 What can I do for myself to prevent or cure snoring?
What can I do for myself to prevent or cure snoring?
Mild snoring that isn't related to sleep apnea responds well to home remedies. Finding a solution to your snoring problem can result in an improved quality of life for you and your loved ones. Try some of the self-help tips below to prevent or alleviate your snoring.
Self-Help for Snoring
What You Can Do to Help Yourself Details
Lose weight
Losing weight will reduce the fatty tissue in your airway. Eating less and improving your fitness level can significantly improve your ability to breathe freely when you sleep.
Sleep on your side
Special pillows (commercially available)
The tennis ball trick*
Wear a backpack with towels in it.
Sleeping on your back may cause the flesh of your throat to relax into your airway, so adjusting your sleeping position can alleviate snoring.
(Changing your sleep position may stop mild snoring, but severe snorers usually snore in any position.)
* The tennis ball trick: Sleep with a tennis ball or other ball attached to the back of your pajama top. (You can sew a pocket or safety-pin a sock to the back of the pajama top, then put a tennis ball in it.) The tennis ball is uncomfortable if you lie on your back, and you will respond by turning on your side. Soon you will develop side-sleeping as a habit and not need the tennis ball.
Sleep without a pillow
Try sleeping without a pillow; pillows can block your airway by bending your neck.
Elevate the head of your bed four inches
(Placing rolled up towels under the head of the mattress is an easy way to change the angle of the mattress.)
Elevation of the head of your bed may make breathing easier and encourage your tongue and jaw to move forward. Elevating the entire head of the bed is better than using a pillow, which can crimp the neck and contribute to snoring.
Eliminate smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke
Stopping smoking can help with the noise and intensity of your snoring. Also, reduce your exposure to secondhand smoke.
Avoid eating food or drinking alcohol before bed
Limit the intake of food or alcohol before bed; do not eat or drink heavily within three hours of your bedtime. These substances relax your muscles and increase the likelihood of snoring.
Avoid high-fat dairy milk products or soy milk products before sleeping
Non-skim milk products and soy milk products, because of their thickness, can keep mucus from draining properly. The result is mucus retained in the throat, which can lead to snoring.
Avoid antihistamines for allergies or stuffiness
Antihistamines relax the throat muscles, which can in turn cause snoring.
Try nasal decongestants to clear your nose passages
Nasal decongestants can help people who are able to breathe through their noses while sleeping. Nose breathing circumvents the snoring sound that comes from breathing through a blocked throat.
Avoid sleeping pills or other sedatives
You may be taking sleeping pills or tranquilizers to help you sleep, but sedatives also relax your neck muscles, which can contribute to snoring.
Learn to play the didgeridoo
Regular playing of the didgeridoo (an Australian wind instrument) improves snoring. Training to play the didgeridoo may decrease the collapsibility of the upper airways. | 
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