Learn 7 Easy Fixes for Snoring

You might be one of the 45 percent of normal adults who snore occasionally, or you probably know someone who does.

 

They may be the target of family jokes (“Uncle Joe snores so loudly he rattles the windows!”), but snoring is a real problem.

For one thing, a snoring spouse frequently prevents the other from getting a decent night’s sleep, which might eventually lead to separate bedrooms. “Snoring can cause serious issues in a marriage,” says Daniel P. Slaughter, MD, otolaryngologist and snoring expert at Capital Otolaryngology in Austin, Texas.

Not only is snoring annoying, but 75 percent of snorers have obstructive sleep apnea (when breathing is interrupted during sleep for brief durations), which raises the chance of developing heart disease, according to Slaughter.

Sudhansu Chokroverty, MD, FRCP, FACP, program director for Clinical Neurophysiology and Sleep Medicine at JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, advises patients not to self-treat with over-the-counter sprays and medications until they consult with their doctor. “Many stop-snoring products are advertised without scientific research to back up their claims,” adds Chokroverty, who also teaches neuroscience at Seton Hall University’s School of Health and Medical Sciences.

 

Instead, try these natural remedies and lifestyle modifications to see whether they can help you stop snoring.

Alter Your Sleeping Position.

When you sleep on your back, the base of your tongue and soft palate compress against the back wall of your throat, generating a vibrating sound. Sleeping on your side may assist in keeping this from happening.

“A body pillow (a full-length pillow that supports your complete body) is a quick treatment,” explains Slaughter. “It allows you to continue sleeping on your side and can make a significant difference.”

According to Chokroverty, taping tennis balls to the back of your pajamas can also prevent you from sleeping on your back. “Alternatively, you can recline your bed with your head up and extended, which opens up nasal airway passages and may help avoid snoring. However, this may induce neck ache.” Obstructive sleep apnea may be the source of snoring that persists independent of sleep position. “In this case, see a doctor,” Chokroverty advises.

Reduce your weight.

Some people benefit from losing weight, but not all. “Thin people snore, too,” says Slaughter.

If you’ve gained weight and started snoring but didn’t snore previously, losing weight may help. “If you acquire weight around your neck, it squeezes the interior diameter of the throat, increasing the likelihood of it was collapsing during sleep and causing snoring,” Slaughter explains.