Tips To Prevent Chronic Snoring From Ruining Your Sleep

It’s safe to say that nearly everybody snores and in most instances, it’s not a cause for alarm.  Snoring normally occurs when air is unable to flow freely through a person’s nose and throat while they’re sleeping.  As a result, the surrounding tissues start to vibrate and produce the snoring sound that most of us are familiar with.  In some cases, chronic snoring results from nasal and throat (“floppy”) tissue that is prone to vibrating.  Your tongue’s position can also obstruct the airway and interfere with your breathing.

If you snore at night on a regular basis, it can hinder your sleep quality as well as that of your partner’s.  This can lead to daytime drowsiness and fatigue, increased health issues, and irritability.  Furthermore, if your snoring interferes with your partner’s sleep, it can cause problems in your relationship.  There are a number of things you can do to reduce snoring and keep it from disturbing you and your partner’s sleep.  This will enable you to get better quality sleep and overcome the problems in your relationship.

What are the Risk Factors for Snoring?

Since there are different causes of snoring, it’s important to understand the risk factors that make a person more prone to it.  Once you determine what is causing you to snore, it’s easier to find a solution so you and your partner can enjoy a deeper, quieter night’s sleep.  These risk factors include:

• Your age – once you reach middle age and continue to grow older, your throat narrows and its muscle tone increasingly decreases.  Although you can’t do anything about aging, there are certain things you can do to help prevent snoring such as doing throat exercises, follow a new bedtime routine, or make certain lifestyle changes.

• Alcohol, cigar or cigarette smoking, and some prescription medications – drinking alcohol, smoking, and some medications such as Ativan and Valium can lead to increased muscle relaxation and cause more frequent snoring.

• Being overweight or obese – poor muscle tone and fatty tissue can cause snoring.  Even if an individual isn’t overweight, carrying extra weight around your neck and throat can cause you to snore.  Getting regular exercise and losing weight can, in some cases, be all you need to do to put an end to your snoring problems.

• Nasal and sinus issues – inhalation can be difficult when you have a blocked airway or stuffy nose.  This creates a vacuum in the throat which eventually causes you to snore.

• Physical attributes – a man’s airway is narrower than a woman’s which makes them more prone to snoring.  Other hereditary factors that can contribute to snoring include cleft palates, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, and other anatomical attributes.

• Sleep posture – sleeping on your back can cause you to snore because it causes the throat muscles to relax and block your airway.  Sleeping in a different position such as your side or stomach can help.

It’s important to understand these risk factors, especially if you’re in a relationship and have a sleeping partner who isn’t getting the quality sleep he or she should be getting. Trying to sleep separately only creates a wedge between the couple and is detrimental to the health of the relationship. 

Linking the Cause to the Cure

Monitoring your snoring to see if there are certain patterns that exist can help pinpoint the reasons behind the problem, what makes it worse, and how to go about stopping it.  In order to identify certain chronic snoring patterns, you should keep a sleep journal or download a sleep-tracking app and use it regularly.  If you have a sleep partner or spouse, they can help you with this.  If you sleep by yourself, record yourself on a camera if possible.

Remember, the way you snore often reveals the cause of your snoring.  If you are unable to find the cause on your own, it helps to consult with a doctor to know the exact cause. For example:

• Closed-mouth snoring could be a tongue problem
• Open-mouth snoring could be related to your throat tissues
• Snoring while sleeping on your back could warrant lifestyle changes and sleeping habits as a way to reduce snoring
• Snoring no matter what position you’re sleeping in could indicate a more severe issue that requires extensive treatment

There are a number of anti-snoring devices and nasal sprays available today with more being introduced to the market all the time.  This can make finding a solution for your snoring problem a challenging task.  Unfortunately, many of these anti-snoring cures aren’t backed up by clinical research.  Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for chronic snoring.

Bedtime Remedies:

You only snore when you are asleep. That is why it is important to have a proper bedtime routine wherein you need to ensure that you keep changing your sleeping position. It has been seen that when you sleep on your side, not your back, you tend to sleep better as you snore less. If you still have a tendency to snore, try an anti-snoring appliance that fits in your mouth.

It is good to clear your nasal passages before you lay down so that you can breathe better. Dry air adds to the snoring issues as your throat and nasal passages so it is a must to use a humidifier and keep the air in your bedroom moist.

Lifestyle Changes:

Apart from the bedtime routine, you need to make long term lifestyle changes. From losing weight to quitting smoking, everything helps. It is best to avoid drinking alcohol and taking sedatives or sleeping pills. This leads to loosen muscles that aids snoring. 
Be careful with the foods you eat prior to bedtime so that you snore less. While tightening your muscles, it is essential to create an exercise routine and stick to it. To reduce snoring and get a better night’s sleep, try Asonor Anti-snoring Solution.  Visit our website or e-mail us at [email protected].