How to Stop Snoring: Tips, Tricks and Cures for Snoring

Although a lot of people are afflicted with the condition of snoring in their sleep, most people remain embarrassed by the fact that they do it. Snoring, particularly when it is loud, can make people feel very self-conscious. This level of self-consciousness could even prevent the person from getting a good night’s sleep because they’re afraid to sleep so deeply that they’ll start to snore. Failure to get the right kind of rest can cause numerous health problems so it’s important to nip this problem in the bud. Luckily there are quite a few things that you can try to reduce or eliminate your snoring.

Here are some tips, tricks and cures to prevent snoring:

• Watch what you eat and drink particularly at night. There are many different things which make snoring worse. One of the main things is the build-up of mucous in the body which is exacerbated when you eat certain foods such as dairy products. Fatty foods of all kinds, particularly sugary foods, are foods that should also be avoided. Limiting the amount of intake of these foods throughout the day and making sure not to have them at all at night can help to reduce snoring. You should also know that alcohol enhances snoring so if you don’t want to snore then you should avoid drinking at night.

• Be aware of how you sleep. The position that you sleep could be what is causing you to snore. Simply by changing the position you may be able to stop snoring all together or at least reduce the problem to a manageable level. The first thing to try is to sleep on your side instead of on your back. People who sleep on their backs have fewer back problems than others but may have a bigger problem with snoring. Sleeping on your side should reduce snoring. Also, you may want to try elevating your head higher on your pillows and using a firmer pillow that keeps your head held high. A head that is propped up higher than the body has better drainage which reduces snoring. If you have a serious problem with snoring and this seems to help then you may even want to invest in one of those adjustable beds that allows you to elevate the head.

• Try clearing out your nasal passages before bed. Many people who snore find that they simply need to use a natural decongestant before bed to reduce the problem. One great method of doing this is to inhale hot steam for a few minutes. You clear out your nasal passages naturally and open everything up so that you don’t snore. You may also take a medication that does this if you discuss the issue with your doctor.

• Try out medications and tools for reducing snoring. If you have done all of these things and you are still snoring then you may want to take more drastic measures to stop snoring. There are many different anti-snoring tools. There are pills, nasal sprays and nasal strips that many people have had success with. It’s best to work this out with a doctor even if you are planning to purchase an over-the-counter anti-snoring solution.

• Ask your dentist for advice. If you’ve tried these other medical devices and you’re still snoring then you may want to talk to your dentist about getting prescribed dental devices that are designed to assist with this problem. There are retainers and other devices that you can wear while you sleep that can reduce snoring because of the way that they change your breathing and swallowing patterns throughout the night.

• Consider your overall health. Snoring isn’t a big deal for most people in the sense that it’s not typically a symptom of any other health problems. However, it can be. If you do have other health problems that are related to your snoring then you’ll want to get those taken care of right away. Your snoring will go away and you’ll feel better overall. Two major health issues that contribute to snoring are obesity and smoking. If you are overweight and / or if you are a smoker then you will want to address these issues.

• Make sure it’s not a major health problem. In addition to being a secondary problem related to things like obesity, snoring may in some rare cases be a symptom of a bigger health problem related to sleep. Sleep apnea is the most common problem that is directly related to snoring. People who have sleep apnea may stop breathing temporarily in their sleep which can cause numerous other health problems. These people may need to use special devices called CPAP machines to prevent snoring and to stay healthy throughout the night. This isn’t common but it’s something to discuss with your doctor if you continue to have problems after addressing all of these other areas related to snoring.

Snoring is typically not a major issue in terms of health. Nevertheless it embarrasses many people and it can be a problem when you share a bed with others. If you want to get rid of the problem then you should try figuring out what needs to change to make you snore less often and less loudly. By adjusting your diet and your sleeping style as well as making a few other changes, you should be able to stop snoring without medical attention. As a last result, there are doctors who may be able to help.