Are you sick of being labeled a lumberjack in the morning? Is “sawing logs” during the night causing you grief? Well, if you’re like me and have a problem with snoring, read on for some tips to help you out.
To make the most of your efforts to stop snoring, it’s helpful to understand what exactly causes you to snore. Simply put, snoring is a result of the narrowing of your air passages. When the air passage is constricted, the soft, floppy tissue in your throat vibrates and creates the snoring sound. The narrowing of the air passage can be accredited to several different reasons, but the two that are most frequently associated with snoring are poor sleep posture and abnormalities of the soft tissues in your throat.
Abnormalities, you say? Well, yes — but don’t worry. I promise you’re not weird or anything, and you’re certainly not alone. Chances are that if you’re a middle aged man, these irregularities will apply to you. Men naturally have narrower air passages than women, and that explains why it’s mostly men who are condemned to the couch at night. Another reason for such irregularities can be attributed to heredity: if your mom or dad snored, chances are they passed it along to you. Other factors that can cause your throat to relax more and create that unpleasant snoring sound includes smoking, a history of asthma or allergies, alcohol, certain medications, and just being middle aged.
Now that we’ve pinpointed some of the reasons you snore, let’s take a look at what you can do to stop the problem. The first step is to make some small changes to your bedtime routine, and the following are a few tips to help keep the sawmill quiet when you get between the covers.
Tips to Prevent Snoring
- Sleep on your side — If you snore while laying on your back, turn on your side. If you can’t seem to help lying on your back, try the tennis ball trick: simply sew a tennis ball on the back of your sleep shirt. The ball will create an uncomfortable feeling when you start to roll onto your back that will help keep you on your side.
- Elevate your head — Elevating your head will help you breathe easier. To do this, you could either sleep on a thicker, firmer pillow, or even try raising the head of your entire bed some four to five inches, and thereby sleep without a pillow. If you have an adjustable bed, experiment with keeping it raised while you sleep.
- Avoid eating before bedtime — This is recommended because certain foods and beverages can increase mucus in your air passages. Specifically, you should avoid high-fat, milky products [or even soy milk products, for that matter].
- Avoid alcohol and certain medications before bedtime — These items can increase relaxation of both the throat muscles and the tongue, which will narrow your air passages and restrict breathing.
- Lose weight — One of the most effective ways to end snoring is by simply losing weight, even a little bit. The reason: your throat contains fatty tissues too, and the fewer you have, the more open your air passage becomes.
- Clear your nasal passages — That “stuffed-up” sensation means that inhalation is being blocked. Such a blockage of the air passages through the nose will create a one-way vacuum through your mouth and consequently increase snoring. Be sure to blow your nose and apply a nasal strip before you go to sleep.
- Stop smoking — This is probably the most obvious tip to end snoring because just about everyone knows that smoking is one of the unhealthiest things you can do. If you cannot give up smoking, however, try to not smoke at least before you go to bed, as it will increase relaxation of the throat muscles and significantly restrict your breathing.
If your snoring persists in spite of taking these steps, you may need to seek professional medical help. Observation by a either a dentist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist may reveal specific problems that are beyond your own control, and in these instances, you may be prescribed the use of particular devices such as a CPAP [Continuous Positive Airway Pressure] machine, or a mouthpiece which will keep your air passages open throughout the night. Some extreme cases may even require surgery.
Whether you’re a mild snorer or someone at risk of having a chronic snoring disorder that requires medical attention, one thing is certain: you need to monitor the problem and get some help if your own efforts to control it don’t work. Snoring, believe it or not, can be both an indicator and a cause of serious health risks that can take a toll on your body. A lack of air through those passages at night will create pressure on your heart, which is often linked to high-blood pressure. Just a simple case of snoring is often not the problem, and sleep apnea may instead be the proper diagnosis. This disorder occurs when the air passage is so constricted during the night that breathing completely stops, and the sufferer will often wake up for a second to gasp for the next breath– thus interrupting their REM cycle. When REM sleep is interrupted, a fatigued feeling is prevalent throughout the next day. In the worst cases, the sleeper may not wake up at all, and the problem can be fatal.
My best advice for all you lumberjacks out there: try to get some relief from the tips I’ve listed, but above all, don’t ignore the problem. It could be more serious than you think.
I will definately be telling my boyfriend about this! He does not snore when he is on his side, so I know that works. Will be trying more!!
surprisingly there’s a few in here i hadn’t heard off, though you did miss one..A sharp elbow to the ribs or back is my wife’s favourite she says it works shes asleep before i start again.
Have to say i’m the snorer (female) but I am aware that it is because i’m overweight, but at the same time always been one just its a lot worse at the moment. My father had an operation on his nose twice to clear his passage ways but still snores so i guess there’s no hope for me!!!!
I’m printing this for my mum cos dad snores like crazy.
I have TWO of your tips that I need to work on. I usually have a bowl of cereal before bedtime. Not anymore.
#1 Avoid eating before bedtime — This is recommended because certain foods and beverages can increase mucus in your air passages. Specifically, you should avoid high-fat, milky products [or even soy milk products, for that matter].
Since my grandson was born 14 months ago, I’ve put on 30 pounds. I stopped working out and started baby sitting. Time for me again.
#2 Lose weight — One of the most effective ways to end snoring is by simply losing weight, even a little bit. The reason: your throat contains fatty tissues too, and the fewer you have, the more open your air passage becomes.
P.S. I’ve had insomnia for over 20 years. I believe that the comfort of your bedding is also a factor in sleep loss.
BessieLBurnsed@aol.com
My husband needs to read this! He has been such a bad snorer lately! I’m constantly trying to roll him over onto his back!
I strongly agree with this article. It is our own life styles that cause us to snore! However, I have found that in my home.. the heavier you are in weight.. the louder you are when you sleep!
Luckily my husband and I don’t snore except when we’re sick! But good advice in case we ever start!
I loved this article. I am working on several of your tips right now! Quit smoking, lose weight, don’t eat before bedtime. But now I know to avoid drinking wine before bed too! Thanks so much!!
I don’t snore but i know people who do. i think sleep apnea places a role in it. very difficult to control
Thanks for these helpful tips! I have found my husband snores more frequently when he is overtired. Keeping him hydrated and going to bed on time really helps.
i dont snore, but this is good to know
going to share with some family member
Elevating the head of the bed is the only thing I haven’t tried yet. But then again my snoring doesn’t bother me! Sorry honey!
I am hoping these tips will stop my boyfriend’s snoring
Thats really interesting!Most of these tips I have never heard of..
Thanks! Very interesting. I’m going to pass on the tips…particularly the one to elevate your head to a snorer I know!!!
I sometimes feel bad pushing my husband onto his side to stop his snoring—glad to read that it’s one of the better ways to prevent snoring. If only I could convince him to do the tennis ball trick to keep him from rolling onto his back…
I always wondered why men store more. Now I know. Great article
I am going to suggest a couple of these helpful hints to my husband tonight. His snoring always disturbs my sleep 🙁
Well the only 1 we didnt try is stop smoking! Maybe just maybe
I’ll try anything…thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My hubby snores…I will pass this info on to him!
great info! I think I snore, but my husband is just too polite to wake me. 🙂
That is a lot o good information, most of it I would have never thought of.
useful information that I can pass to my wife. I have no problem sleeping.
well this does explain why my husband sounds like a harley lol. thanks for the info 🙂 and if i may add …. i want those sheets:)
Ever since my partner quit drinking alcohol, the snoring has almost stopped completely. Before? I think the snoring peeled the paint off the walls it was SO loud! BIG difference!
So glad I don’t snore but I will pass on some of this information to others that I know that do snore!
My husband snores like a pig and when he does he is usually on his back so i disrupt his sleep n put him on his side. Immediate silence
I once knew a guy who snored so much and so loud he ended up having that soft, floppy tissue that vibrates surgically removed. Now that’s hard core snoring! He was much better after that….=)
great advice!
Great tips! Hubby definitely needs to heed some of your advice here….he rattles the windows!
Interesting side fact; One of the loudest snores recorded in Guiness World Records was 93 decibels (120db is a jet engine), by Kare Walkert of Kumla, Sweden, in 1993.
I have to show this article to my husband who snores so loud he wakes me up. Thanks!
Very good suggestions . My stepson had a snoring problem which turned out to be
sleep apnea. Surgery did not help but finally after losing weight his snoring is markedly improved.
I did not know some of these tips. Thank you. Until I can lose a few pounds i had to have a sleep study done and will have to use the CPAP machine.
my mom definitely needs this. I will be sharing with her tomorrow.
how interesting. i always wondered why smacking him with my pillow was never working lol
oh I will be telling hubby and my mother in law this.. she lives with us.. and I have never heard any one snore like she does.. I feel bad for her cause it sounds like she is never getting enough air
Both my husband and I snore (NO, not me!), but he does sleep on his side and he is loud. I used to go sleep on the couch but, I have learned to start breathing along with his snoring and I actually fall asleep. He is a bit overweight and I didn’t know that could be a factor and of course his allergies don’t help. Very interesting article, thank you!
Great article! Very helpful! Thank you!
I do n ot snore but my dog does perhaps I need to get him a better pillow as well as myself!
I am going avoid eating before bedtime to see if this helps as kids say I have been snoring lately but we have been snacking late at night. Alot to good advice thank you!
My dad always snored so loud we could hear him with our bedroom door shut. I knew it was because he was heavier but I never knew that my brother’s snoring could be changed if he quit smoking. My sister has always said she snores more when she’s had a little to drink too. All interesting. Thank you for this article!
I don’t snore, but I can tell you that the advice to elevate your head when you are sleeping is also spot on for Asthmatics, my doctor gave me that advice years ago to help alleviate Asthma symptoms during the night! By the way Mama needs a new set of sheets! OK! 🙂
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly
Sleeping next to a snorer is definitely not fun.
I’m going to recommend elevating his head to my husband! He’s a big time snorer!
My husband has tried many of these suggestions. Since we can’t find a solution, I sleep in another room. I hate that!
I’m pretty sure my snoring is from eating before I go to sleep. I’ll have to try to change that!
Recently We purchased SlumberNow clip because of my husbands very loud snoring. We could hear him upstairs anywhere in the house even with the bedroom door closed. I can finally sleep in the same room with him again. Thank you!
Bradley this is a helpful guide. I will recommend this to my husband he snores loud. My question is, does drinking coffee in excess also causeas snoring?