Self-Help & Lifestyle Changes to Help you Stop Snoring

Alcohol

By reducing the amount of alcohol you drink and changing the hours at which you drink, snoring can be considerably altered. The relaxant properties of alcohol affects the muscles in the body, and by drinking before you sleep, you will affect the muscles in your nose and throat during their weakest moments of the REM stage of sleep. Halting alcohol intake a couple of hours before you go to bed will reduce the effect of it upon your muscles, and lessen the impact on your snoring habit.

Smoking

Smoking affect on congestion and inflammation in the nasal and throat passageways is also a primary cause of snoring. By reducing or quitting smoking altogether, snoring can be eliminated, but if this is not possible then by having your last cigarette of the day a few hours before you sleep you may find a reduction in the severity of your snoring, as this will allow time for your nose to humidify, and your throat to become moist.


Diet & Weight-Loss

A key contributor to snoring habits is weight and obesity. The build of fat around the throat and neck, causes in cohesion a deposit of tissue in the back of the throat which can vibrate when air enters the passageways of the nose and mouth. The likelihood of snoring can be reduced in relation to weight loss and exercise. As muscle control around the neck becomes greater with complimentary exercise, fat deposits in that area also reduce and the possibility of turbulence in the upper airway diminishes. Certain types of food are also complicit in congestion within the airways, for example; dairy products, fried foods, chocolate and frozen foods. By avoiding these foods before bedtime the chance of congestion through the night is diminished, and the likelihood of a snore-free night is increased.

Medicines/Anti-Depressants

Sleeping pills, antihistamines and tranquillisers relax the muscles in your throat, increasing the probability that you will snore in your sleep. Anti-depressants often include relaxant properties which will exaggerate snoring habits, if you can avoid taking these medicines before you sleep you may find it beneficial to the problem of snoring.

Large Meals & Caffeine

Eating and drinking before bedtime is one of the most common causes of snoring at night, by giving yourself four hours before sleep to digest your food and liquids you can help to reduce the affects. Caffeine is also one of the main causes of sleep-disordered breathing, and avoiding it during the day and especially in the evening can have a beneficial impact on your snoring.

Allergies

Congestion caused by allergies to dust, pollen and pet hair is a potential cause of snoring as it forces you to breath through your mouth, which is a far less efficient mode of breathing. By using simple anti-allergy tablets or nasal sprays, snoring can be effectively reduced, while combating the allergy which causes it.

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