TIRED OF HIM SNORING AT NIGHT? HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO
Turns out 1 out of every 2 snore which makes you part of the demographic (45%) that snore occasionally or likely to know a person who sleeps. Although snoring is quickly dismissed as a joke, but it is in all seriousness an issue to be dealt with.
Daniel P. Slaughter says, "Snoring can create real problems in a marriage" who is an otolaryngologist from Austin, Texas. Snoring is more than just an inconvenience, 75% of the people who snore tend to have obstructive sleep apnea. This is a severe illness where your breathing gets disrupted during your sleep cycle. This can eventually manifest into heart disease.
"So, this requires serious treatment and over-the-counter drugs won't suffice," says Dr. Sudhansu Chokroverty, program director for clinical neurophysiology and sleep from JFK Medical Center. He says "Many stop-snoring aids are marketed without scientific studies to support their claims"
Other aspects factor in - like your sleeping position, which can be treated at ease with simple solutions and lifestyle reconfiguration. Hopefully, this piece will shed some light on this grave issue and help you find a natural solution.
1. Changing your sleep position
Sleeping position can play a vital role in snoring. You can sleep on your side to prevent snoring. What happens is that the base of your tongue with soft palate collapse towards the back wall of your throat. This results in a vibrating sound while sleeping. Chokraverty shed some light on this issue saying, "A body pillow (a full-length pillow that supports your entire body) provides an easy fix" Slaughter says. "It enables you to maintain sleeping on your side and can make a dramatic difference." One of the advice from Dr. Chokraverty is that you can recline your bed so that your head stays up and opening airway passages. It can also prevent yours from snoring. But if it persists then see a doctor immediately.
2. Losing weight
Weight loss has helped a few people, but the problem is that even thin people can't be exempted from snoring issues. But if you have started snoring after gaining weight then shedding some weight might help you. Daniel P. Slaughter says that "If you gain weight around your neck, it squeezes the internal diameter of the throat, making it more likely to collapse during sleep, triggering snoring,"
3. Try avoiding alcohol
Sedatives and alcohol can reduce your muscle’s resting tone in the back of your throat. In that case, you are more likely to snore. Dr. Chokroverty says, "Drinking alcohol four to five hours before sleeping makes snoring worse."
4. Follow good sleep hygiene
Reduced sleep hygiene impacts on your snoring issues just like alcohol does. If you are working for long without any sleep, and when you finally sleep, you will sleep hard and fast, but floppier will be the muscles of your throat. This will inevitably make you snore.
5. Nasal passage needs to be open
Keep your nasal passage open if you are snoring or when you start snoring. It will allow the air to move slowly. "Imagine a narrow garden hose with water running through. The narrower the hose, the faster the water rushes through.", Slaughter says. So, if that passage is clogged due to some blockage, the air that moves fast will automatically make you sleep. Try using a neti pot to rinse the nasal passage along with a salt-water solution.
6. Keep changing your pillow
Allergens often linger inside your room, and that can be collected on your pillow over time. So, if you are frequently snoring, try changing your pillow or wash them before you sleep again. Dust mites can be a significant factor for snoring. If you have a pet around and allow them to sleep on your bed, animal dander can also be accumulated over time. Slaughter also added, "If you feel fine during the day but obstructed at night, these things may be contributing to your snoring" If you intend to keep your pillows clean and allergen-free, put them in the air fluff cycle every week or replace them every year. And households that have pets make sure you get them checked for dander or treat them for dander.
7. Keep your body hydrated
This is a piece of very general advice, but keeping yourself hydrated with fluid can help eradicate snoring. Slaughter adds Secretions in your nose, and soft palate become stickier when you're dehydrated," The Institute of Medicine says that a healthy woman should have at least 11 cups of water in a day and men require 16 cups daily.
Wrapping up
All you need to do is get enough rest and sleep on your side while maintaining a well-charted out fluid intake throughout the day. Also, avoiding alcohol before bed can be an excellent way to stop snoring. Another small tip - take a hot shower right before you sleep. This can clean out the blockage in your nasal passage. Slaughter also said, "These simple practices can make a huge difference in reducing snoring."