Natural Cures for Snoring
Surely we’ve all had the not-so-joyful experience of sharing a bed with a snoring human (or animal!). Here are some natural ways to alleviate that timber-sawing noise and get a better night’s sleep for everyone!
There are a variety of natural ways to make a quiet night possible- although snoring could be a symptom of a serious underlying health problems, so if you snore you should make an appointment with your doctor just in case! In the meantime, here are some easy, DIY solutions to get your snoring under control.
Use a Tennis Ball
Most people snore when they are lying on their backs. In this position, your soft palate and base of your tongue collapse onto your throat’s back wall. As you sleep, this results in a vibrating sound. So, if you sleep on your side you may be able to avoid this. But since we cannot control how we move when we are sleeping, you can tape a tennis ball to your back. Then, if you roll onto your back the pressure of the tennis ball will wake you up and then you can reposition back onto your side. Some people are able to stay on their side all night by using a full-length body pillow. Try these out and stick with the one that works best.
Prop Up Your Head
Sometimes an extra pillow is all that is needed to stop snoring. This will help to prevent the collapse of the back of your throat thus opening your airway more. Sometimes one pillow is all that you will need. If you are not getting relief from one, try two. If this fails to work, try sleeping in a recliner for a few nights to see if you get any results.
Mouth Guard
There are mouth guards designed to help prevent snoring. These keep your lower jaw pushed out. This works to reduce snoring by widening the airway. It is has been shown that these are around 90% effective in reducing snoring. Unfortunately, the ones available over the counter are not as effective as those you can get properly made at the dentist. Though, you may want to try an OTC one first to see if it helps any before forking over the dough at your dentist’s office.
Nasal Strips
Those nasal strips that you see on television actually hold some merit. These can help with snoring when there is no underlying coughing or sinus issues. They are found over the counter and are placed right on the nose. They open the nasal passages allowing for better airflow. Many of these are latex-free, but if you have a latex allergy be sure to check the package to be safe.
Humidify Your Bedroom
If your snoring is related to congestion or a cold, then humidifying your bedroom can be helpful because this will help to unstuff your nose. Humidity shrinks nasal mucus, encourages sinus drainage and improves airflow. These are all factors that can contribute to snoring when they are not addressed. Adding some vapor run to your chest along with the humidifier will increase its effectiveness for most people.
Good luck with these natural remedies… wishing you a quiet night of sleep!
About the Author: Brandon Travis likes to spend his free time swimming and training for his next triathlon in the spring. His partner says that he never snores.