Back sleeping can cause snoring.
You probably realize that when you snore, it can be bothersome for your partner and other family members. But snoring is not good for your health, either. It can affect the quality of your sleep. This can lead to tiredness throughout the day and to increased health problems, according to HelpGuide.org. Snoring occurs when you have a narrowed airway that does not allow you to breathe smoothly. It is not difficult to stop snoring naturally once you know how.
Exercise
Exercise helps you stop snoring for two reasons: It helps you lose weight, and it tones your throat muscles. When you are overweight, you have increased fatty tissue in your throat. This decreases the opening to your airway and causes snoring. Losing weight through exercise can reduce some of that tissue. When you exercise and build muscles in your body, your throat muscles firm up as well, according to HelpGuide.org. This also facilitates better breathing.
Get Off Your Back
Sleeping on your back blocks the airway from your throat more than other sleep positions. Whenever you narrow the airway, you are more likely to snore. The obvious solution is not to sleep on your back. One trick is to attach a sock to the back of your sleep shirt and put a tennis ball in it. As soon as you roll onto your back, the tennis ball will be an unpleasant reminder to choose a different position. An alternative would be to purchase a body pillow that keeps you on your side. You can eventually train yourself to prefer side sleeping, and this could end your snoring.
Exercise Your Throat
It takes about 30 minutes of daily throat exercise to make a difference. Repeat all of the vowels aloud for three minutes. Do this several times a day. Place the tip of your tongue against the back of your two front teeth. Slowly slide it back as far as it can go. Do this for three minutes several times daily. Open your mouth and contract your throat muscles. To determine whether you are doing this correctly, look in the mirror. You should see movement at the back of your throat. Repeat the contractions for 30 seconds several times a day.
Make Lifestyle Changes
Smokers tend to be snorers because smoking blocks the airways by irritating the membranes in your nose and throat. Help solve the problem by quitting smoking. Avoid drinking alcohol before bed, and avoid taking sleeping pills. Both relax throat muscles, and this blocks the airway. Some prescription medications could worsen snoring by putting you in a deeper sleep, which increases snoring. Taking a hot shower or using a neti pot - a pot you fill with water to rinse your nasal cavity - before bed can open your nasal passages. This improves the airflow and helps you stop snoring. Don't sleep with pets, keep your bedroom dust-free and change your pillow every six months. Allergies could be causing the snoring.
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