How to Stop Snoring With Healthy Habits and Innovative Sleep Solutions

Ever wondered why you may be snoring? Whether or not it bothers you or the person you’re sharing your bed with, snoring is a problem you shouldn’t ignore or simply accept, especially when it’s a regular occurrence. Snoring affects sleep quality and may contribute to sleep deprivation for you and/or your partner.

Snoring happens when your airways are restricted or partially blocked, causing tissues in your throat to vibrate as they come into contact with each other. While it is normal for everyone to snore occasionally because of lifestyle or certain habits, unfortunately for some, it is an indicator of an underlying health condition including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), obesity, hypothyroidism, and an anatomical issue in the nose, mouth or throat.

Magniflex fully understands how sleep is of the utmost importance for our bodies to recover and properly function. To help you improve sleep quality, here are 8 tips on how to stop snoring.

8 Tips on How to Stop Snoring

1. Try Sleeping on Your Side

Sometimes people snore when they’re sleeping on their back. It is most likely the positioning of your head leading to one or two instances. Sleeping on your back could cause tissues in your throat to be pulled downward by gravity, narrowing your airway in the process. Additionally, your tongue may fall back into your throat and block your airway. In either case, we suggest you try sleeping on your side.

For back sleepers who snore,  switching to a side sleeping position could be the easiest hack to stop snoring naturally. If you’re having trouble sleeping on your side, you can use a body pillow to support your back or opt for a Memory Foam mattress topper which adapts to your body’s contour and relieves pressure points.

2. Regulate Your Sleep-Wake Cycle

Regulating your sleep-wake cycle involves making conscious lifestyle changes such as limiting alcohol consumption and avoiding sedatives–particularly before bed, and quitting smoking. Also, manage stress levels as snoring can also be a sign of fatigue and sleep deprivation.

Alcohol and sedatives can trigger muscles that support tissues in your throat to relax which then causes you to snore. For chronic snorers who require sedative medication, we encourage you to consult your physician first and seek alternatives. As for smoking, besides being a known health risk, it has been observed to worsen or increase the likelihood of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Also, note that most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep at night. 

3. Elevate Your Head While Sleeping

Snoring can be the perfect reason to upgrade your pillows or bed base. Elevating your head could help decrease obstructions in your airways so that you breathe better, improve sleep quality, and ultimately put a stop to snoring.

Memory Foam pillows that offer ergonomic support can help reduce snoring as it positions your head and neck in a way that air can freely flow through your throat and into your lungs. In the same way, bed bases with a built-in riser can prop up parts of your body to promote proper spinal alignment and improve circulation.

4. Open Nasal Passages

Have you ever noticed how you tend to snore when you have a cold or stuffy nose? Since snoring is a result of blocked airways, nasal congestion is a probable cause. Consider using an over-the-counter nasal strip or dilator to open nasal passages.

A nasal strip or external dilator is a stiff adhesive placed on top of your nose bridge to help stop snoring by lifting the skin on your nose, decreasing airflow resistance. On the other hand, an internal dilator opens nasal passages from inside your nose as it gently widens your nostrils. If you don’t like the idea of putting anything on or through your nose, you may want to attempt clearing your nasal passages by enjoying a hot shower before sleeping.

5. Treat Allergies

Just like colds, allergies can restrict airflow, contributing to nasal congestion and making you snore. Treating chronic allergies will help stop snoring and lessen the chances of sleep being disrupted by the need to sneeze. It is always a good idea to consult your healthcare provider for ways to relieve allergies. 

Doctors may prescribe anti-allergy medication in the form of pills, liquid syrup, or nasal sprays. We also recommend you take advantage of hypoallergenic mattresses or toppers and pillows that prevent allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, fur, and mould from accumulating on your sleeping surface and becoming inhaled.

6. Wear an Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece

With approval from your dentist and doctor, consider wearing a mouthpiece that may stop snoring by expanding the upper airway while sleeping. These oral appliances can either be custom-fit or sold over-the-counter.

Mandible advancement devices (MADS) are more often than customised mouthpieces moulded to fit your teeth and adjusted to push your lower jaw forward. There are also mouthpieces made to keep your tongue from rolling towards the back of your throat.

7. Practise Mouth and Throat Exercises

Also referred to as oropharyngeal muscle exercises, mouth and throat exercises can potentially stop snoring when done consistently. Research has shown that 59% of individuals who practised mouth and throat exercises 3 times daily over a period of 3 months significantly snored less.

Mouth and throat exercises involve moving your tongue and other parts of your mouth repeatedly to strengthen oral muscles. For example, you can do the tongue slide 5 to 10 times which as the name suggests, sliding the tip of your tongue from the back of your top front teeth and through the roof of your mouth. You can also vocalise your vowel sounds or take this opportunity to sing at the top of your lungs.

6. Maintain a Healthy Weight

As snoring can be an effect of obesity and hypothyroidism can lead to weight gain, eating a well-balanced diet and engaging in regular physical activity can enable you to maintain a healthy weight.

Snoring while being overweight can mean that there is excess tissue around your neck hindering air from passing through your throat. We would never suggest that you go on a crash or restrictive diet, nor overtrain yourself to the brink of exhaustion. Instead, we remind you to approach weight loss healthily. You may also seek help from a nutritionist and personal trainer.

Final Thoughts on How to Stop Snoring

Snoring is a sleep issue that should not be taken lightly. We understand that snoring can be a sore topic. More than an annoyance and a sleep disruptor snoring is a symptom of underlying health concern. For some, it could be an effect of fatigue, alcohol consumption, sedative medication, or smoking, but for others, it could be a result of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), obesity, or hypothyroidism. 

At Magniflex, we champion harmonious sleep experiences with better sleep hygiene and innovative sleep solutions. We hope that following our tips on how to stop snoring will help you adopt better habits that will improve sleep quality and enrich your lifestyle. We also offer hypoallergenic Memory Foam mattresses, toppers, protectors, pillows, and other rest accessories that can help stop snoring and reduce possible conflict with the person you’re sharing your bed with.