Snoring Solutions
Simple changes can quiet snoring. Try side-sleeping, avoid alcohol, and clear your nose.
If your sleep partner often wakes tired or frustrated, you may be among the many adults who snore regularly. Snoring occurs when the upper airway narrows during sleep, causing surrounding tissues to vibrate as air moves through.
The upper airway may narrow because of extra tissue in the nose or throat, relaxed tissue, or the tongue. Snoring has several possible causes and is not limited to one sex.
Once the source of the snoring is identified, you can take appropriate steps to dampen the nightly din. These include not drinking alcohol at night, changing sleep position, avoiding snore-inducing medications, and addressing causes of nasal congestion.
How to Alleviate Snoring
Here are some factors that contribute to snoring and what you can do to alleviate them.
Alcohol
Alcohol, a muscle relaxant, can slacken the tissues of your throat while you sleep. "We see this all the time," Dr. Patel says. "Spouses say the snoring is tolerable except for the nights when their partner has had a couple of beers."
Body weight
Extra fat tissue in the neck and throat can narrow the airways. Losing some weight could help to open the airways if the person is overweight or obese, although many people who are lean also snore.
Medications
Medications that relax muscles can make snoring worse. For example, tranquilizers such as lorazepam (Ativan) and diazepam (Valium) can have this effect. In contrast, antihistamines may actually alleviate snoring by reducing nasal congestion.
Nasal congestion
Mucus constricts the nasal airways. Before bed, rinse stuffy sinuses with saline. If you have allergies, reduce dust mites and pet dander in your bedroom or use an allergy medication. If swollen nasal tissues are the problem, a humidifier or medication may reduce swelling.
Sleep position
When you lie on your back, slack tissues in the upper airways may droop and constrict breathing. Sleeping on your side may alleviate this. You can also try raising your torso with an extra pillow or by propping up the head of the bed a few inches.
Smoking
Men who snore are often advised not to smoke, but the evidence this will help is weak. Needless to say, there are already plenty of other good reasons to quit smoking.
Anti-Snoring Products
Many products claim to help with snoring, but few of them are backed by solid research. One potentially effective option is wearing an anti-snoring mouth appliance, which pulls the jaw (along with the tongue) slightly forward to open the upper airway. An appliance made by a dentist can cost around \$1,000. Do-it-yourself kits cost much less, but may not be as well tailored to your mouth.
Nasal-dilating strips are inexpensive and harmless, and some small studies suggest they may help reduce snoring. You apply these adhesive strips across your nose at bedtime to help to open up the nasal passages. Breathe Right is one well-known brand, but there are many others available at relatively low cost.
When to See a Doctor
If you are unsure what to do about snoring, a clinician can help identify possible causes and assess whether obstructive sleep apnea may be involved. Loud or frequent snoring, witnessed breathing pauses, gasping, or significant daytime sleepiness warrant a professional evaluation. Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, and snoring volume alone cannot diagnose it.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this app is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.