Are you a snorer? That can prevent your body from getting a healthy amount of sleep at night. Doctors recommend that adults should sleep between 7 to 8 hours at night. That’s the time spent actually being asleep, not staying in bed reading or trying to fall asleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, it can affect your ability to function daily. You may feel more tired than usual and irritated. So, don’t let a snoring issue become more of a problem than it needs to be. There are no cures for snoring, but there are steps you can take to alleviate the condition. Here are some of them:
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Avoid Sleeping on Your Back
Believe it or not, the sleeping position matters a lot to whether you end up snoring at night or not. Snoring is caused when the muscles in your tongue and soft palate falls back towards the throat. This obstructs the free flow of air to the lungs, which ends up as the snoring sounds. Sleeping on your back immediately makes the muscles fall back because your head is flat against the pillow. If you sleep in a different position, like on your side that can reduce the chance of this problem from occurring.
Use a Snoring Aid
Snoring aids can help you get more sleep by preventing the conditions that can lead to snoring. For example, the popular anti-snoring aid night shift sleep positioner, prevents people from sleeping on their backs. It’s worn around the neck. When the wearer unconsciously rolls over the sleep on the back, the device begins to vibrate until the sleeping position is sideways again. This is a great tool to have to train yourself to sleep on the side if you are used to sleeping on your back. There are other similar devices you can try, like chin straps, to prevent snoring.
Keep the Nasal Passageway Open
The nasal passage should not be blocked with mucus. This will make the snoring worse and potentially dangerous. So, people with allergies and seasonal disorders should take anti-histamines to keep the nasal passageway open. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, take an expectorant before bed.
Avoid Alcohol before Bed
Don’t go to bed after drinking alcohol and taking nightcaps. Alcohol is a nerve depressant, which makes muscles relax. When muscles in the back of your throat are relaxed, that makes snoring worse. You should avoid any foodstuff that creates a similar effect. Alcohol does not actually make people sleepy. If you need something to feel sleepy before bed, drink milk, which contains a chemical that induces sleepiness.
Lose Excessive Weight around the Neck
Excessive weight around the neck can bear down on the throat muscles making snoring worse. So, if you have a thick neck that’s mostly fat, take steps to exercise and lose weight. Losing weight is also good for developing a healthy sleeping cycle. When you exercise regularly, the body requires more sleep to repair itself at night. You will fall asleep more quickly and forget all about snoring.
Try today to follow at least one of the above-mentioned steps to alleviate your snoring condition.
