3 Snoring Remedies that Work and 3 that Don’t

3 Snoring Remedies that Work and 3 that Don’t

It’s hard to determine if you are a snorer, that is until someone within your sleep range alerts you to your deep, bothersome, guttural grinds. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) reports that snoring “affects approximately 90 million American adults – 37 million on a regular basis.”

There are a variety of reasons you may be snoring and just as many ways you can stop. It is important to know what type of snorer you are with the top causes coming from the throat, tongue, or sinus cavity.

These 3 snoring remedies that work and 3 that don’t should give you a gauge on how to remedy this condition.

Get Tested

Dr. M. Safwan Badr, M.D., president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine tells the Huffington Post,

“When you are snoring, you’re spending too much energy to breathe. Snoring is like fever for a general internist – it tells you something is going on, but it doesn’t tell you what. I would make sure that the body isn’t telling us to look for sleep-disordered breathing or sleep apnea,”

Sleep apnea is when a person momentarily stops breathing while  and has been linked to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), heart failure, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimers.

Snoring is often a symptom due to an obstructed airway which is called OSA or obstructive sleep apnea. By sleeping with a special device a sleep specialist can monitor your sleep patterns. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, you may receive a prescription for a CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure machine. This device can help stop your snoring enabling you (and anyone else affected) to finally get some sleep. The CPAP is usually best for those with OSA.

Avoid Strips

Those adhesive snore reducing strips advertised as the easy fix may be an easy money maker. It turns out that most snoring is due to a deeper malfunction taking place in the throat not the nasal area. The only thing these strips may remedy is changing the acoustics of the snore but not eliminating it.

Drop a Few

For many, one surefire way to stop sawing wood at night is to lose weight. According to Dr. Lawrence Epstein, assistant medical director of clinical sleep medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital,

“People who are overweight have extra tissue in the back of their throat, which can fall down over the airway and block the flow of air into the lungs while they sleep. Losing just 10% of body weight can have a big effect on sleep apnea symptoms. In some cases, losing a significant amount of weight can even cure the condition.”

Losing weight usually helps throat snoring but may affect the tongue as well.

Faux Pillow Fixes 

Special pillows that advertise keeping your airway in a non-snoring position is a temporary attempt that will most likely fail once you move while sleeping. There is no scientific evidence that can verify this alleged pillow fix and it is usually a waste of money.

Stay Sideways

Sleeping on your back could constrict your throat and result in some loud, gurgling snores. Switching to and staying in a side position has shown to open the airway and improve snoring. A clever trick is to place a tennis ball in an old sock and sew the sock to the back of an old t-shirt. Wear the t-shirt to bed and if you end up on your back while sleeping the ball will make you feel uncomfortable and you will go back to your side. Sleeping on your side may help all three snoring causes.

Skip the Strap

You may come across a variety of chin strap devices being sold that guarantee a snore-free night. It wraps around your chin and attaches with velcro on the top of your head keeping your mouth closed so your throat does not vibrate when you breathe. ABC news reviewed one of these straps and found that it did not work. It wasn’t a scientific test but may be good enough to prove its lack of effectiveness.

Decongest

Using a synthetic or natural decongestant may help alleviate snoring, especially if you suffer from allergies. Sometimes a simple saline solution administered before bed to cleanse your nasal passages could be all you need.

In a study by researchers from the University of Florida Colleges of Medicine and Health Related Professions, published in the journal Chest, a nasal decongestant was added to two other recommended remedies concluding that,

“In most cases, the combination of weight loss, sleeping on one’s side, and the administration of a nasal decongestant significantly reduces the frequency of snoring in asymptomatic men who snore heavily. The major effect appears to be related to weight loss.” A decongestant can help sinus, throat and tongue related snoring.

If you are a chronic snorer or have an occasional bout with midnight honking, try some of these 3 snoring remedies that work while avoiding the 3 that don’t. Hopefully, soon you’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep without waking the neighborhood.