Cure to snoring lies in your very home
Have you ever been frustrated with your partner for keeping you up all night with loud snoring? You've tried numerous techniques but nothing has worked. At times, you've even woken up yourself unable to go back to sleep.
Despite what you may think about yourself, everyone snores occasionally. It’s a natural occurrence due to the relaxed state your throat moves into during sleep. But if it’s severe, it can disrupt sleep patterns, cause insomnia, and lead to irritability in both the snorer and the one lying awake because of the snoring. If you suffer from extreme fatigue, sleepiness and exhaustion during the day, your problem may be more than just snoring, and you should get it checked out by a doctor.
What is snoring anyway?
Snoring is due to the lack of free moving air through the nose and throat during sleep. When this happens, the surrounding tissues vibrate, which produces the annoying snoring sound.
People who snore often have more throat and nasal tissue or “floppy” tissue, also known as uvala, that’s prone to vibrate more than others. Besides this, the position of your tongue can also get in the way of smooth breathing.
The causes of snoring are usually not serious. However, it may indicate that changes to lifestyle would improve a person's health.
While we all need a good night’s sleep, including the non-snoring partner, if you can’t sleep due to snoring, it can lead to some serious health problems. So what can you do to stop it?
Mentioned below are a few 'home remedies' you can adopt to reduce your snoring problem:
1. Losing weight
Overweight individuals are more likely to snore. If you carrying around extra body weight, this excess weight, especially around the neck, can cause the throat to narrow when you lay down. This creates a higher incidence of snoring. Fatty tissue and poor muscle tone, particularly around the throat, contribute to snoring.Eating a calorie-controlled, healthful diet and regularly exercising are the best ways to lose weight
2. Sleeping on one side
If your snoring problem is minor, this just might do the trick. A person is more likely to snore if they lie on their back. Sleeping on one side may allow the air to flow more smoothly, reducing the vibrations. This may either stop the sound of a snore or make it quieter. The biggest difficulty may become how to keep you on your side. Using a body pillow could be useful in maintaining the position.
3. Quitting smoking
In addition to harming overall health, smoking irritates the airways, and this can make snoring worse. If a person smokes, quitting may help them to snore less, if at all.
4. Avoiding alcohol
Alcohol relaxes most people, and because snoring occurs when the throat and tongue is relaxed, alcohol can add to the problem due to the extreme relaxed state it may cause. When these muscles relax, they are more likely to vibrate.Avoiding alcohol before bed may reduce or stop snoring.
5. Avoiding sleeping pills
Sedative medications, or sleeping pills, can lead to very deep sleep. This may have a relaxing effect on the throat muscles and cause snoring. A doctor can recommend healthful ways to ensure a good night's sleep.
6. Elevating the head
Elevating the head using additional pillows may help to open the airways, reducing or eliminating snoring. Marketers offer pillows designed to prop up the body and prevent snoring. These are available to buy online.
First published: 19 March 2018, 14:55 IST