Herbs for Snoring: Of Gardens and Bedtime

Snoring may well be credited with breaking up relationships, friendships, and even marriages. There seems to be no cure in sight, with therapies ranging from highly suspect mouthpieces to inhalers to advice on how to position oneself during sleep, with the last being a rather annoying exercise in futility.

One other therapy on the market is traditional medicine, and most of the pills offered will contain one or more of the following supposed anti-snoring herbs: immature bitter orange, bromelain, and coenzyme Q10. Put together, all three herbs for snoring promise to “help open the sinus passages and allow maximum air flow.”

But what are these herbs for snoring? Are they more dangerous than beneficial to health? Should they even be taken at all?

Immature bitter orange has long been used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. It is high in Vitamin C, and has thus been used as an immune system booster; an ingredient in antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory ointments; and as an appetite stimulant.

It is the synephrine in the herb which makes it useful for anti-snoring medications. Synephrine has been claimed to relieve nasal congestion and make allergic reactions milder – but it is actually a stimulant, with the same effects as ephedrine and caffeine. It can suppress one’s appetite and provide an energy boost when taken in large doses. As a result, synephrine is often marketed as a slimming, or diet drug.

Bromelain, on the other hand, is part of a large group of enzymes found in pineapple. It has also enjoyed a long history of use as an anti-inflammatory drug, as well as a digestive aid. As a supplement in anti-snoring medicine, bromelain is used to degrade mucus in the air passages, which can sometimes aggravate snoring problems.

Our bodies have their own Coenzyme Q10, a protein which quickens the chemical reactions that make our cells work. It is highest in the heart, pancreas, kidneys, and liver, and lowest in the lungs. Coenzyme Q10 has been said to work as an antioxidant and sleep promoter once paired with bromelain and synephrine in anti-snoring medication.

Although all three herbs have long been accepted as herbal remedies, there are precautions you should take if you consider receiving anti-snoring medication.

• Synephrine should not be used if you have spleen and stomach problems, or if you are pregnant. Avoid anti-snoring herbs if you have any of these.

• Because synephrine is actually an energy booster, it may keep you off sleep. Take anti-snoring medications in moderation.

• Synephrine should not be taken with other herbal stimulants such as Kola Nut, Guarana, or ginseng, or with coffee or tea. For best results, take anti-snoring medications an hour or so before bedtime with a glass of water.

• Since bromelain should be taken on an empty stomach, make sure that you do not take anti-snoring herbs immediately after a heavy meal. Better yet, take a light dinner and keep away from rich foods, which actually increase the risk of snoring.

• Bromelain is an anti-coagulant and should not be paired with other similar medications, such as enoxaparin and warfarin. Do not take anti-snoring medications if you are taking these two drugs.

• Avoid bromelain, and anti-snoring herbs, if you have gastric or duodenal ulcers, or an allergic reaction to bromelain.

• Coenzyme Q10 can sometimes cause insomnia, abdominal pain, nausea, rashes, and dizziness. If you are prone to any of these, take anti-snoring medications in moderation.

• Coenzyme Q10 will not work if taken with anti-coagulants and insulin. If you are on either of these treatments, your anti-snoring medication will not work as well as expected.

• As in all things, consult with a physician or health professional before taking any anti-snoring herbs and drugs.

Anti-snoring herbs and medications may help alleviate snoring, so if you have a problem, then check herbal medicine as an option. The components of such medications have long been used for other purposes, and they can be used still, but in moderation.

If the problem won’t go away, then try other options, such as inhalants or ergonomic pillows. In the meantime, enjoy the herbs for snoring and get some sleep!