throat
• Nasal congestion
• Consumption of alcohol
• Wrong sleeping positions
• Obesity
• Deviated septum and inflamed tonsils

Additionally, as you age, you lose muscle tone and that contributes to snoring. Though snoring is harmless in many cases, oftentimes, it might be an indicator of sleep apnea, a serious health and sleep disorder that requires medical intervention.

How Snoring Affects Sleep & Health?

Usually, snoring is caused due to obstructed flow of air in the respiratory system, leading to disrupted breathing, when asleep. It affects overall health and quality of sleep. Due to the onset of sleep deprivation over a long period of time, fragmented sleep leads to:

• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Poor concentration
• Mood swings

Additionally, chronic snoring is a precursor to sleep apnea in many cases, and linked to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and stroke. One of the key aspects that links sleep apnea to heart disease is the low oxygen levels on the blood, due to disrupted breathing and snoring that causes stress on the heart.

Why Do People Snore? Common Causes Explained

Here are some common causes of snoring:

• Age: People in their middle-age usually have a narrower throat and the tone of muscles also decreases over time.
• Being Obese: Poor muscle tone and fatty tissues in the body can also lead to snoring. Even if you are not overweight, excess weight around the throat or neck can be a cause of snoring. One good remedy for snoring can be losing weight by exercising.
• Men Snore more than Women: Men usually have narrower air passages compared to women, so they are more likely to snore than females. While you don’t have any control over your gender or build, you can certainly control snoring by following the right bedtime routines, lifestyle changes and a few throat exercises.
• Alcohol, Medications and Smoking: Certain medications and intake of alcohol and smoking can also lead to snoring.
• Nasal and Sinus Problems: Stuffy nose or blocked airways can make inhalation problematic and form a vacuum in your throat and cause snoring.
• Sleep Posture: If you sleep flat on your back, the flesh of the throat can relax and block your airway and cause snoring. So, you can consider changing your sleep position to relieve snoring.

12 Natural Remedies to Stop Snoring

There are various ways to get rid of snoring. While medical treatments are recommended for some extreme cases, it’s best to try some natural remedies before turning to medical treatment.

Try the following natural home remedies to treat snoring: 

1. Lose Weight: Since overweight people have more fat around their neck that narrows down their airways, they are more likely to snore. One simple snoring remedy is to change your diet and exercise regularly to lose some weight. It will also help you lose weight around your neck and relieve snoring.

2. Change the Sleeping Position: If you sleep on your back, it can cause snoring. So, to avoid that, you must try sleeping on your side. We understand that old habits won’t die easily, as you’re likely to go back to the same sleeping position when you get deeper into sleep. One easy fix is to invest in a body pillow that maintains your side sleeping position. Another trick is to sew tennis balls in your pyjamas to prevent you from sleeping on the back. 

3. Try to Know Your Snoring Patterns: You can take the help of a fitness tracker to know your sleep cycle and know the snoring patterns. Find out more about where and when you snore more, as well as what leads to snoring in your case. This is an important step to make a change in your snoring habit.

4. Drink More Water: Another best snoring remedy is to stay hydrated by drinking more water. Dehydration can cause mucus formation in your nose and that makes you snore more. Therefore, you need to drink around 3.7 litres of water (in the case of men) and around 2.7 litres of water (in the case of women).

5. Stay no to Alcohol and Cigarettes: Regular smokers and drinkers are likely to snore more, as mentioned before. So, it is best to try to quit alcohol and smoking to relax your throat muscles that cause snoring. Smoking also irritates throat tissues and can cause inflammation. Therefore, try to quit smoking as soon as possible. 

6. Get Humidifiers for your Bedroom: Since dry air may not lead to snoring, it can certainly increase it. So, get humidifiers for your room to keep indoor air moist and make your throat and nostrils relaxed. The moisture in the air is needed to lubricate nose and throat muscles, so that air could flow easily in and out without any noisy vibrations.

7. Exercise Your Tongue and Throat Muscles: You are likely to snore when the throat and tongue muscles relax too much. Therefore, strengthening them is important to help you stop snoring. Certain exercises can help you strengthen your throat muscles and get rid of snoring. One such exercise is to place your tongue’s tip on the top of your teeth and gently slides it to and fro a couple of times a day.

8. Get Steam: Another good snoring remedy is to try a facial steamer bowl to open airways before going to bed. This comes in handy when you are dealing with a stuffy nose from allergies or cold. You need to fill a huge bowl with hot water, drop your head over it and get close enough to let the steam enter your throat. Taking a hot shower also has similar effects.

9. Examine Your Diet and Reduce Inflammatory Food: Dairy and gluten products cause tissues in your nose and throat to become inflamed. You don’t have to completely cut out that yummy glass of chocolate milk you have every day. Pick out some days where you have some plain tea instead and don’t have it too soon before bed.

10. Elevate Your Head when Sleeping: When sleeping on your side won’t relieve your snoring, you need to elevate your head a bit more. It will ease breathing while opening up airways. You can use two pillows to do this trick. You’re likely to feel the difference with this simple yet effective snoring remedy.

11. Garlic Remedy for Snoring: This is also the best remedy for snoring. Hot foods like garlic and onions are known to reduce snoring. This is because these foods help in reducing mucus build-up that tends to block your sinus. 

12. Essential Oils to Cure Snoring: Sometimes you don’t get enough restful sleep at night. This could also be a cause of snoring. So, you could try a blend of some essential oils to provide you with a restful sleep while relieving snoring.

Snoring often gets unnoticed. But it is a cause of concern for the snorer and the ones around him/her at night. Therefore, you can try some of these easy or simple natural snoring remedies to alleviate this problem.

Also Read- How to Talk to your Partner About Snoring

Conclusion

There are many ways to reduce or stop snoring with simple natural remedies. From using anti-snoring oral devices, sleeping on your side, using a pillow to elevate your head to stop consumption of alcohol and quitting smoking. If sleep apnea is one of the reasons for your snoring, seek an evaluation by a doctor.