First, Consider Seeing Your Doctor
Like a persistent cough, snoring is a generic symptom for many scary diseases. You snore when your airways are blocked, like when you have a cold or allergies. This is normal, and nothing to worry about. You should stop snoring once your congestion clears up. But frequent snoring could mean your airways are slightly deformed or your uvula and palate are too long and blocking them. These can cause obstructive sleep apnea, which is when you stop breathing for seconds or minutes while you sleep. This is a serious condition that can lead to brain and heart damage because of the lack of oxygen. Should you be worried? If you have asthma or all-season allergies, they’re probably what’s making you snore. But, if you’re overweight or have GERD or hiatal hernias, you’re at greater risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Play it safe and see your doctor to rule out any underlying serious illnesses that might be causing your snoring. With that said, here are five ways you can stop snoring:
1. Use a MAD While You Sleep
Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) are mouthpieces you wear while you’re sleeping. There are many varieties, including custom fit models made from a mold of your bite (like when you get fit for braces at the dentist) and hinged models you can adjust to fit over your mouth. Hinged models allow you to move your mouth more freely than custom fit models. MADs pull your lower jaw forward while you’re sleeping, which lessens obstructions by widening your upper airways. This may prevent obstructive sleep apnea by keeping any deformities from blocking your airways.
2. Tone Your Tongue With the Taiwanese Tongue Muscle Trainer
If you love working out, getting your tongue muscles ripped could solve your snoring problems! Taiwanese experts introduced a handheld, two-part “fitness” device. The front end is a pill-sized air-filled bulb that goes into your mouth. It’s connected to a pressure gauge that you hold in your hand. You press against the bulb with your tongue using different instructed positions. You must reach a target pressure for each position, and then hold for 30 seconds. Studies show these tongue exercises lower sleep problems by about 50 percent. Why? Strengthening your palate and tongue muscles prevents them from collapsing and blocking your airways when you’re sleeping.
3. Lose Weight
When you’re overweight, fat builds around your throat. This can thicken the tissues surrounding your airways, and the increased pressure can constrict them while you sleep. Losing weight loosens these tissues again, lessening the pressure around your airways.
4. Exercise Your Throat Muscles
Like exercising your tongue, toning your throat muscles helps prevent tissues around your airways from collapsing while you sleep. Try these throat-strengthening exercises:
Recite the vowels of the alphabet loudly for three minutes three times a day. Touch the back of your front teeth with your tongue then slide it backwards. Repeat for three minutes. For half a minute, purse your lips with your mouth closed. Flex your jaw to the right and left with your mouth open. Hold each position for half a minute.
5. Apply a Cheap, Homemade Nasal Saline Spray
If your allergies or cold is causing your snoring, clearing your nasal passages before sleeping might stop you from snoring. You can make a cheap, effective nasal spray by mixing two teaspoons of kosher salt with one cup of distilled water in a sterilized spray bottle. Apply the solution to both nostrils before going to bed. The solution washes out any mucus buildup. Also, studies show saline solutions moisturize your dry nasal passages and lower inflammation. This is good because inflammation constricts your airways. The salt concentration also kills cold-causing bacteria, which helps treat your cold. If you wake up to complaints about your snoring, you should ask if it happens every night. If so, see your doctor. Once you’ve ruled out underlying illnesses, try these proven methods to stop your snoring. Featured photo credit: Pixabay: AdinaVoicu via pixabay.com
