A third of us suffer from sleep problems, a symptom of unhealthy diets, stress, and too much time staring at screens.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. We sleep better in cooler rooms and ones with as little light as possible.
And the biggest sleep distraction may be your smartphone, so leave it just in earshot outside the bedroom.
Try these natural solutions and lifestyle changes, which may help you stop snoring.
1. Change Your Sleep Position.
Lying on your back makes the base of your tongue and soft palate collapse to the back wall of your throat, causing a vibrating sound during sleep. Sleeping on your side may help prevent this.
2. Lose Weight.
Weight loss helps some people but not everyone. Thin people snore too. See your Doctor about obstructed sleep apnea.
3. Avoid Alcohol.
Alcohol and sedatives reduce the resting tone of the muscles in the back of your throat, making it more likely you'll snore. People who don't normally snore will snore after drinking alcohol.
4. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene.
Poor sleep habits (also known as poor sleep "hygiene") can have an effect similar to that of drinking alcohol. Working long hours without enough sleep, for example, means when you finally hit the sack you're overtired. You'll sleep hard and deep, and the muscles become floppier, which creates snoring.
5. Open Nasal Passages.
If snoring starts in your nose, keeping nasal passages open may help. It allows air to move through slower. Imagine a narrow garden hose with water running through. The narrower the hose, the faster the water rushes through. Your nasal passages work similarly. If your nose is clogged or narrowed due to a cold or other blockage, the fast-moving air is more likely to produce snoring.
A hot shower before you go to bed can help open nasal passages. Also, keep a bottle of saltwater rinse in the shower. A neti pot may help, too.
Nasal strips may also work to lift nasal passages and open them up -- if the problem exists in your nose and not within the soft palate.
6. Change Your Pillows.
Allergens in your bedroom and in your pillow may contribute to snoring. When did you last dust the overhead ceiling fan? Replace your pillows? Dust mites accumulate in pillows and can cause allergic reactions that can lead to snoring. Allowing pets to sleep on the bed causes you to breathe in animal dander, another common irritant. Put your pillows in the air fluff cycle once every couple weeks and replace them every six months to keep dust mites and allergens to a minimum. And keep pets out of the bedroom.
7. Stay Well Hydrated.
Drink plenty of fluids. According to the Institute of Medicine, healthy women should have about 11 cups of total water (from all drinks and food) a day; men require about 16 cups.
Overall, get enough sleep, sleep on your side, avoid alcohol before bedtime and take a hot shower if nasal passages are clogged.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. We sleep better in cooler rooms and ones with as little light as possible.
And the biggest sleep distraction may be your smartphone, so leave it just in earshot outside the bedroom.
Try these natural solutions and lifestyle changes, which may help you stop snoring.
1. Change Your Sleep Position.
Lying on your back makes the base of your tongue and soft palate collapse to the back wall of your throat, causing a vibrating sound during sleep. Sleeping on your side may help prevent this.
2. Lose Weight.
Weight loss helps some people but not everyone. Thin people snore too. See your Doctor about obstructed sleep apnea.
3. Avoid Alcohol.
Alcohol and sedatives reduce the resting tone of the muscles in the back of your throat, making it more likely you'll snore. People who don't normally snore will snore after drinking alcohol.
4. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene.
Poor sleep habits (also known as poor sleep "hygiene") can have an effect similar to that of drinking alcohol. Working long hours without enough sleep, for example, means when you finally hit the sack you're overtired. You'll sleep hard and deep, and the muscles become floppier, which creates snoring.
5. Open Nasal Passages.
If snoring starts in your nose, keeping nasal passages open may help. It allows air to move through slower. Imagine a narrow garden hose with water running through. The narrower the hose, the faster the water rushes through. Your nasal passages work similarly. If your nose is clogged or narrowed due to a cold or other blockage, the fast-moving air is more likely to produce snoring.
A hot shower before you go to bed can help open nasal passages. Also, keep a bottle of saltwater rinse in the shower. A neti pot may help, too.
Nasal strips may also work to lift nasal passages and open them up -- if the problem exists in your nose and not within the soft palate.
6. Change Your Pillows.
Allergens in your bedroom and in your pillow may contribute to snoring. When did you last dust the overhead ceiling fan? Replace your pillows? Dust mites accumulate in pillows and can cause allergic reactions that can lead to snoring. Allowing pets to sleep on the bed causes you to breathe in animal dander, another common irritant. Put your pillows in the air fluff cycle once every couple weeks and replace them every six months to keep dust mites and allergens to a minimum. And keep pets out of the bedroom.
7. Stay Well Hydrated.
Drink plenty of fluids. According to the Institute of Medicine, healthy women should have about 11 cups of total water (from all drinks and food) a day; men require about 16 cups.
Overall, get enough sleep, sleep on your side, avoid alcohol before bedtime and take a hot shower if nasal passages are clogged.
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