Prevent Sleep Deprivation: Cure Snoring

Are you a snoring person? If you are trying to fall asleep, there is simply nothing worse than the sound of your snoring waking you up, and even waking up your bed partner or roommate!

If you want to cure snoring and put an end to those sleepless nights (both for you and for your roommate), the few simple tips below may be able to help you. In general, they fall into these categories:

§ Behavioral
§ Medicinal
§ Mechanical
§ Surgical

Behavioral – these tips involve an improvement, if not change, of a person’s lifestyle.

1. Try to lose a few pounds, especially if you are overweight. This will reduce fat in your airways and prevent them from pressing on the throat.

2. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at least 2-3 hours before going to bed. Forget your “alcohol as a night cap” habit. Drinking alcohol relaxes your muscles and could possibly make you snore.

3. Avoid heavy meals and high-fat dairy foods or soymilk products also at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. Like alcoholic beverages, eating heavy meals also relaxes the muscles, while dairy foods and soymilk products such as butter, cheese, milk, and cream not only increase the secretion of mucus but also keep them from draining properly, resulting to snoring.

4. Stop smoking and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. They both relax or weaken the muscles and clog the nose, throat, and lungs, increasing your chances of snoring.

5. If possible, avoid the use of sleeping pills, tranquilizers, or other sedatives and medication that relax the neck muscles and may contribute to snoring.

6. Keep the room from having dust, feather pillows (even pets) that could possibly induce allergies or could result to difficulty in breathing.

7. If they cannot be avoided, try to promptly remedy minor illnesses such as colds, sinus problems, and allergies that make it difficult for you to breathe. While numerous over-the-counter medications are available, watch out for antihistamines that may give you further allergies or stuffiness.

8. Exercise. Not only is it an excellent pastime, it will also improve your health and general physical condition, allowing you to develop good muscle tone while helping you lose weight. In addition, practice yoga and singing. Singing is also a form of exercise directed to toning your throat, tongue, and jaw muscles – a surely effective way to prevent snoring.

9. Make it a habit to drink tea at least 1-2 hours before going to bed: it can help reduce snoring.

10. Take a face steam bath. This is because steam or vapor inhalation can help open the air passages. A face steam bath involves pouring a hot or boiling water in a big bowl (adding a few drops of essential oils is a recommended option), bending over the bowl (with a towel that completely covers the head, and inhaling the steam for about 5 minutes.

11. Observe a bedtime hour. Having (and following) a set hour for going to sleep minimizes the need for taking sleeping pills and other sedatives.

12. Avoid sleeping on your back. People are more likely to snore in this position. Try to sleep on your side or your stomach. Special pillows encourage you to do this. Another trick is to sew a tennis ball, a sock, or other similar objects in a pocket on the back of your pajamas that would force you to turn on your side by making it uncomfortable for you to lie on your back. You can also resort to a simpler solution of asking your bed partner or roommate to make you or roll you over if you snore.

13. If possible, sleep without a pillow – they tend to block the air passages by bending your neck.

14. When sleeping, raise the head of your bed 4-6 inches. This will make breathing easier.

Medicinal – these include dozens of over-the-counter products that offer to prevent snoring, including (but not limited to) the following:

§ Nasal/throat sprays
§ Nasal strips/dilators
§ Nasal decongestants
§ Ointments/vapor rubs
§ Herbal tonics

Mechanical – these include devices/dental appliances that also help in treating snoring. It is strongly advised that you consult your dentist to determine which of these will be suitable for your condition. Some of these devices are the following:

§ Nose clips
§ Jaw mechanics
§ Chinstraps
§ Mouthpieces
§ Air pressure machines (CPAP)

Surgical – these include anti-snoring procedures that are available for those who find that a simple change in lifestyle, medications, or mechanical devices are not enough. They may include removal of tonsils or adenoids, or simply a change of the shape of the mouth or jaws.

§ Traditional surgery
§ Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP)
§ Bipolar cautery
§ Laser surgery (Laser-Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty, or LAUP)
§ Radio frequency Ablation (Somnoplasty)
§ Tonsillectomy/Adenoidectomy

Keep in mind that the proper treatment depends on the proper diagnosis, and with this proper treatment comes an improved quality of life not only for you but also the people around you. So look into how to cure snoring further and do yourself and your partner a favor.