Products To Stop Snoring: The Solutions To Sleepless Nights

Snoring can be a nuisance not only for the snorer but also for the people around him/her (especially those who sleep on the same room as he or she is). Because of this problem, efforts have been made to come up with products to stop snoring and make it possible for people to sleep in peace.

Some of the most common products to stop snoring are listed below:

“Chin-up” strips. They are U-shaped adhesive strips that curl around the lower lip. They keep the mouth closed while sleeping to allow a snorer to breathe more through his or her nose.

Soft collars. They keep the airways open by elevating the chin while sleeping.

Lubricating mouth/nasal/throat sprays. They release moisture to the membranes found at the back of the throat, coating the tissues with lubricating oils to allow free airflow.

Nasal dilator strips. They are adhesive strips that straighten when placed across the nose. This, in effect, gently pulls open and widens the space in the nasal passages to make breathing easier.

Nose clips. They are clips made of soft washable material that are inserted and clipped on the septum to pull open the nostrils, allowing the snoring person to breathe freely. Some nose clips have the additional feature of opening the passages of the nose by stimulating the nasal sensory nerves with the use of ‘earth magnets.'

Ergonomically shaped pillows/beds (strap-on devices). They cradle the head and stimulate the proper sleeping position that will keep the air passages of a snorer open while sleeping.

Anti-snoring pills. They are usually made up of herbs and natural plant enzymes that reduce snoring by lessening nasal secretions (like mucous), or breaking them down and absorbing them again. Some of them can also prevent the swelling of the nose and throat tissues.

“Vapor” rubs/ointments. They are applied on the chest, throat, or back to clear the sinuses. They can be also diluted to a bowl of hot/boiling water and inhaled.

Anti-snoring “watches.” They are worn like a wristwatch and produces tiny electrical impulse and/or vibrations whenever a person’s snoring reaches a certain level. (Comes with a contact gel and a battery.)

Inhalers. They release stem that will open congested nasal and sinus passages.

Earplugs. They typically have foams that will absorb snoring sounds.

Palatal inserts. They are made up of polyester materials that are inserted in the throat to stiffen them and reduce the vibration that causes snoring.

Mouthpieces. They are worn inside the mouth and either pull the lower jaw forward or press the tongue to the roof of the mouth to create enough space in the throat to improve a person’s breathing while he or she sleeps.

Snoreplasty. They are scarring solutions (with a “sclerosing agent”) that are injected in the throat area that achieves the same results as that of the palatal inserts.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). It is a machine that produces enough pressure for the air to be delivered in a snorer’s air passages with the use of specially designed mask (or pillow).

Aromatherapy. It is considered a “natural” cure for snoring that involves essential oils (or concocted blend of oils). The oils are either left open in a room (allowing the scent to disperse), placed on the skin underneath the nose, massaged in the neck, applied on the pillow, or placed in an electrical diffuser.

There are a lot of products that claim to be a remedy and promise an “effective cure” for snoring (there are, in fact, more than 300 registered anti-snoring devices now available in the market). People seem to be overwhelmed with the many choices offered to them, only to be frustrated later once they find out that these “glorified” products are not as effective as what their manufacturers claim them to be.

While products to stop snoring are extremely handy, what most people do not realize is that to deal with the problem, one must identify the source. And with the numerous possible reasons of snoring, it is vital for a snorer to have a thorough evaluation by a professional. These trained specialists (the local GP, an EENT doctor, a dentist, a dental surgeon, or a sleep disorder specialist) will then be able to help him/her decide on a particular treatment approach or procedure that will be best for his/her snoring problem.